Friday, December 28, 2007
It doesn’t matter who’s
running it, they know it will be a battle.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Asked if he knew much about Colts backup quarterback Jim Sorgi, Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth had a short answer. “Who?”
“I don’t really know him,” Haynesworth added. “We never played the Colts in the preseason, so I don’t know much about him.”
The Titans are expected to see lots of Sorgi on Sunday night along with other backups like running backs Kenton Keith and Clifton Dawson when they visit Indianapolis.
Still, they are preparing for the Colts’ best in Peyton Manning, running back Joseph Addai and receiver Reggie Wayne.
So what if Colts coach Tony Dungy pulls key starters early to protect them? The Titans know they still will see the same offense Manning directs.
“If they put other guys in there, that’s fine,” Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck said. “They’ve been doing that all year you know. Plugging guys in and out when guys got hurt. They’re still 13-2, and Peyton Manning still has phenomenal numbers.”
Coach Jeff Fisher has been telling his Titans to prepare for a full 60-minute game and not to concern themselves with which players Indianapolis has on the field. He has used film of the Colts’ 38-15 win last week over Houston as proof of how well those backups can play.
“We’re not consumed with what’s going on, who’s playing, how much they’re playing, who’s active and who’s not, who’s going to sub,” Fisher said Thursday. “We have to just go up there and play. And it’s a tough place to play. They’ve got excellent depth in all areas.”
How the Titans approach the Colts’ backups has been a popular question this week with Tennessee (9-6) needing a victory to earn the AFC’s final wild card and the franchise’s first playoff berth since 2003.
Naturally, Cleveland fans would like Indianapolis to go all out to beat Tennessee and give the Browns that last playoff spot.
Pro Bowl defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch said people are acting like it’s the Colts’ decision whether to let the Titans win or not. He suggested looking at the last three games in this AFC South rivalry and how tough they’ve played the Colts’ starters.
“They’ve earned the right to rest their guys. At the same time, it’s not like it’s their choice whether we get in the playoffs or not. We feel we can matchup with whoever’s out on the field Sunday, and we feel like we’re going to play a good game,” Vanden Bosch said.
A total of six points separate these teams over the past three games. Indianapolis pulled out a 14-13 win at home last season, the Titans won 20-17 in Nashville last December on Rob Bironas’ 60-yard field goal and the Colts won 22-20 on Sept. 16 in Nashville.
In the most recent game, the Titans ran for 141 yards with safety Bob Sanders on the field for Indianapolis. They also held the Colts to 81 yards rushing, sacked Manning twice and hit him repeatedly, one leading to an interception.
Bulluck said holding the Colts and Manning to 22 points is a great performance.
“We really don’t care who they’re going to play in the game,” Bulluck said. “I know I’m going to be out there. Kyle’s going to be out there and Albert. Our guys are going to be out there. It’s really about us.”
Vince Young has studied the recent film of the Colts and seen the defenders, especially the backups, flying to the ball, hitting hard and wrapping up tackles. He said the key is not to worry about who starts, who sits and who leaves early.
And that idea of being given a victory by an opponent’s backups? Doesn’t bother Young at all.
“Thank you,” Young said. “I just want to keep it going. That’s why I play the game of football.”