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Tough decision for Titans' Fisher
Posted: Thursday October 28, 1999 01:27 PM
The Tennessee Titans' quarterback situation has created a tough decision for coach Jeff Fisher. Do you stay with Neil O'Donnell, who has done a commendable job in leading the Titans to a 5-1 record in the absence of Steve McNair? Or do you hand the job back to McNair, now that he has recovered from his injury and has been cleared to play? The Titans are hosting the undefeated St. Louis Rams (6-0), who have the most explosive offense in the league this year, which makes the decision even harder. There's also the old NFL axiom that you don't lose your starting job because of an injury.O'Donnell hasn't been spectacular, but he's done what a coach asks of any quarterback -- don't lose the game with silly mistakes and poor decisions. And since he's been more than moderately successful (compiling a 60 percent completion percentage, with eight touchdowns and four interceptions and a respectable passer rating of 87.6), it's given them a good chance to win. Most NFL teams lose the game rather than the other team beating them, and usually the culprit is turnovers -- fumbles and, more often, interceptions. If I'm Fisher, I start O'Donnell and try to get McNair back in the game at an opportune time and let him get his feet on the ground a little bit, then come back and finish up. The problem is that Fisher may not have a chance to get McNair back in, unless the Titans jump out to a 21-0 lead, which is unlikely to happen. And speaking of the Rams, look at their quarterback situation. If poor Trent Green, injured through no fault of his own, comes back next year, is Dick Vermeil going to put him ahead of Kurt Warner? I don't think so. Warner has demonstrated that -- at least at this point in the season -- he's the best quarterback in the NFL. Look at Doug Flutie and Rob Johnson with the Buffalo Bills. Flutie got his chance last season, did well and there's been no looking back. With the Minnesota Vikings, Randall Cunningham had a fine season last year but, with his struggles this year, the job has been handed to Jeff George. I think George will keep it the rest of the season. From a coach's perspective, the Titans' and Vikings' situation -- where you have two good, potential starting quarterbacks -- is much better than the alternative. Imagine being the coach of the New Orleans Saints or the Baltimore Ravens, where you are constantly running a quarterback shuffle, trying to find somebody who at least gives your team a chance to win. No blazes of glory hereHave we seen the last on-the-field exploits of three great NFL athletes -- Steve Young, Dan Marino and Michael Irvin? If we have, it would be sad, because they are leaving without the fanfare that has accompanied the final seasons of some others. Think about Reggie White, who jogged around the field to a standing ovation and whose team and individual play was so successful during his final season. On the other hand, if he is unable to come back, Irvin's last play came during a tough loss to the Cowboys NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles on the hard artificial turf of Veterans Stadium. Marino's last pass -- assuming that he can't return, even though he may -- was an interception that the Dolphins had to overcome in order to win. The 49ers held on to win against the Cardinals in Week 3, despite the injury to Young, but his team has fallen from the ranks of the league's best. Ron Meyer, a former NFL head coach, is a pro football analyst with CNN/SI and appears weekly on CNN's NFL Preview. The opinions expressed are those of the writer.
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