Reloaded and ready: 2004 Titans gunning for Super Bowl
|
In their place are second-year running back Chris Brown, third-year defensive end Carlos Hall, veteran defensive tackle Kevin Carter, second-year receiver Tyrone Calico and fifth-year tight end Erron Kinney.
For some, that means the Tennessee Titans are rebuilding after a 12-4 season that ended in a playoff loss to eventual champ New England. Forget about challenging Indianapolis for the AFC South this year or returning to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2000.
But to coach Jeff Fisher, the Titans are just reloading.
“We don’t want to ever have to identify a year or two as being rebuilding years. What we want to do is constantly rebuild, maintain the core group of players, which gives us a chance to win every single year,” he said.
Quarterback Steve McNair, the 2004 co-MVP of the NFL, is the reason that philosophy can work.
At 31 and going into his 10th season, McNair’s biggest challenge is staying healthy. He has increased his touchdown passes in each of the past five seasons, and he led the NFL in passer rating in 2003 at 100.4, throwing 24 touchdowns and only seven interceptions in 14 games.
McNair has worked to improve, knowing defenses will be targeting him even more.
“You’ve always got confidence you can do better. That’s what I’m going to do this year,” McNair said.
He misses the familiar face of eight-year teammate George behind him. George is gone in a salary dispute; the team’s all-time rushing leader never missed a start in 128 games.
But the changes should only help McNair. Brown led the AFC this preseason with 240 yards rushing, showing speed the Titans haven’t had in years. Questions about his durability can only be answered with time, and the Titans added veteran Antowain Smith as insurance.
“Very few backs, if any, play eight or nine or 10 years like Eddie without missing a game,” Fisher said.
The Titans ranked 26th in rushing offense with George, so Brown seemingly can only help a unit that was eighth overall because of McNair’s passing.
“Chris Brown brings a new dimension to this offense with his quickness and his explosiveness in the backfield,” McNair said. “We need that to help this offense in the way we want to go.”
The offensive line is intact for a second straight year, and Pro Bowler Derrick Mason leads the best group of receivers McNair has had, including Calico and the 6-foot-3 Drew Bennett.
The 6-4 Calico, with his 4.3-second speed in the 40, was impressive and consistent this preseason. He should replace McCareins, who was traded to the New York Jets.
But Calico will miss the opener Sunday at Miami and may not be ready for an early AFC South game with the Colts on Sept. 19 after surgery to remove torn cartilage from his left knee.
“This team has got something to go out and prove,” McNair said. “We’re young, but we’re ready.”
If the Titans didn’t lose enough defensively to free agency with Kearse leaving for Philadelphia and Robaire Smith for Houston, it got worse when linebacker Peter Sirmon tore left knee ligaments in training camp.
The rookies drafted to add depth on the defensive line spent the preseason banged up, so the Titans could add a player or two off the waiver wire.
Hall has replaced Kearse at right end. Carter, a two-time Pro Bowler at end, took Smith’s slot at tackle, and tackle Albert Haynesworth appears ready to end the doubts about his maturity.
“I still know it’s a question in the fans’ minds and maybe some of the media’s mind as a defensive unit,” middle linebacker Rocky Calmus said. “I’m confident in the guys that they can get the job done.”
All-Pro Keith Bulluck anchors the linebacking corps, and this is the third straight season together for the secondary of cornerbacks Samari Rolle and Andre Dyson and safeties Lance Schulters and Tank Williams.
Antowain Smith joined the Titans hoping for a chance to add to the Super Bowl rings he won with the Patriots, and he thinks his new team has a good shot.
“Anytime you got No. 9 back there, I like our chances,” Smith said.