Nate out for opener with a hammy

I-Want-Troy's-Hair · 08-28-2009, 12:11 AM

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20...908270375/1027

Four weeks later, the Titans have some answers, but not all of them. A training camp that ended with the annual dizzy bat race Wednesday left many heads spinning, trying to put things in focus.

Here are five unanswered questions with two weeks left before the regular-season opener at Pittsburgh:

1. Are the Titans good enough at receiver?

They looked good enough until Monday, when veteran Nate Washington went down with a hamstring injury.

Washington was having a great training camp, and while his injury isn't the season-ending variety, it's probably unrealistic to think he'll play against the Steelers. I won't be surprised if he misses several games to start the season.

The Titans have a proven commodity in Justin Gage, but there is no other experience at the position.

Sure, receiver Kenny Britt has looked good, but he's a rookie. So is Dominique Edison, who has proved to be roster-worthy but not exactly game-ready.

Second-year pro Lavelle Hawkins is next in line, but he's inconsistent. And I have Paul Williams on the practice squad, not the 53-man roster, to start the year.

So if I'm offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger, I'm a little nervous. Make that a lot nervous.

2. Who's going to be the team's return man?

This was one of the team's strengths last year with Chris Carr. Now it's a big question mark.

The Titans signed veteran Mark Jones to do the job, but he hasn't even dressed out for a preseason game because of a hamstring injury. He returned to practice last week and is scheduled to play against the Browns on Saturday.

Considering the performances of the other candidates, if Jones makes a nice return and is careful with the football, he's probably the guy.

No one else has proved to be a contender, at least returning punts.

Chris Davis got first crack, but a hamstring injury slowed him down and a DUI arrest did him in — he was released Monday. An ankle injury knocked rookie Ryan Mouton out of the equation, at least for now.

Javon Ringer had a nice 51-yard return against the Cowboys, and remains a possibility, but I can't see Coach Jeff Fisher turning the job over to a rookie at Heinz Field in his first real NFL game.

So it looks like it is Jones' job to win, but he would face a tough task in trying to match Carr's production.

3. Has quarterback Vince Young really improved?

One day the answer is a yes. The next day it's a resounding no.

Every player deals with ups and downs in training camp, and Young has been on the roller coaster from game to game, from practice to practice.

He was rusty against the Bills, looked great against the Buccaneers, then appeared out of sync again last week against the Cowboys. His practices have been pretty much the same way.

Young made strides in how he handles the media, and he's more visible in the locker room around his teammates.

The fact of the matter, however, is no one knows exactly what to expect out of Young on the field.

If starter Kerry Collins stays healthy and the Titans are winning, it won't matter much.

4. Is the secondary depth good enough?

I say no. And anyone who followed the Titans last season knows how valuable secondary depth can be.

Cornerbacks Eric King and Carr stepped in and played well last season, but if something happens to starters Cortland Finnegan or Nick Harper this fall, it probably won't be so pretty.

The good news for the Titans: rookie corners Mouton and Jason McCourty look like solid picks. Before suffering an ankle injury, Mouton was really looking the part. McCourty has shown promise and should help on special teams.

The depth overall is suspect, however.

Cary Williams received some time with the first team, but he's struggled. Veteran DeMarcus Faggins has been inconsistent. Tanard Davis flashed but lately has leveled off.

The Titans need to upgrade now or run the risk of being exposed later.

5. How good is the defensive line without Albert Haynesworth?

It's the question that won't go away. So far there have been few clues to the answer.

An injury to defensive tackle Jason Jones has kept coaches from knowing what they have at full strength. He hasn't practiced since the preseason opener.

While newcomer Jovan Haye has fit in well, and veteran Tony Brown has been solid, rookie Sen'Derrick Marks is still learning. Big Kevin Vickerson has had his moments, but needs to be more consistent.

There's no doubt the Titans will miss Haynesworth, it's just a matter of how much.

This much, however, is certain: if the interior guys struggle, it's also going to make life that much tougher on aging defensive ends Kyle Vanden Bosch and Jevon Kearse.

JackHammer · 08-28-2009, 01:00 AM

Damn, that sucks. I was looking forward to seeing how many passes he'd drop against a D that hits as hard as we do.

T Bradshaw · 08-28-2009, 04:03 AM

Did Nate made any great catches for us?
I am so glad this guy is gone.

43Hitman · 08-28-2009, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T Bradshaw

Did Nate made any great catches for us?
I am so glad this guy is gone.

Nate made several key catches on 3rd down all during the playoffs. I would have liked us to keep him, he really started coming into his own last season. I understand though, that we have some real quality young guys to develop now and that for the money, it was a good decision in hindsight.

El-Gonzo Jackson · 08-28-2009, 10:49 AM

Yeah, I liked Nate and thought that he and Holmes would be the WR tandem for some time in Pittsburgh.

Oh well, too bad we will miss him in the opener, but the Nate Haters now have Sweed to hate on instead.

Dino 6 Rings · 08-28-2009, 10:55 AM

LMAO!!!

Like I said in the TO Thread...

I have a feeling we are going to see a lot of

"(insert name of pusssy on other team) won't be playing against the Steelers this weekend."

As soon as it is clear our D is even better this season, people are going to drop onto the Injury Report like stones down a well.

devilsdancefloor · 08-28-2009, 11:26 AM

nate realized that the D could hit him now. No longer no contact drills

Psyychoward86 · 08-28-2009, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T Bradshaw

Did Nate made any great catches for us?
I am so glad this guy is gone.

Yeah, i remember at one point in the middle of the season he had like a 40+ yard reception in 3-4 straight games. But im not liking the news that he's probably not playing. I want him to know what he's missing out on come September.

SteelersinCA · 08-28-2009, 11:38 AM

This is disappointing on 2 levels, I wanted to see him get shut down and I have him on my fantasy team.

fansince'76 · 08-28-2009, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El-Gonzo Jackson

....the Nate Haters now have Sweed to hate on instead.

HEEEEEEEEEED the SWEEEEEEEEEED!

08-28-2009, 12:11 AM	#1
I-Want-Troy's-Hair Assistant Coach Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Riverside, CA -originally Steubenville OH Posts: 1,450 Gender: Female Member Number: 2698 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Nate out for opener with a hammy http://www.tennessean.com/article/20...908270375/1027 Four weeks later, the Titans have some answers, but not all of them. A training camp that ended with the annual dizzy bat race Wednesday left many heads spinning, trying to put things in focus. Here are five unanswered questions with two weeks left before the regular-season opener at Pittsburgh: 1. Are the Titans good enough at receiver? They looked good enough until Monday, when veteran Nate Washington went down with a hamstring injury. Washington was having a great training camp, and while his injury isn't the season-ending variety, it's probably unrealistic to think he'll play against the Steelers. I won't be surprised if he misses several games to start the season. The Titans have a proven commodity in Justin Gage, but there is no other experience at the position. Sure, receiver Kenny Britt has looked good, but he's a rookie. So is Dominique Edison, who has proved to be roster-worthy but not exactly game-ready. Second-year pro Lavelle Hawkins is next in line, but he's inconsistent. And I have Paul Williams on the practice squad, not the 53-man roster, to start the year. So if I'm offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger, I'm a little nervous. Make that a lot nervous. 2. Who's going to be the team's return man? This was one of the team's strengths last year with Chris Carr. Now it's a big question mark. The Titans signed veteran Mark Jones to do the job, but he hasn't even dressed out for a preseason game because of a hamstring injury. He returned to practice last week and is scheduled to play against the Browns on Saturday. Considering the performances of the other candidates, if Jones makes a nice return and is careful with the football, he's probably the guy. No one else has proved to be a contender, at least returning punts. Chris Davis got first crack, but a hamstring injury slowed him down and a DUI arrest did him in — he was released Monday. An ankle injury knocked rookie Ryan Mouton out of the equation, at least for now. Javon Ringer had a nice 51-yard return against the Cowboys, and remains a possibility, but I can't see Coach Jeff Fisher turning the job over to a rookie at Heinz Field in his first real NFL game. So it looks like it is Jones' job to win, but he would face a tough task in trying to match Carr's production. 3. Has quarterback Vince Young really improved? One day the answer is a yes. The next day it's a resounding no. Every player deals with ups and downs in training camp, and Young has been on the roller coaster from game to game, from practice to practice. He was rusty against the Bills, looked great against the Buccaneers, then appeared out of sync again last week against the Cowboys. His practices have been pretty much the same way. Young made strides in how he handles the media, and he's more visible in the locker room around his teammates. The fact of the matter, however, is no one knows exactly what to expect out of Young on the field. If starter Kerry Collins stays healthy and the Titans are winning, it won't matter much. 4. Is the secondary depth good enough? I say no. And anyone who followed the Titans last season knows how valuable secondary depth can be. Cornerbacks Eric King and Carr stepped in and played well last season, but if something happens to starters Cortland Finnegan or Nick Harper this fall, it probably won't be so pretty. The good news for the Titans: rookie corners Mouton and Jason McCourty look like solid picks. Before suffering an ankle injury, Mouton was really looking the part. McCourty has shown promise and should help on special teams. The depth overall is suspect, however. Cary Williams received some time with the first team, but he's struggled. Veteran DeMarcus Faggins has been inconsistent. Tanard Davis flashed but lately has leveled off. The Titans need to upgrade now or run the risk of being exposed later. 5. How good is the defensive line without Albert Haynesworth? It's the question that won't go away. So far there have been few clues to the answer. An injury to defensive tackle Jason Jones has kept coaches from knowing what they have at full strength. He hasn't practiced since the preseason opener. While newcomer Jovan Haye has fit in well, and veteran Tony Brown has been solid, rookie Sen'Derrick Marks is still learning. Big Kevin Vickerson has had his moments, but needs to be more consistent. There's no doubt the Titans will miss Haynesworth, it's just a matter of how much. This much, however, is certain: if the interior guys struggle, it's also going to make life that much tougher on aging defensive ends Kyle Vanden Bosch and Jevon Kearse. __________________ "Until one has loved an animal a part of one's soul remains unawakened." Anatole France

08-28-2009, 01:00 AM	#2
JackHammer Assistant Coach Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: The Steel Valley Posts: 1,018 Gender: Male Member Number: 5640 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Nate out for opener with a hammy Damn, that sucks. I was looking forward to seeing how many passes he'd drop against a D that hits as hard as we do. __________________ The Terrible Towel is Poised to Strike Last edited by JackHammer; 08-28-2009 at 01:29 AM.

08-28-2009, 04:03 AM	#3
T Bradshaw Draft Prospect Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 140 Member Number: 12013 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Nate out for opener with a hammy Did Nate made any great catches for us? I am so glad this guy is gone.

08-28-2009, 10:49 AM	#5
El-Gonzo Jackson Living Legend Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 7,901 Member Number: 8264 Thanks: 25 Thanked 150 Times in 114 Posts	Re: Nate out for opener with a hammy Yeah, I liked Nate and thought that he and Holmes would be the WR tandem for some time in Pittsburgh. Oh well, too bad we will miss him in the opener, but the Nate Haters now have Sweed to hate on instead. __________________

08-28-2009, 10:55 AM	#6
Dino 6 Rings Living Legend Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Arkansas (formerly New Jersey) Posts: 8,213 Gender: Male Member Number: 6891 Thanks: 0 Thanked 10 Times in 7 Posts	Re: Nate out for opener with a hammy LMAO!!! Like I said in the TO Thread... I have a feeling we are going to see a lot of "(insert name of pusssy on other team) won't be playing against the Steelers this weekend." As soon as it is clear our D is even better this season, people are going to drop onto the Injury Report like stones down a well. __________________ SuperBowl Wins - How many does YOUR team have? Steelers 6, 49ers 5, Cowboys 5, Packers 4, Giants 4, Redskins 3, Raiders 3, Pats 3, Broncos 2, Dolphins 2, Colts 2, Ravens 2 Bears 1,Jets 1, Bucs 1, Rams 1, Chiefs 1, Saints1

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08-28-2009, 11:26 AM	#7
devilsdancefloor Living Legend Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Columbus, Indiana Posts: 4,015 Gender: Male Member Number: 10172 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Nate out for opener with a hammy nate realized that the D could hit him now. No longer no contact drills __________________ Don't do anything by half. If you love someone, love them with all your soul. When you go to work, work your ass off. When you hate someone, hate them until it hurts. I believe that today more than ever a book should be sought after even if it has only one great page in it. We must search for fragments, splinters, toenails, anything that has ore in it, anything that is capable of resuscitating the body and the soul.

08-28-2009, 11:38 AM	#9
SteelersinCA Team Owner Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 2,536 Gender: Male Member Number: 9302 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Nate out for opener with a hammy This is disappointing on 2 levels, I wanted to see him get shut down and I have him on my fantasy team.

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