Diner Morning News: Around The NFL

Spot on with Vince Young. If he wanted to know how to play ten-plus years in the NFL and get to the Super Bowl, he could be paying some attention to the guy he's holding the clipboard for. But if it's just about ballin', give him the address where the UFL tryouts are being held.

VY just doesn't get it. Wether he'll
ever recover from the pampering he
received down in Austin in time to
grow up and have a productive
career in the NFL is at best, an
open question.

Lombardi, your point about Young might make sense if not for the fact that Collins is awful. That's why they went out early in the playoffs last year. They ran to the best record in the league on the backs of Chris Johnson and Lendale White and that great defense, and then predictably, without the ability to threaten the deeper parts of the field, blew that top seeding. I doubt Young is the answer, but anointing Collins starter is still fool's gold. I know it's not likely to happen, but people need to learn to divorce team performance from individual performance.

To even suggest that VY is better for that team than Collins is ludicrous. VY isn't horrible, but that team needs a big arm to make deep throws to Gage and Washington, allowing them to open up the field for Johnson on the outside, White on the inside, and Scaife in the middle of the field. VY doesnt have that arm or that ability, and he is more prone to run than go through his progressions. Truthfully, I would try to trade VY for anything they can get, and then draft a qb next year, or find a younger guy to groom for the next year or two while Collins can still play a bit.

I know you say VY might not be the answer, but he definitely isnt the answer. The team as a whole played a lousy game vs Baltimore and STILL should have beat them. With a healthy Johnson, they win, with one of the fumbles/INTs they lost in the red zone, they win, with the refs calling a delay of game, they probably win. Its the breaks of the game, but Collins makes them more competive then any of the QBs they could conceivably get at this point.

Richter - are you smoking crack? Collins is no good? We lost the playoff game because of Collins? Are you f-ing kidding me? We lost to Baltimore because of two fumbles in the red zone. Were you paying attention?

Lombardi - I couldn't have said it better myself. Every word re: Vince Young is spot on. If he wants out - let him go. He's overestimating other teams' interest in him. Not only are his teammates laughing out loud, but most rabid Titans fans are, too. Idiot.

VY is definitely the "question", not the "answer". See ya VY. Have fun running football camps in Austin.

So if so many agree VY is not the answer for the Titans, then which team is VY the answer for?

Rams could get Vick lite a little early with a trade for VY. A wildcat team like Miami, or now the Vikings I guess, might even have use for him.

There are many valid criticism's of Kerry Collins. He's slow and doesn't move very well in the pocket. His decision making is occassionally suspect. But to suggest that he doesn't have the ability to stretch the field with his arm is laughable. The guy has a cannon. He's essentially Drew Bledsoe lite.

Young is understandably....uh....rough around the edges, maybe? The last thing any player wants to see when they go down is their replacement step in and shine, 'team mentality' be damned. This is the most competitive business in the world, and it's proven time and again if you can't/won't produce, the front office will find someone who will.

Now, granted, it's not always so cut and dry. McNabb and Brady recently went through similar phases, and Garcia and Cassel stepped up beautifully.....and there is a pattern among those two as well: They are wearing new uniforms. Donovan and Tom have a little bit better job security than Young at this point in his career, and express discontent instead of earning his position back is the last thing he should be doing right now.

Collins is obviously the starter, and Vince should welcome the challenge or earning it back; it will establish confidence among his teammates and in himself, and show that he's not backing down to other teams who may be interested in Young. As its been said here, running your mouth alienates you to the nth degree in this league, and teams/owners are looking for talent and assent, not bullsh*t you've shrinkwrapped yourself in.

Collins turns 37 in December, Young is supposed to be a franchise QB. I wouldn't expect Tennessee to make any drastic changes once they look at their depth chart and see Patrick Ramsey slotted third. Young still has a few months to prove me wrong, though. If he keeps talking, maybe sooner than later.

At least he lets the ball go, which was always Drew's biggest liability, holding onto the ball way too long.

You all make valid points about Collins v. Young. But one thing sets Young apart from Collins... He can "make it rain"

Smoking crack? No. You can point to individual plays as to why the Titans lost that game, but the real reason is systemic: without a competent QB, you don't have the ability to consistently threaten the deep and intermediate parts of the field in the passing game, allowing a tough defense like Baltimore to key on what you do well, namely running the ball. The only touchdown the Titans scored came after they got in position following a deep ball to Gage. The only other offense they had was Chris Johnson, and he still only rung up 70 yards on the ground or so.

I swear, I've never seen a fanbase so intent on defending a mediocre quarterback before. That's fine, I hope you guys do keep Collins, one less contender to worry about in the AFC.

Richter--"People need to learn to divorce team performance from individual performance."

Idiotic. When did winning stop being a positive attribute for a quarterback? If a team is winning double digit games, why throw that away. Some pretty average qb's have won SB's because their skills meshed with a team philosophy. Call them game managers or system qb's all you want, just as long as you call them winners. Let's "divorce" the individual performances of flashy guys like Ochocinco and T.O., and see how well that benefits their team performances.