Kerry Collins leads Titans to win over bengals

After a week where the Tennessee Titans tried to get a handle on the mental state of their franchise QB, Vince Young, the team turned to a well travelled journeyman to keep them undefeated. With Young out indefinitely due to some combination of a banged up knee and psychological issues of an unknown nature, Kerry Collins came in and did what backups are paid to do—to not screw things up and to give the team a chance to win. Collins did more than just give his team a chance, he led the Titans to a 24-7 win over Cincinnati in challenging windy conditions at Paul Brown Stadium.

Collins was the consummate veteran, showing a deft touch with his passing despite wind gusts ranging from 30 to 50 MPH. His final numbers were the model of efficiency—14 for 21, good for 128 yards and a TD pass. Most importantly, he didn’t throw an interception despite the swirling vortex around him. His counterpart, Carson Palmer, wasn’t as fortunate and was clearly rattled by the abysmal conditions. Palmer finished 16 of 27 for 134 yards and two interceptions.

With Collins able to sustain a legitimate passing game, it opened up opportunities for the Titans’ rushing attack. Tennessee rushed for 177 yards led by rookie Chris Johnson with 109. His total alone easily eclipsed the Bengals run game, which netted only 88 total yards. Clearly if you’re not getting it done through the air, and not moving the ball on the ground things aren’t going to turn out well. Case in point—the 24-7 final score in favor of Tennessee.

In the postgame press conference, Collins suggested that his 5 year tenure with the NY Giants had been instrumental in his ability to throw the football effectively in windy conditions. The Giants’ home venue at The Meadowlands is one of the most dependably windy stadiums in the NFL, and at its worse presents conditions that make Sunday’s weather in Cincinnati look like springtime in Southern California by comparison. The Titans may need even more solid performances from Collins, as coach Jeff Fisher answered questions about Vince Young’s status by tersely stating that “he’ll start when he can.”

Tennessee is at home for the next two weeks as they host Houston and Minnesota. Cincinnati will possibly get to “enjoy” some more windy conditions, as they travel to the aforementioned Meadowlands Stadium to take on the NY Giants. The following week will see Cleveland come to town for the Ohio state rivalry game followed by a road game at Dallas on 10/5.