• Ravens 10 - 7 Eagles: Oh dear god, they've gone and benched Donovan McNabb! He's been downright awful all day long, and since the team still has a chance to win (thanks, Baltimore) Andy Reid has decided to give Kevin Kolb a shot to really fuck up Donovan's future with the team.

• Vikings 20 - 10 Jaguars: The Vikings defense forced a fumble from Matt Jones and they have the ball in Jacksonville territory, but they still haven't been able to do much of anything on offense this afternoon. Oh well, they'll settle for a field goal and a 10 point lead.

• Bears 24 - 3 Rams: The Rams are fucking awful.

• Dolphins 20 - 17 Patriots: Pennington just hit Dartmouth's own Casey Cramer from a yard out to retake the lead against New England.

• Buccaneers 28 - 17 Lions: Collapse complete, and it's only the third quarter! Jeff Garcia has a pair of touchdown passes, one to a Gator and one to an alleged rapist. The Bucs just got another score on a punt return for a touchdown.

• Cowboys 29 - 6 49ers: Dallas has opened it up on defenseless 49ers. TO only has three touches, but they've gone for over 120 yards and a touchdown. Rookie tight end Martellus Bennett has a touchdown for his second time in as many weeks. Patrick Crayton just added another score for Dallas.

• Texans 13 - 6 Browns: Oh come on, you know you don't care.

• Bills 30 - 17 Chiefs: Leodis McKelvin has two interceptions of Tyler Thigpen passes, and he took one of them back for a touchdown. Marshawn Lynch and Trent Edwards have both scored on the ground while Jamaal Charles and Tony Gonzales have scored for KC. Update: Trent Edwards just went balls out for another rushing touchdown. The lead is now 20.

• Despite disciplinary issues, Chad Johnson will keep playing for the Bengals. Honestly, I think they should pull a Marbury on Johnson and just sit him.

• Westbrook will play for the Eagles today, although his tough matchup might not be favorable against the Ravens. He says he feels good though, so that's something. I guess.

• Detroit will be looking for their first win today as they host the Bucs. It's a must win...going into the Thanksgiving game winless would be embarrassing. Can we please switch up the Thanksgiving games? Thanksgiving football has sucked for years.

He (Billy Ray Cyrus) had a chance to pitch the song to Titans quarterback Kerry Collins, who, as it turns out, is also a songwriter. "I dabbled a little bit," Kerry said. "I met Ed Hill and Billy Lawson and we sat down and came up with a song. I think it's pretty good." The title is "It's Not Hard to Be Happy When I'm Looking at You,"

More likely Vegas odds in the preseason of 2008: Collins accepts a Grammy for his songwriting or an MVP for his quarterbacking?

A-listers pay homage to BMI's top songwriters [Tennessean]

After a 66-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter against the Chiefs, Johnson ran over to the Chiefs band's rhythm section and began banging on its conga drums (see video below), drawing a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. But he says a $10,000 fine for this is too harsh.

"I am not happy about it,'' Johnson said. "I knew I was going to get a fine, but I am totally upset about how much. I am going to appeal. … There's no fun in this league. I was trying to have fun and they want to penalize us for having fun. I'll just have to watch what I can do. I know you can't use props or anything like that. But I feel if Chad only got fined $7,500 for using a camera, I shouldn't be fined $10,000. That's not right.''

Chad Johnson's touchdown celebration against the Titans last season, in which the Bengals receiver got behind a television camera and pointed it at the field, resulted in a $7,500 fine.

Um, notice how I didn't refer to him as Chad Ocho Cinco, by the way? The big Ocho Cinco experiment is dead, at least for now. Well, it was inevitable in this troubling financial climate: Johnson did the math recently, and figured that it would have cost him a bundle to reimburse Reebok for changing over all of their Johnson jerseys to Ocho Cinco. So he'll wait until next season to do it — if the mood still suits him — when he can have it done for free.

Titan Will Appeal Fine For Drum Celebration [The Tennessean]
Ocho Cinco Will Stick With Old Jersey For Season [NBCSports]

"I'm fine. I'm good," he said. "I just needed a day-and-a half to get through some things and how to handle things, but now I am OK. I was never depressed, I just hurt a little bit. … When it happens again I'll know how to handle it. I just want everyone in the world to know I am fine."

Hard to believe that that's the same Vince Young who has taken us on a Magical Mystery Tour of crazy all week, but hey, if he's better then I'm happy for him.

And I'm sure that those Korean kelp farmers are glad to know he's fine.

On Tuesday Young's mother, Felicia Young, told the Tennessean that the Titans' quarterback had indicated he didn't want to play football anymore because of all the negativity he faced. Young took questions from reporters for 16 minutes after watching his teammates practice on Thursday.

"Football, this is my life. This is my dream. All I did all these years growing up to get to this point and never had an injury like this before in my life," he said. "It's a hard time because I'm a competitor, and I definitely want to be out on the football field with my teammates. ... It was my first time getting booed," Young said. "I didn't know how to handle that."

Fisher, meanwhile, said that Young will have to earn back his starting job. Well, glad that's settled. Now, Vince, if you could just sign this ... Vince? Where'd he go? ...

Vince Young Says He's Not 'Depressed,' Wants To Return To Field [USA Today]

But it could be a lot longer than that. Young reportedly has told his mother and close friends that he wants to quit the game.

Felicia Young said her son has grown weary of all the negativity he faces as an NFL star. On Monday, he indicated to those around him he didn't want to play football any more. "Vince has gone through a whole lot as a young person,'' Felicia Young said. "And I think he has done pretty well up to this point. But it is hard, all he is going through right now. He's hurting inside and out. But he will be fine if people are prayerful and help my baby boy out. He is a young man. He just needs a lot of love and support.''

So apparently, all negotiations for the return of his $51 million signing bonus are going to be handled by his mom, if it comes to that. She's going to call Fisher and let him know that her son is quitting and then she'll have to drive over to the Titans facility and drop off his uniform, stirrups and cleats, kind of like kids do at the end of the season in youth football. But how can Young be weary of football when he reportedly spent Monday night trading autographs in my neighborhood for chicken wings?

Regardless, the Titans are moving on. Even with his injury it's not clear whether Young will play again this season. Which means Kerry “K-Gun” Collins will now be unleashing his 36-year-old cannon on unsuspecting NFL defenses. Ironic, since Collins himself has owned and lost starting roles with the Panthers, Giants and Raiders; at least some of those instances in connection with his fight with alcoholism.

I’m already terrified that Collins is going to decide he doesn’t want the pressure of being a starting NFL quarterback and the Titans will be the first team in NFL history to have two quarterbacks choose not to start for them. Oh, and the Titans have also signed Chris Simms as Collins’ backup. Remember how the Titans thought they were going to be free from drama once Pacman was gone? Yeah, not so much.

Vince Young Hurting Inside And Out, Mother Says [Tennessean]
Simms Takes Backup Role [Tennessean]

“Given the totality of the situation, Coach Fisher was concerned about Young’s emotional well-being. He contacted the police department and expressed to us his concern,’’ Aaron said. “Once he came to Baptist Sports Park and was assessed, it appeared the concerns from earlier in the night were unfounded.’’

The Titans also issued their own statement:

“Last night, we received a call from people that are closest to Vince informing us that he had left his house in a state of mind that had them concerned; and that he was unreachable, having left his cell phone at the house. Not having all the facts available to us and approaching the matter prudently, we contacted Metro Police to make them aware of the situation and asked for their assistance in locating Vince. He was located at a friend’s house, where we made contact with him. He then came to the practice facility where it was determined that those initial concerns by his friends and family were unfounded and he returned home without incident.”

Vince Young's agent has just issued his own comments on the night claiming that Young just went to a friend's house to watch a little Monday Night Football. At least according to Pro Football Talk.

"This is all being blown way out of proportion,” agent Major Adams told the Nashville City Paper. He just went to watch both of the games last night at a friend’s house. I had talked to him. He told me where he was and everything.

“He said he can’t believe he can’t just go and watch a game and people need to know where he is 24 hours a day,” Adams said.

Which means, according to Young's people, he was watching former Vandy quarterback Jay Cutler—a player the Titans passed up over Young—dissect the Oakland Raiders defense. Of course it seems pretty unlikely that if this was all there was to the story that the resulting furor would have arisen.

Speculating on someone's mental state is always freighted with danger. Not least because trained doctors and psychologists often differ after talking to the same individuals. But, clearly, Vince Young is not responding to the pressure of being a starting NFL quarterback very well. But — why? Of all the NFL cities where he could play, Nashville is probably one of the top five most laid back markets. Maybe the most laid-back and least critical in the NFL. There's only one major newspaper (and many educated residents question the use of the term "major" here), reporters are limited, by all accounts even local talk radio is civil and even-tempered. So if Young is feeling overwhelmed in this media market, he should be thankful he's not on either coast.

But where does this leave us? By contacting the police Coach Fisher served notice that he truly believed his quarterback was in such a fragile emotional state that he might do himself harm. Clearly these concerns outweighed any fear, which Fisher surely recognized, that this story would become huge national news once he contacted the police. Any hope, at this point, that Young's refusal to re-enter the game was going to blow over is gone. For better or worse, and it's almost all for the worse, Vince Young's mental health is now more of a concern than his ability to read defenses. Or read at all.

Quarterbacks like to believe that it's external forces: linebackers, critics, coaches, wide receivers, the media that create the greatest obstacles to their success. All too often, as we see now with Vince Young, the greatest foe is often inside.

Police: Titans feared for Young's safety [Tennessean]

Agent says Young was watching football [Pro Football Talk]

Bulluck doesn't like Ocho Cinco. He prefers "Oucho Cinco," a reference to the receiver's shoulder problems.

"He's going to be on camera all day," Bulluck said, half-joking. "His shoulder … I don't expect him to run too many shallow crosses. I'm putting it out there for him to bite it, and I know he will."

I can't wait until Ocho Cinco takes the bait and responds. I suggest he add his own vowel, "Who is Keth Bullucko?" Killer.

Bulluck wishes Bengal well...for now [Tennessean]

According to sources, questions about Young's state of mind began when the quarter back left his home abruptly at 7:30 p.m. Monday.

According to the same sources, Young seemed emotionally down and left his cell phone behind.

Titans' officials alerted Metro police to be on the lookout for Young's SUV.

The video story from WKRN is also here.

Eventually, after alerting the police to be on the lookout for Young's SUV, Fisher was able to track Young down and meet with him at the Titans headquarters. As he left the facility, Fisher pronounced the whole thing a "misunderstanding." Which is what Fisher also said about Young not going back into the football game. He also refused to go on camera and said his quarterback was fine.

Leaving all this aside, Young's mental state seems to have moved well beyond a football issue and into a more serious realm involving potential mood swings and mental health struggles. You don't contact the local police force and ask them to be on the lookout for your missing quarterback's SUV if everything is going fine. Stay tuned, this whole situation is just getting started.

Concerns for Titans Quarterback prompt midnight meeting [WKRN]

Titans worried about VY's mental state [Music City Miracles]

He pushed away defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, who was trying to console him, and took a seat on the bench. When it was time for the Titans to take the field following a three-and-out by the Jaguars, Young appeared as if he didn't want to go back in.

Collins began taking snaps before Fisher came over and appeared to gesture for Young to take the field. The coach later said a tight hamstring — not a reluctant quarterback — was the issue. Asked about it five times during his postgame news conference, Fisher never changed his story.

Yeah, it's so bad Albert Haynesworth is trying to console him.

I was at the game and Young's refusal to take the field was very apparent to everyone. So was the crowd's cheering reaction. As Kerry Collins—he of the gray beard and formerly quitting on his first NFL team—took snaps from Titans center Kevin Mawae, the crowd went crazy with cheers. Believing, mistakenly, that Jeff Fisher had pulled Young from the game. Just as the cheering reached a crescendo, Young came running back onto the field. Two plays later he was injured and left the field. The severity of the injury is not yet known. (Adam Schefter of the NFL network is reporting that Young tore his MCL and will be out 2-4 weeks.) After being helped off the field, Young left behind a 3rd and 15 for his back-up. Collins entered and immediately converted the 3rd and 15 and then led the Titans on a scoring drive that sealed the win. Leading many Titans fans to question, including this one, whether the team might not have a better chance of actually scoring points with Collins at the helm.

After the game, a Titans 17-10 victory, many players questioned Young's attempt to quit on the team. What didn't quit was the Titans defense, something linebacker Keith Bulluck pointedly drove home. "No one is going to quit on this side of the ball.''

The latest incident raises an awful lot of unsettling questions. For the past two seasons Young hasn't appeared to have the mental fortitude to be an NFL quarterback. Some players perform well amid criticism and questioning of their abilities, Young only seems to thrive when he's being patted on the back. Combining the rumors that Young got Norm Chow fired, the strange comments about considering retirement, and now refusing, at least for a short while, to go back into a football game because the crowd wasn't behind you, and you have the makings of a real mess. Maybe VY needs to spend more time swilling Patron shirtless, because whatever he's doing now just isn't working.

Young grabs knee, spotlight [Tennessean]

On a serious note, how much money can you make with a sausage company? The guy signed a $50 million dollar contract. Do sausage kings make $100 million? What did Abe Froman make? You're rich from playing sports, just invest your money in hedge funds and cash the royalty checks. You don't need to actually start your own business to be a business man. Just because Jay-Z rhymed it doesn't mean it's the gospel truth. Although, come to think of it, I do have 99 problems but a bitch ain't one so...

So help me God, if popsicles are next, I'm done with you and your phallic properties, Vince, done.

Vince Young's sausage coming to a supermarket near you [You Been Blinded]
Vince Young would like you to try his sausage [SBB]

We're less than two weeks away from the start of the NFL season, so it's time to start the impassioned season previews from various writers, bloggers, diehard fans, cooks, TV personalities, and numerous other walks of life whom consider football the only sport worth watching.

Today: The Tennessee Titans. Your video author is...Kige Ramsey.

For the past two years, I've brought the Tennessee Titans preview to Deadspin. But this year I decided it was time to pass the baton to a worthier Titans fan, the one and only Kige Ramsey. Initially Kige was reluctant to do a single team preview, "I've already done the AFC South," he said, "and I'm not sure I've got the time." But eventually he came around. So, after the jump, Kige breaks down the Titans. As a quick preview, "Touchdowns are important." Truer words were never spoke.

]]> Deadspin-5043416 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:00:17 EDT Clay Travis http://deadspin.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5043416&view=rss&microfeed=true
Fortunately for White, unlike former USC teammate Carson Palmer—who told an LA radio station he hated Ohio State and their fans and then was forced to issue an apology— he plays in Tennessee. Which means he could probably run for Governor and be elected on the "Ohio State Sucks" platform. So don't look for there to be any apologies forthcoming from White. Not unless the CEO of Hostess Cupcakes threatens to pull his free year's supply. White made the comment during a friendly interview with a teammate—Titans center Kevin Mawae.

The interview was for Thursday's Jim Rome show. White's response led the host to say, "White's comment was a complete non sequitur." To which White responded, "Hey, homie, I ain't gay." If only. Actually they talked about why Jim Rome loves him some McDonald's chicken. Or something. Ohio State-USC can't get here soon enough.

LenDale White says Ohio State sucks [Sports by Brooks]

"It feels good man, you know, to get a second chance and I just have to take advantage of it," said Jones. "First and foremost, I don't want to let myself down, definitely my little girl down. I'm thankful for Jerry [Jones], the fans in Dallas and my teammates for believing in me. I need to keep doing what I've been doing to get reinstated, staying with myself and my teammates and staying away from those knuckleheads and just stay focused."

We can all agree that Jones is an idiot, but he still received a harsher punishment for an off-field act than any player in league history. And he's still only plead guilty to a single obstruction of justice felony. And that was after the suspension ws levied. Meanwhile the NFL, public relations masters that they are, planned on dropping this news on the Friday before Labor Day figuring that the attention would be muted over the long weekend. Until then, let it rain.
NFL fully reinstates Dallas Cowboys cornerback Adam Jones [Dallas Morning-News]
Pacman was at Hooters when he got the news [Pro Football Talk]

It's good to see that NFL hazing will never die. At least not until someone tears an ACL or suffocates while taped to a goal post. The Titans held their annual dizzy bat race for the healthy players. But they reserved their true scorn for the players who were too injured to participate in the dizzy bat race. Namely, Lavelle Hawkins and Cary Williams. Protest was futile.

Per the Tennessean:

While Williams and Hawkins were tied to a pole by Bulluck, Albert Haynesworth and Rob Bironas, and soaked with everything from water and flour to mustard and ketchup for more than 10 minutes, the rest of the rookies endured the dizzy bat race.

It got dangerous out there. "At one point during the fiasco, Hawkins said he couldn't breathe. Tackle Jason Murphy, hoping to console the rookie receiver, responded: "Then how are you talking?'"

Ah, football players. Such founts of respiratory knowledge.

Veterans haze Titan rookies [Tennessean]

The Titans signed the restricted free agent in April, ending his three-year run in Oakland and providing him with a new landscape to explore. And Carr really likes to explore.

His movie collection isn't what you might expect for an NFL player He has more than 30 Woody Allen movies and is such a fan of the longtime filmmaker that he's pushing them on teammates.

Safety Vincent Fuller recently watched Match Point at Carr's behest.

I'm sure Fuller loved it, too. Woody Allen movies are great, but I really don't like that nervous guy that's in all of his films.

Titans' Carr A Renaissance Man [WBIR.com]

"No disrespect to Mike Williams, I love Mike Williams, but he is going to have show people that he is really serious about playing football,'' said running back LenDale White, who was a teammate of Williams at USC. "Unfortunately, they might be talking about him like Ryan Leaf as one of the worst draft decisions.''

Lost in the shuffle of all of this is Williams' connection to Maurice Clarett. Williams only played for two years at USC after making himself eligible for the draft in 2004. His draft status was stayed due to a ruling in the Maurice Clarett case and Williams sat out of football for a year before being selected by the Lions. He's no Clarett but together they make a pretty horrible tandem of picks. United in challenging the NFL's three year rule. Hopefully, at 24, Williams still has his signing bonus money. Because his football career may well be over.

Titans cut wide receiver Williams [Tennessean]

"Oh, my God. Oh, my God. I ain't never said I was going to quit football. There was a lot of stuff going on in my life, but football is not hard to me. Football is easy. All you have to do is be coachable and use your God-given talent. If it was a thought at all it was just a passing thought for a second.''

So, for the record, Vince Young did consider quitting football for exactly one second. Young, obviously frustrated, went on to tell the Tennessean reporter that he wishes he didn't have to be in the spotlight so much and could be able to handle things like another NFL player: "He wished he could be like Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison, and just not talk to the media at all."

That's a well-timed namedrop.

Vince Young: I Wasn't Going To Quit [Tennessean]
Vince Young Talks About His Rebound From NFL Joylessness [Deadspin]

In an an interview with NFL.com, Young vents:

"I really thought long and hard about it.There was so much going on with my family. It was crazy being an NFL quarterback. It wasn't fun anymore. All of the fun was out of it. All of the excitement was gone. All I was doing was worrying about things.

"My teammates helped lift me out of it. I prayed really hard. And I began to focus on God's calling for me. Play football. Be a role model."

Hmm. So, maybe that's why Vince's eyes were closed and he was half-naked — he was praying. Maybe he's been reading and studying this book in an attempt to reinvigorate himself.

Pressure almost pushed Young out after one NFL season [ESPN]
The Humanization Of Vince Young [Deadspin]

Pressure Almost Pushed Vince Young Out After One Season [ESPN]

The above logo will be sewn on all Titans uniforms this year, and it's somehow worse than the original Thumbtack design. Texas Chick on AOL Fanhouse points us to this angry column from the Houston Chronicle from 10 years ago, making fun of the name, logo, all of it.

Of course, the team itself has been in Tennessee for 12 years, and they went by the "Tennessee Oilers" name for the first two years. We had forgotten about this; it's not as bad as the Utah Jazz, but it had entirely slipped our mind.

One of those Tennessee Oilers, by the way: Ron Powlus!

Tennessee Titans Celebrate 10 Years Of A Bad Name And Logo [The Fanhouse]

Pac Man is accused of slapping a woman outside a north Atlanta strip club back on January 3 on 3 a.m.. The woman wasn't a dancer, though, apparently; she's a defense attorney.

She filed an arrest warrant against him in Fulton County Magistrate Court; the name of the strip club is the Body Tap Strip Club.

If anything, one would think Pac Man would have learned to keep his distance from both strips clubs, and lawyers. Alas, a combustible combination.

Pacman Allegedly Strikes Woman In Strip Club [Nashville City Paper]

-Hey, the Chargers seem to be moving the ball. I'm sure this will end well.

-TOUCHDOWN, FLOATS RIVERS TO VINCENT JACKSON. They went for 25 yards on the hook up and my reverse jinx worked as well as always. Now Rivers is yelling happy things at everybody on the bench!

San Diego 10 - 6 Tennessee

-And Tennessee is storming right back down the field.

Fourth Quarter

-Bironas is lining up for another field goal. Tennessee is borderline unwatchable.

-Juuuuuuuust a bit outside.

-Chris Chambers was uncovered deep in the secondary. He would have scored but it took the ball about thirty seconds to show up. First and goal... timeout.

-And after a ridiculous challenge they're out of timeouts. It's always nice to have Norv on the sideline in crucial times like this. It looks like they're going for it!

-TOUCHDOWN, LADAINIAN on the second effort! I might come close to breaking even this weekend.

-And the score is under review, as long as they didn't rule him down on forward progress then nothing will change.

San Diego 17 - 6 Tennessee

-These guys don't seem to understand the challenge system quite yet.

-Vince Young gets picked off inside his own 20 and this one looks about over. It's been a pleasure, I'm out!

First Quarter

-Vince Young was efficient on his first series. It went for 13 plays but they'd settle for a Bironas field goal.

Tennessee 3 - 0 San Diego

-Hey, Vince looks like he's hurt again. Could it be Kerry Time?

-San Diego can't move the ball for shit, which is criminal. I'm starting to understand how MJD feels every week.

Second Quarter

-Hey, a first down for San Diego. Amazing what happens when you include Antonio Gates in on the fun.

-"Floats" to Chambers right down the middle of the field for a big gain, now we're rollin'!

-One Chargers drive fizzles out and Floats starts the next one with an interception in the end zone. This is brutal.

-By the way, the score is still 3-0, but other wild card games have picked up in the second half.

-Vincent Jackson just got so open Rivers couldn't have thrown a pick if he tried. Yet I'm still troubled by the play calling. 13 passes against 6 runs. Fuck you Norv. Fuck you over and over again. GO SIT IN DAN SNYDER'S WAITING ROOM!

-Antonio Gates hurt and the cart is coming out. Why now? Why not the 2002 Sweet 16?

-After another incompletion Nate Kaeding botches a short field goal. Nice kick, farm boy.

-Rod Bironas doesn't seem to have any problem with these kicks, field goal is good.

Tennessee 6 - 0 San Diego

Let's see what the kids say.

• Cool Standings: Chargers.
• Football Outsiders: Chargers.
• Matt Pitzer: Chargers.
• Bill Simmons: Chargers.
• Michael David Smith: Chargers.
• Big Daddy Drew: Chargers.
• Dan Shanoff: Chargers.
• AJ Daulerio: Chargers.
• DEADSPIN: Chargers. At last, gleeful consensus. Which means of course San Diego is toast. If the Bolts lose this game, they'll execute Norv Turner at midfield.

Your thoughts?

• It sure is nice seeing Kerry Collins back, isn't it? Remember when Kerry Collins was a big controversial figure? He got DUIs before it was cool to get DUIs. Collins has been around longer than you realize; he actually took over for Frank Reich, for crying out loud. Vince Young should be fine for the playoff game next week, which is kind of a shame; it might have been fun to see Collins' goofy arm hitch in the playoffs one more time. Not that we have much hope for the Titans anyway; when Kerry Collins is your savior, not even facing Norv Turner will be enough to keep you around long.

• Honestly, it really has been the worst sports year for Cleveland. It's downright wrong; that city has been cursed with just enough hope to make the disappointments really hurt. But hey, look who got some minutes yesterday!

• No offense to Vikings fans, but we're more excited to see the Redskins in the playoffs than the Vikes. Yep: We have Todd Collins fever. We bet they beat the Seahawks, by the way.

• Everyone in Detroit is chattering that Mike Martz is going to be fired. No Super Bowl losing coach has dropped as far as Martz since, who, Bill Callahan? It's a shame Nebraska, just to be funny, can't hire Martz as its next coach.

• Apparently Marv Levy is leaving Buffalo. That makes us extremely sad; we wanted him to be there until he was 103.

• The Buzzsaw finished 8-8. Mock us if you will, but we'll absolutely take it. That's the first non-losing season in a decade. Just in time for Leinart to return and screw it all up next year.

(CORRECTION: Kerry Collins did not take over for Frank Reich. That was Todd Collins. So many Collinses! We apologize.)

Lucky for us, NBC flexed its scheduling option-ceps with this one — which way to the gym? — so we all get to watch Jim Sorgi let down the entire city of Cleveland firsthand. Should be fun.

And finally, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't present Kige Ramsey's hard-hitting analysis of tonight's big game. Take it away, champ:

"The key [to a Titans win] I believe is that they've got to score a lot of points. They have to. And their defense has got to stop the Colts offense."

After their win last night, the Broncos are now tied for first in the AFC West. As much as we enjoyed our fantasy scenario yesterday of Norv Turner stumbling into the playoffs and then running the table, he might not even make it that far. If the Chargers miss the playoffs entirely, they have to fire him, right?

Meanwhile, Vince Young finally has a decent statistical game, and they lose. They always seem to be much more successful when he's lousy.

Broncos 34, Titans 20 [Music City Miracles]
Winning The AFC West In Two Easy Steps [Mile High Report]

Anyway, they're back at it tonight, hosting the Tennessee Titans in the last football game for, well, three days. Expect all kinds of Vince Young discussion and Jimmy Kimmel ambushing the booth.

Not only are the Saints now 0-3, but they've lost Deuce McAllister for the year and the whole season is beginning to appear lost. (Though we're not exactly scared of anyone else in that division either.) You can't blame the fans; they wouldn't even leave a burning bar, lest they miss any of the pivotal game. But Drew Brees is looking awful, and basically, the Saints look like a team that everyone has figured out. Saints fans were booing last night; those are the Saints we remember!

Meanwhile, Vince Young can apparently throw the ball, and the AFC South looks like the most fascinating division in the NFL. And we've run out of things to say about what was, ultimately, a rather dull game between two teams that, oddly, seemed mismatched.

As always, we know nothing.

Anyway, Pac Man Jones made his "wrestling" "debut" last night, and it was ... well, it happened.

"Your contract won't allow you to touch or be touched. Ain't that a (expletive),'' Ron "The Truth" Killings yelled to Jones. "We don't have to worry about you whipping no one's (butt) around here. You better watch your back, Pacman.''

Amusingly, Jones left the event in a neck brace because of a backstage, off-camera "fight." At least nobody blew up his car.

Pacman Jones Gets 'Injured' Without Wrestling [The Tennesseean]

The Titans received a court order saying Jones can't fake wrestle, which is to take place on Sunday on pay-per-view. To the best of my knowledge, the court order says nothing of real wrestling. Rulon Gardner anxiously awaits.

Seriously, Pacman, why even try to make any sort of appearance on a cable channel not named the NFL Network? I mean, some households actually get pay-per-view television. If it's danger you're a-jonesin' for, there's always sword swallowing, walking on burning coals, BASE jumping, and having Navin Johnson's wife throw knives at the balloon in your mouth. And none of those dangerous, thrilling sports compete with the NFL Network, because it's all televised on stunning bootleg HDTV.

Titans Don't Want 'Pacman' Wrestling [AP/Forbes]
Will They Make It Rain On Pac Man's Face? [127.0.0.1]

Your author is Clay Travis, a columnist for CBS Sportsline and author of the incredibly entertaining new book Dixieland Delight, about a season of Southeastern Conference football. His words are after the jump.

—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—--

Lost amidst the Vince Young hoopla last year was the fact that, outside of Young, the Tennessee Titans stunk worse than Chris Berman's ball sack at the end of NFL Primetime.

The top-three playmakers were Drew Bennett at one wide receiver, Bobby Wade at the other wide receiver and Travis Henry at running back. So impressed were the Titans with this triumvirate's performance that they let all three players leave via free agency. Despite having ample free agency money. Meaning Vince Young is officially weaponless and will have as much difficulty making plays as a pederast at a nursing home bingo game. So instead of worrying about unimportant parts of football like the entire defense, here's a breakdown of the Titans top offensive weapons by position.

Running Back

LenDale White: Here are words you are willing to see associated with your running back: felon, fast, tough, illiterate, suspended for violating the league's drug policy, domestic abuser, efficient whizzinator operator.

Here is the one word you don't want associated with your running back in any circumstance: fat.

Unfortunately LenDale White is fat. He sleeps with Kit Kats under his pillow and stores Hershey's Kisses (with almonds!) under his man boobs.

Chris Henry: In his entire collegiate career with the Pac-10's Arizona Wildcats Chris Henry ran for less than a thousand yards. Yep, in his four-year career. The Titans were so impressed by this performance that they took him with a second-round pick. Now they are seriously talking about making him the gunner on special teams coverage. Fellow Pac-10 tailback LenDale White reacted to this selection by saying he had never heard of Chris Henry. Then White said he would offer to split a king-size Reese's Pieces with Henry, but only if Henry rubbed his balls in pure honey and let LenDale lick them. It's all about the team. And after all, there's no I in teabag either.

Chris Brown: The Titans deactivated Chris Brown for 11 games last year because he has the physical toughness of a Kappa Kappa Gamma's hymen. Which is to say none. Despite choosing to deactivate a healthy Brown for almost 3/4ths of the season last year, the Titans resigned him for three-times the money they were paying him not to make the active roster once the off season arrived. Clever rascals. See, lots of teams have been making the mistake of actually paying players for, you know, actually playing. But then they get tired and bruised. This way Chris Brown only gets tired and bruised when female sponges are sold out at Walgreen's.

Wide Receiver

David Givens: Is currently walking with a cane. Seriously, a cane. Rumor has it that Titans officials are actually encouraging him to take up dogfighting to clear cap space.

Brandon Jones: Jones was the third best wide receiver on his college team, Oklahoma. He is the best receiver on the Titans by approximately 1,000 percent This should tell you all you need to know about the Titans wide receivers.

Roydell Williams: You know how I said Brandon Jones was the best wide receiver on the Titans by approximately 1,000 percent? Currently, Roydell Williams is starting ahead of him. Roydell, who in 14 games last year had eight catches. Yep...eight.

Courtney Roby: Amazingly, also starting at receiver. Basically the Titans reward production. Last year Roby had two catches in 12 games. But lest we be too critical, one of those was for a first down. Of course Pacman Jones caught the same number of passes on offense and four more on defense, but pointing this out would just be mean. And men named Courtney cry when you make fun of them because they have always secretly envied their missing X chromosome.

Paul Williams: While other teams like the Patriots were signing Randy Moss after giving up a 4th round draft pick, the Titans shrewdly waited until late in the third round to snag a player no one else really wanted. A player who wasn't even sure a year ago he wanted to play wide receiver. Word is a boastful Williams has promised that his rookie campaign will lead to his being twice the player Courtney Roby was in 2006. This comment was received with unvarnished glee in Nashville until everyone realized this meant Williams was projecting only four catches for himself.

Justin Gage: The Titans were so overwhelmed by Justin Gage's four catches in eight games last season for the Chicago Bears (a full .5 catches a game!) that they signed him to a free-agent contract after the Bears released him from their practice squad. They plan on him helping to replace the 79 catches Bennett and Wade took with them when they signed with other teams. This would be funny if it weren't actually true.

Eric Moulds: Perhaps aware that their wide receiving corps made several SEC wide receiver coaches cackle with glee (or perhaps aware that this profile was being written), the Titans signed Eric Moulds last Wednesday. My favorite thing about this signing is thinking about Eric Moulds looking at the roster of his wide-receiving competition. If Moulds didn't immediately make it rain on dem hos, then I want him tied, bound, and driven out of Nashville inside LenDale White's Little Debbie truck.

Tight End

Ben Troupe: When I talked to Troupe two years ago about wearing a dress in a Nutcracker performance he told me he owned several switchblades. This makes him by far the most dangerous Titan. So I think he's quite an impeccable young man with great manners.

Bo Scaife: Caught 29 passes last year. Unfortunately Vince Young's rookie year included an elementary school maneuver whereby he only threw to players like Scaife and Ahmard Hall because he was friends with them from Texas. Perhaps to protect against this occurring with opposing defensive backs, the Titans drafted Texas's Michael Griffin so Young could throw to him at practice as opposed to in games.

That's truly it. The entirety of the Titans playmakers. Consider yourself forewarned. Basically if you take any Titans offensive player other than Vince Young in a fantasy draft, you have the vision of Stuart Scott and you're probably going to take a picture of your cock like Sean Salisbury. Which, when you get right down to it, is sort of cool. I mean what woman doesn't love a nice cock picture? Especially if you liven it up with a couple of balls. That's class.

Another reason to love Kige Ramsey ... his kitchen looks like the one from Star Wars.

Kige Ramsey Dedication Page
Kige Like Never Before [YouTube/WNYOsports]

But my favorite part was the post-practice quote by Nickey: "Someone comes at me, I'm not going to back down. I don't care if it's Vince, President Bush. That's just instincts that come out."

Yes, one does not want to be caught off guard by the two-fisted fury of this man. No sir.

Meanwhile, there was also trouble over at Chiefs' camp.

Titans QB Throws Punch, Escapes Injury [MSNBC]
Vince Young Has Your Back Mr. Roby [Winning The Turnover Battle]
Annoyed Chiefs Coach Gives Fan Earful [MSNBC]

All this week, Ramsey is forgoing the practice of filming himself while at Wal-Mart and instead reporting live from Tennessee Titans training camp. He has some real insights; we are certainly John Clayton is terrified. Meanwhile, he hasn't forgotten what's really important; say, Lindsay Lohan. Plus, he's responding to user email!

The only place that has had more participant behavioral problems in the last few years than the NFL happens to be the only place that will take him: The World Of Professional Wrestling.

TNA Wrestling signed suspended Tennessee Titan cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones to a contract that will see the NFL star perform as a wrestler. Jones is currently suspended for the entire 2007 NFL season, without pay, for personal conduct problems off of the field. Reportedly the Titans have no issue with Jones getting involved in professional wrestling.

We think there's some mad logic in this whole matter; we have a pretty good idea how he could enter the ring. Our favorite part about this is that the Titans "have no issue" with Jones wrestling professionally. No, seriously, Pac Man, go ahead. In fact, climb up to that top rope right now. OK, see that table over there? Jump through it! Go ahead! We don't mind.

TNA Signs Adam "Pacman" Jones [411mania]

I say he looks about 4% more innocent, though. I'm totally buying it. The man in that picture doesn't look like he's capable of biting a bouncer's leg and threatening to kill someone. I mean, the mustache looks kind of guilty. And the look in his eye still says, "I'll give you money and put a bullet in that guy over there if you show me your labia."

But other than that, yeah, the new look is clean and fresh. I would not be surprised to hear that the haircut was given by Roger Goodell's personal barber.

Pacman surrenders for arrest on felony charges [ESPN]

So much for Pac Man Jones just being an innocent bystander in that strip club shooting ... he's been formally charged with two counts of felony coercion.

Charges were also filed against two other people involved in the incident. Sadia Morrison was charged with one count of felony assault with a deadly weapon, one count of felony battery wtih a deadly weapon, one count of felony coercion, one count of felony coercion with use of a deadly weapon and one count of burglary.

This isn't going to turn out well, we don't think.

Pacman Charged Las Vegas Shooting [NewsChannel5]
You Know, You Think You Know A Guy [Deadspin]

• Strip clubs.
• Entourages.
• Guns.
• Rain.

One would think wrong.

Troubled NFL star Adam "Pacman" Jones is wanted for questioning in a shooting early Monday at a DeKalb County strip club that left one man with minor injuries. DeKalb police confirmed they want to talk to the College Park native, whose entourage got into an argument with three other men about 4:16 a.m. at Club Blaze, a Moreland Avenue strip club, according to Officer Ariel Toledo

When the men with whom they argued left the club, Jones's entourage followed them in two vehicles police identified as a green Dodge Charger and a black Pontiac Grand Prix. Someone from Jones' entourage allegedly shot into the vehicle they were following, Toledo said. Someone in the victim's car returned fire. One person in the victim's car suffered minor injuries from shrapnel, but refused treatment, Toledo said. The gunfire exchange happened near I-285. "We're still investigating," Toledo said. "We want to speak to Adam 'Pacman' Jones because we believe the people he was with were involved."

We love that the officer felt obliged to say "Pacman." At this rate, by the way, Roger Goodell is going to have to start suspending everyone named "Adam." Sorry, Vinatieri!

'Pacman' Jones May Be Involved In Shooting Incident [Atlanta Journal Constitution]