Manning, Colts should be focal points for Titans


Commentary by DAVID CLIMER
Senior Writer


On the field last Sunday, Peyton Manning went quietly.

Off the field, he cranked up the off-season volume.

In the aftermath of Indianapolis' 20-3 disappearing act at New England, Manning opined:

''We keep giving ourselves chances. I think about some teams that maybe lost in the playoffs last year and they kind of feel sorry for themselves and they end up going 5-11 the next year and don't give themselves another chance.''

Hmmm. Wonder who he could be talking about.


A quick check of the NFL standings shows that four teams finished this season with 5-11 records. But Oakland, Chicago and Tampa Bay did not make the playoffs in '03. The only team that fits Manning's cryptic criteria is — you guessed it — the Tennessee Titans.

Ouch. Getting called out by Manning after the way he went into the fetal position against the Patriots is like having Richard Simmons question your manhood.

And we thought liquored-up kicker Mike Vanderjagt was the Colt most likely to incite a riot. Out of the blue, Manning went deep with the kind of comment that will fit nicely on the locker room wall of a certain local NFL enterprise.

Frankly, it's about time things heated up in this division. Things have gotten a little dull since Brian Billick was evicted via the NFL's realignment three years ago.

But with Manning's recent audible, the game is on. There's nothing quite like a catty comment from the league's MVP to get emotions churning.

First, though, let's review our current events: Nobody is disputing that Indianapolis now owns the AFC South. The Colts have won the division the last two years and have beaten the Titans four straight. Until the Titans can find answers for the Colts' questions they leave themselves easy targets for every verbal dig Mr. Happy Feet can author.

And that's what the Titans must address in the upcoming months. Each decision about the salary cap, cuts, adds, draft choices, coaching staff, conditioning, everything should be aimed at closing the gap with the Colts.

If the incumbent offensive tackles can't block Dwight Freeney, find somebody who can. If the current secondary can't match up with the Colts receivers, use the No. 6 pick to draft Antrell Rolle out of the University of Miami. If you can't get enough pressure on Manning, make sure Jevon Kearse is under contract.

Uh, I guess you can forget about that last one.

The Titans have put this keeping-up-with-the-Joneses philosophy to good use before. Stuck in the rut of three straight 8-8 season in 1996-98, the Titans put Jacksonville in the crosshairs. In those days, the Jaguars ruled the old AFC Central, and the Titans' only chance at real upward mobility was to catch the Jags.

Titans higher-ups obsessed over Jacksonville. They wanted to match the Jags' physical style. They acquired corners who could run with Keenan McCardell and Jimmy Smith. They tried to get inside Tom Coughlin's head, which, come to think of it, is a frightening place to visit.

This magnificent obsession with the Jags paid dividends. In '99, the Titans beat Jacksonville three times to make it to the Super Bowl. The balance of divisional power shifted.

Now, though, the Titans find themselves on the bottom of the division looking up. Sure, we can poke fun at the way the Colts waved a white flag in Foxboro, but at least they had a flag to wave. The Titans packed theirs away on Jan. 2.

It's time to see how the Titans respond to Manning's musings.


David Climer is a senior writer and columnist for The Tennessean. He can be reached at 615-259-8020 or dclimer@tennessean.com..

Sounds to me like Peyton is satisfied just to make the playoffs. Which I guess makes sense considering they have been knocked out of the playoffs in embarrassing fashion each of the last three years.

Your hatred of manning and the colts is a real inspiration

at this point of the season who gives a flying fluck about manning or the titans

I'll second that!!!!!

what makes you think I hate Peyton?

Does this mean the Colts will win if they get Tee Martin?

i'll third that

Fuck You All.

Theres a shitty name from the past

I liked this quote here.

Hell it worked for Tennessee.

Cartman is Steve McNair going to play next year?

i think he either retires or deals with carrying a clipboard

Billy Volek's arm is going to fall off if he throws like he has been

no way man, hes back and has a good year next year i predict, he had his sternum operated on, and he will wear an extra pad underneath his shoulder pads to protect it, im pretty sure hes coming back, and there is no way volek starts over him.

of course with their offensive coordinater just now going to the jets, mcnair might decide to hang it up rather than adjust to a new coordinater, but i still believe he will be back.

or has a few drinks and decides to take a nice drive around town........

Those charges were dropped. Something the officer did wrong. But he still was driving drunk.

thanks for clearing that up. we were all on the edge of our seats.......