NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -Jeff Fisher has stayed away from a quarterback controversy all through the Tennessee Titans’ dreadful start.
Coming off the bye week amid his worst start with the franchise (0-6), Fisher declined to say Monday who his starting quarterback will be Sunday against Jacksonville, citing “competitive reasons” after steadfastly sticking with Kerry Collins all year over Vince Young.
“Both quarterbacks had a good week, but (Collins) had an especially good week last week,” Fisher said. “I’m not going to go into details about the lineup changes. Those are competitive issues.”
The Titans are one of three remaining winless teams in the league – St. Louis and Tampa Bay are both 0-7. Fisher wants to shake up things for a team that has lost eight straight games dating to last season, when Tennessee sprinted out to a 10-0 start en route to the NFL’s best mark at 13-3.
going to be as specific and (will be) open-ended from a competitive standpoint.”
Collins has completed 108 of 197 passes with five touchdowns and eight interceptions this season. His receivers also have dropped a number of passes, stalling drives and contributing mightily to all the losses.
“It’s really no different than what we’ve been saying since Week 1. We have to improve around him. We have to get open. We have to make the tight catch,” Fisher said of the team around Collins. “We have to run after catch. We have to make more plays. He’s putting the ball where he needs to put it for the most part, and we just need to help him.”
The Titans have been down this path before, as Young replaced Collins during a winless start in 2006. Young went on to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, helping Tennessee finish 8-8 after an 0-5 start. Collins was signed just before the ’06 season. He went 12-3 as the starter in 2008 and signing a two-year deal this offseason to return.
Since injuring his knee in last year’s season opener, accompanied by a bizarre incident a day later in which police were called to search for him, Young has not had any meaningful playing time for the Titans. His only appearances this season came late in the last two blowout losses.
took advantage of their opportunities last week.”
The Titans also have been reluctant to use gimmick packages, such as the wildcat, with Young. But Fisher left open that possibility, which would be a first for his teams.
“There’s always that potential. Let me just say that, and I’ll stop it there,” Fisher said.
Whether the Titans already have made any lineup changes or are working in a wildcat package with Young remains to be seen. Fisher closed practices during the bye week for the first time since the team moved to Tennessee in 1997.
Collins said last week during the team’s only media availability that he would be disappointed if he didn’t get the chance to lead the Titans back.
He also said then that he hadn’t been told a change might be made.
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