NFL preview: Tennessee Titans

I see a basic law of physics working against the Titans this season. I'd predicting that Jacksonville will be up this season in the AFC South, and partially as a result, the Titans will come down quite a bit.

Projected finish: 7-9 (4th in AFC South)

Two big blows figure to hurt a Titans defense that was the primary reason the team went 13-3 during the regular 2008 season. They lost both coordinator Jim Schwartz, who is now Detroit's head coach, and DT Albert Haynesworth, who signed with Washington. Tennessee should still have one of the best running games in the NFL, but it will have to be very good defensively to compensate for a passing game that I still can't see being better than mediocre. Without Haynesworth and Schwartz, the defense just doesn't scare me as much anymore.

QB Kerry Collins played much better than a journeyman veteran would be expect to last year, but his 2,676 passing yards and 12 TDs didn't exactly set the world on fire, either. Backup Vince Young has talent, but he won't even see the field until Collins falters. Considering the Titans receivers are Nate Washington, Justin Gage, Lavelle Hawkins and Chris Davis (Hawkins and Davis have a combined 137 career receiving yards), there's a better chance of Collins faltering than people seem to think. Sure, Bo Scaife and vet Alge Crumpler are both capable receiving TEs, but this could well be a bottom-five passing offense.

Chris Johnson is an exciting young feature back who could add significantly to the 1,228 yards he ran for during his rookie season. LenDale White is a nice compliment to the speedy Johnson as the goal-line pile-mover. Michael Roos, Eugene Amano, Kevin Mawae, Jake Scott and David Stewart should team up for a top-shelf offensive line, and TB Ahmard Hall also knows how to move defenders out of the way. I'll give the Titans this: their running game should be every bit as good as their passing game is unproductive.

Expect a defensive line that was among the best in the game last fall to take a major step backward this year. Jevon Kearse and Kyle Vanden Bosch give the Titans plenty of name value at DE, but Kearse hasn't been productive for years and Vanden Bosch is coming off an injury-riddled and down 2008. Backup Jacob Ford is coming off a seven-sack season, but don't expect the starters to combine for 20 sacks or anything. Tony Brown is an underrated DT, but he may suffer more than any Titan from the loss of Haynesworth, and Tampa Bay import Jovan Haye will try to recreate his excellent 2007 season next to him.