Fisher plans to give young Titans final preseason test
“It is different. We want to get accustomed to play longer and play hard, so we can step into the regular season with some momentum and have everybody used to playing a number of plays,” Fisher said.
“With the way this team is right now, with the exception of maybe two spots, 12 to 14 plays in this game is not enough to go into the opener. The o-line and the d-line, everybody needs to play more and more.”
The Titans (1-2) have only 13 players on the roster with four or more years’ experience. Two of those — former Packers safety Arturo Freeman and ex-Jacksonville receiver Troy Edwards — have been added in the past two weeks.
Green Bay coach Mike Sherman doesn’t plan to play his starters past halftime even though his Packers (1-2) have scored a league-low 20 points this preseason. He still has to determine who his starting guards are, but his biggest concerns are with filling the bottom of the roster.
“There are definitely spots available to be had by certain players. That 53rd, 52nd, 51st, 50th spots are still wide open,” Sherman said.
Brett Favre, who was intercepted twice in last week’s 27-3 loss to New England, would rather play as much as he did in that loss. This will be his first chance to work with Bubba Franks in a game since the tight end signed a new contract last week.
But he’ll get only a series or two, which won’t help take his mind off Hurricane Katrina, which flooded his boyhood home and left his home in Hattiesburg, Miss., with extensive damage.
His property is close to the home of Titans quarterback Steve McNair, whose family had joined him in Nashville to escape the hurricane before returning. Both quarterbacks are struggling with how and when they might help clean up because of damage to roads and closed airports in the area.
The Packers could build some momentum as well.
They’ve lost two exhibitions, and Sherman must decide whether William Whitticker becomes the first rookie guard to start for Green Bay since Bill Bain in 1975 or if he should play Grey Ruegamer at right guard.
Whitticker will start along with Adrian Klemm at left guard. But both Ruegamer and Scott Wells will play.
“We’re going to let those guards play a lot during the game,” offensive coordinator Tom Rossley said. “Probably play the whole game between those four guys.”
Rookie Aaron Rodgers will replace Favre with Craig Nall into the game last. Whether running back Ahman Green plays remains unknown because he has been dealing with his domestic abuse case the past three days.
Only McNair and receiver Drew Bennett might get out early for the Titans, who lost 16-13 in overtime last week at San Francisco.
Fisher has to find someone to start at right tackle for the opener Sept. 11 at Pittsburgh because the likely candidate, rookie Michael Roos, will be working at left tackle with veteran Brad Hopkins recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee that coincides with a one-game suspension.
Jacob Bell, who started 14 games at left guard as a rookie, could be the candidate. But he has yet to play this preseason after tearing his right anterior cruciate ligament on Christmas night, and the Titans aren’t sure if he’s ready to play an entire game.
Rookie running back Damien Nash likely has his best chance to impress after being hobbled by a groin and back injury.
Fisher is hoping Favre plays at least into the second quarter, when he plans to test top draft pick Adam “Pacman” Jones against better competition to see if the cornerback is ready to start after his lengthy holdout.
“If Brett plays, he is known to scramble around and make plays. And his backups are doing the same thing. It will be a good test,” Fisher said.
Exactly what a young team needs.