Stillers-Titans Postgame Analysis and Grades

Stillers 19, Tenn. 11 ���. Sep. 19, 2010 ����Game # 2

 

Stillers-Titans Postgame Analysis and Grades

 

In a wild, hell-bent game of ferocity and attrition, the Stillers hung on and grabbed a rare win down in Opry Land.�� This was a game for defensive-minded fans to cherish, with the kind of rabid gang tackling, mauling, and blistering hitting that was distinctly reminiscent of the old Stillers-Raiders games in the mid-70�s.

 

Grades:

 

QB:� Dixon started and played into the 2Q, where he apparently injured his knee on an innocent keeper.� He wasn�t drilled, but apparently twisted his knee.��

 

He started out shakily enough -- on a PAP, with eons of time, he clutched the ball forever, refusing to run.� He was nearly stripped and threw the ball away.�

 

Dix finally removed the shackles that had over-burdened him in 2 career starts, taking off from the pocket and scrambling on 3d & 2 for a key 21-yard gainer to help spark the O�s best drive of the day.��

 

Dixon did have a fumble on a blind-side hit in the pocket.�� Tough play for a QB, to be sure, but this guy has no 4th or 5th sense, much less a 6th sense the way the Ben�s and the Marino�s do.���

 

Batch entered the game at 12:03 2Q and promptly fumbled the 1st snap; luckily we recovered.�� His best pass of the day went for a TD late in the 2Q, but a hold on Scott negated the play.� Batch set up Miller for a horrific pounding on a 3d & 11 dumpoff in the 2H.��� Overall, Batch finished 5 of 11 for 25 yards, although he was victimized by 4 drops.��� Dix: Inc.�� Batch:� C+�

 

RB:� Mendy had a workmanlike effort, gaining 69 yards on 23 carries against a defense that mostly played only 3 DBs and loaded up to stop the run.� �Better, he did not fumble and quite often had 2 hands around the ball.� �He had a key 20-yarder on the 2nd series, plus a solid 10-yarder earlier on 2d & 10.�� Mendy squeezed thru a tiny hole in the 3Q and netted another 10-yard gain.�� His lone boner was a dropped screen in the 2Q, although it was negated by Tenn�s offsides.�

 

Redman continues to impress.� He had a tremendous effort on a desperation dumpoff in the 1Q, snared behind the LOS.� Facing a swarm of Titans, Red nevertheless weaved and garnered for a 3-yard gain.�� On a 3d & 1 on the Tenn. 26 late in the 3Q, Red had a superb plunge, making a good read and then getting low at the POA and blasting ahead for 6.�� One can only imagine what this team might have done last year if Redman would have been permitted to run in short yardage.��

 

Either due to heat or coaching stupidity, Moore saw a goodly amount of PT late in the 2Q and did nothing.� Whatever this guy had in �08 -- and it was a lot back then -- has seemingly dissipated.�� �����B+

 

FB: Red had 2 plunges from the FB spot; one for -2 in which no one blocked, and another� for 2 yards.�� He had a good lead block on a toss sweep that gained 5.� Johnson saw a lot of work at FB and performed decently.�� ����B+

 

WR:� A rather poor day at the office for this crew.��� Every one of the top 3 dropped a pass.�� El dropped a low but catchable curl on 3D that would have moved the sticks.�� Ward failed to hail in an oop lob in the EZ that could have sealed the win.�� Not any easy grab, but it clanged off his hands.� Wally allowed a deep slant to bobble off his hands, which allowed Chris Dope to poke the ball away.�� Ward had only 1 grab for 9.� Perhaps his biggest contribution was starting the melee that broke out after the 1st play from scrimmage, which seemed to really fire up the Stillers.� Randle El, in his earnest quest to finish the season with a YPC under 2.0, finished with 1 grab for 0.��� The lone bright spot was Wally�s alertness and hustle on Batch�s fumble, which avoided disaster when Wally recovered it.�� On a day when the entire rest of the roster played their asses off in stifling heat, this crew should be rather embarrassed over their sad sack performance.��� D.�

 

TE:� Miller had a quiet day, with just 2 grabs for 3 yards, with the 1 grab resulting in a bone-crushing hit by a Titans LB.�� Miller, like the WRs, had trouble making the big grab, as he failed to corral a deep flag late in the 2Q.� Not a cake-easy catch, but far from impossible.�� Spaeth had a rare -- and I do mean rare -- good block, pancaking a Titan near the end of Dix�s long run.��� C�

 

OL: Hard to evaluate this crew based on a multitude of causal factors --

 

��� ��- Batch entered the game stone cold due to the Dixon injury.��

����� - The Titans added a LB and played with only 3 DBs most of the game, thus loading up on the run.�

����� - Injuries and heat exhaustion forced starting O-linemen off and on the field like a hockey game.� �

 

I honestly cannot recall the last time I saw O-lineman shuttling to and fro the way this line had to today.�� With Starks already out, Scott got the nod at LT.� But Scottie got dehydrated in the 2Q, and on came Tony Hills.�� Then Flozell Adams flipped from 1 side to the other.�� Then Essex limped off the field, and Doug Legurski saw PT at RG.� It got to the point where I was half expecting the long snapper, Greg Warren, to be inserted as an emergency fill-in.�� (The only lineman to play all snaps was rookie Mo Pouncey.)�

 

Kemo had a good maul on Mendy�s 20-yard scamper.�� Then, true to his nature, he committed a false start on the very next play�� Scott�s lazy hold negated a TD pass late in the 2Q.�� On the very next play, Fat Flozell was flagged for not being on the LOS.� �Essex committed his weekly false start in the 3Q.� Both tackles were ploddingly poor on a 3d & 15 sack in the 3Q. �Hills was as slow as whaleshit off the snap and gave up a sack on 3d & 5 in the 4Q. ��

 

It was a bit ugly, but in the oppressive heat and with Tenn. teeing off on the run, this patchwork crew did some yeoman�s work. ����B- ��

 

DL:� This unit started out slowly, but then warmed up. �Smith was entirely too soft on a Johnson�s dash up RT for an easy 6 in the 1Q. ��Then Hood clumsily took a poor angle and allowed Young to skirt wide and then fire a completion of 17. �Hoke, who started for the injured FatAss Hampton, hobbled off late in the 2Q and was replaced by Steve McLendon, a prac squad player who was activated only yesterday.��

 

The line managed to bottle Johnson, and in the 2H, they turned up the heat and intensity.� Keisel and Smith chipped in with Harrison for a literal body-slam sack of Young.� McLendon had a huge fumble recovery, as did Hoke later on.� Keisel had a strip, although Tenn recovered.�� There were very few cutback lanes for Johnson, who finished with a paltry 34 yards on 16 carries.���� A special shout out to McLendon.�� One day, the guy is sitting on the taxi squad with no chance of ever seeing activation.� The next day, he�s activated, and the next day, he not only dresses, but contributes a huge fumble recovery.�� He might never play another snap in the NFL but what a story he�ll have to tell his kids some day.�� A

 

LB:� A tremendous effort, in particular by Timmons and Harrison.�� This was sideline to sideline, rabid helmet-cracking linebacking from these 2, as best as I�ve seen since the days of Lambert and Ham.�� Even Big LaMarr chipped in a bit.��

 

Timmons was a man possessed.�� He issued the D�s first big hit on Johnson, on a plunge at 6:50 1Q.�� A short while later, in the 2Q, he blistered Johnson on a 4-yard carry.� I�m not talking about routine slop-stops or lazy lil� nudges --� I�m talking about a LB delivering a blow and tackling thru the ballcarrier and planting his ass into the turf. �As small as Johnson is, I kept thinking to myself, �A few more hits like this, and he ain�t gonna wanna run the ball no more...!��� Late in the 2Q, Johnson ran a plunge, and was wrapped and heading to the turf.� Any LB could have easily stood by and watched.�� Not Timmons.� He lowered his shoulder and exploded into Johnny, forcing a fumble that enabled the Stillers to boot a FG just before the half.�� �����In the 2H, Timmy slashed in and dropped Johnny for -3.�� Timmons then saved a TD late in the game, hauling down Johnson as he appeared to be cruising toward the GL.�� Speed kills, and we can only wonder what �09 would have been if Timmons hadn�t continually been removed from the game by his genius (sic) coordinator.�� Timmy ended the game with a crisp wrap of Johnson after a dumpoff.��� In all, Timmons led the team with 12 solos and 3 assists, in a spectacular effort that ranks up there in Stiller ILB lore along with Lambert, Nickerson, and Kirkland.��

 

Harrison was a terrorizing menace.�� He had good coverage and a good wrap of Johnson on a dumpoff, 0 yards.� �Soon later, he made a superb hustle play from behind on a 3d & long draw.�� In the 2nd half, Harrison was simply dominating.�� He had a good string of a wide Johnson run, 0 yards.� The next play, he stripped the QB like a $10 whore, resulting in a key turnover.� He put a blistering hit on Johnson on a 1-yard run.� �Overall, Harrison finished with 10 solos and 1 assist, plus 2 FFs.�� Not shabby.��

 

Big LaMarr snared an INT as he sneaked back in coverage and Young never saw him.� Sadly, Big LaMarr allowed Chris Johnson -- who weighs some 90 pounds less -- to pull the big LB down on the INT return.�� A very pantywaist effort by Big LaMarr.�� LaMarr also had a strip.�

 

Taunto Farrior has regressed to the point that he looks like a toddler next to the 3 other LBs.�� He did little the entire game except spank his monkey.� On a 3d & 9 screen in the 1Q, Taunto allowed the ballcarrier to bronco-bust thru his grasp, allowing an extra 3 yards.� Then he whiffed on Johnson�s 6-yard rush.� On the 1st play of 2H, he had a shameful, assaholic over-pursuit, allowing Johnson his longest run of the day (11 yds).���

 

Foote got some PT, due to the heat.�� On his 1st play, in the 1Q, he got rumbled over by Johnson on a tackle attempt.��

 

Timmons:� A+��� Harrison�� A+���� Woodley:�� B+��� Farrior:� C-�

 

DB:� Leading the way, of course, was Troy Pola, who, along with Timmy and Harry, had a game for the ages.�� He snuffed an early Titan drive with an astute INT in the EZ.� He slashed in and dropped Johnson for -1.� Then, in a play that may likely be replayed for years to come, Troy vaulted over the Tenn. O-line on a QB sneak attempt at the Stillers 1-yard line, late in the game.�� Troy stopped Collins for -1 and ate up clock in the process.� What a play!!���

 

McFadd had a big INT in the 2H, and then busted up a pass in the EZ in the waning moments.�

 

Taylor played allright, although he failed to either look for the ball or read the WR on the late TD.� ��Clark had a weak-assed arm-flail on Hall on a screen, allowing an extra 4 yards.� He was shrugged off like a toddler by Johnson on the long TD run that was called back on a hold by a Titan.��� What a shitty tackle attempt.� �Clark had a rare but good stop on Gage on a 3d & 27 slant that could have gone forever.� He also helped McFadd bust up the EZ pass late in the game.�

 

Troy:� A+�� Others:�� B

 

Spec teams:� Mostly good, some bad.��� Tonio Brown got the lone PIT TD, taking a handoff from Moore on the opening KO and dashing 89 yards for the TD.� Stevenson Sylvester and Mundy had good blocks to seal the outside for Brown.�� The ensuing KO had horrible coverage, but Sylvester saved the day with a punch-out FF that Fox recovered.� There was shitty punt coverage that allowed a 30-yard return later in the 1Q.�

 

Brown had a nice punt return for 21 yards in the 2Q.��� Fox and Sylvester made the tackle on the opening KO of the 2H.� Sylvester scrapped with a Bitan in the 3Q after a punt, and never backed down.� Very impressive.�� Allen and Brown had tackles in coverage.��

 

With less than a minute in the game, the Bitans tried an onsides KO.�� Lo and behold, Larry Foote, of all people, was on the �hands team�, for reasons entirely unknown to anyone on the planet Earth.��� Foote would have a hard time catching a beach ball thrown by a kindergartener, much less a hoppity onsides KO.� �DB Will Allen had a clean shot at this boot, but bumbled it and the Titans recovered.�

 

Randle El refused to make a simple FC of a punt on his own 21-yard line, and the ball rolled down to the 13.�� A real greenhorn move.��

 

Dan Shitpulveda had numerous chances to pin the Titans deep.� Instead, on THREE occasions, he rocketed punts that landed in the EZ for harmless touchbacks.� What a buttfuk.�

 

Slicer Reed had a solid day, nailing 4 of 4 FGs.��� His KOs were solid.��

 

Brown:� A+���� Reed:� A���� Shitpulveda:�� D���� Rest:�� B��

 

OC:� I despised the opening play of the game, a faggotty bubble screen to the TE that was so ill-rehearsed that the pass hit Miller while he wasn�t looking.�

 

The Vomitose Sequence of the Game occurred on 1st & 5 at the Titan 7, late in the 3Q.�� Here was a GOLDEN opportunity to stick a dagger into the Titans with a TD.�� A 1D plunge got -1.��� A 2D plunge got -2.��� Like I�ve said about 4 times, the Titans were loading up to stop the run.� Apparently, the only guy in the stadium who failed to realize this, was none other than Bruce Arians.� Now faced with a 3rd & 8 on the 10, Batch had nothing and dumped off to Mendy for a piss-ant 3-yard gain.� Not 1 play tried to extend past the 1st down marker, much less the goal line.� Armed with golden FP, this clusterfucked sequence ended in a FG instead of a legit shot at the EZ and 7 points.��

 

We have no idea why Moore saw exclusive PT at RB late in the 2Q.� Mendy has been announced as a three-down back.� �Redman has been quite good.�� I can�t believe both were pooped out at the same time.�� �����

 

The only good thing we saw on offense was the small bit of unshackling of Dennis Dixon.�� It�s a slow start, but a start it is.��� We can only wonder if Arians, the dumbass that he is, was screaming at and ridiculing Dixon on the 3rd & 2 pass play in which Dixon ran to daylight and scampered for 20 yards.� Screamed Arians, �Don�t run, Dennis...pass, pass, pass !!!��� C+

 

DC:� Dick did a nice job thru 3-1/2 quarters, bottling Johnson and harassing the QBs.�� True to his nature, Dick got soft and flaccid late in the 4th, allowing a long, methodical 85-yard TD march that would have scored sooner were it not for spectacular individual plays by Timmons and then Pola.�� If there is a 4Q lead to be frittered away, you can better believe Dick will eagerly take part in it.��� We understand that to both Viagra and Cialis are courting Dick to serve as their spokesman for TV commercials.� �Getting soft?� Try this product.� I have, and believe you me, it�s worked wonders....��� �B+

 

HC:� Tomlin, to his credit, had his defenders ready to hunt bear today.�� The pursuit, the gang-tackling, the crisp tackling itself, and the intense hitting -- overall, one of THE most intense D-side efforts I�ve seen since the Stillers� halcyon days of the mid 70�s.��

 

Tommy still struggles with the red flag.�� He challenged a decent-looking catch by Johnson in the 2Q, wasting a TO.�� ��And the placement of Foote on the onside KO recovery team....??��� Let�s see -- there are 5 WRs dressed for the game, along with Heath Miller, 3 RBs, and some DBs.� How, praytell, does Larry Foote, whose hands resemble a block of wood, merit insertion on this play??��

 

The team is not wallowing in self pity in Ben�s absence, which has been a very positive note.��� A

 

Titans Management:�� Nothing is more juvenilish than teams that abandon their dark home jerseys and wear their road white jerseys instead on hot days.�� The Jaguars did this back in the mid 90�s and other teams have followed suit.�� I attended a Stillers-Texans game 5 years ago and the Texans did the same stunt.� It�s a chickenshit tactic that belongs in the toilet.��� The Stillers have played some hot September home games in their history, yet have never resorted to such a jack-assed, juvenile stunt.�� The NFL ought to put some teeth into this by mandating that home unis will be established prior to the season and then followed thereafter, regardless of heat, snow, rain sleet, or tornado.�� �F���

 

Synopsis:� A huge road win, overcoming injury, weather, and adversity.��� Very impressive.�� The intensity and focus on defense is superb, and the offense is at least finding its legs and getting a lot of players some valuable PT.��� Combined with the whipping issued by Florida on Univ. of Tennessee yesterday, it was a grim weekend for the hillbillies from Opry Land.�� Hope they enjoyed the can o� whipass that was administered by the Stillers!��� Who�ll play QB next Sunday for the Stillers?� Who cares?�� Just kidding, but it�s nice to be 2-0 and doing more than treading water with Ben under his 4-game suspension.�

 

 

(Still Mill and Stillers.com -- when it comes to the analysis of the Pittsburgh Stillers, no one else comes close�.)