2008 record: 13-3, First in AFC South, lost in Divisional Round Key Stats: Turnover Ratio: +14, Sack Differential: +32, Point Differential: +141 Coming In: WR Nate Washington, DT Jovan Haye, QB Patrick Ramsey Going Out: DT Albert Haynesworth, WR Brandon Jones, CB-KR Chris Carr, QB Chris Simms, WR Justin McCariens Key Rookies: TE/WR Jared Cook, WR Kenny Britt, CB Ryan Mouton, RB/KR Javon Ringer, WR Dominique Edison Offense: QB: Kerry Collins returns as the starter with his hitchy delivery and poor mobility, but he still shined with his great accuracy all over the field and great presence. His field vision is as good as any, and he throws a very catchable ball that often hits the receiver in stride at just the right time. When given time to step up and see the field, he's still an above-average quarterback at age 36, though his fastball doesn't have the zip on deeper throws that it did during his Carolina and New York days. The playmakers outside are better, which will put more pressure on Collins to make more plays and be less of a game manager, and how well he can do that is the difference between another playoff berth or a slide. Vince Young will be the primary backup once again, for better or worse. The fact that he's much closer to being a #3 quarterback than a starter is highly disconcerting for a player that went #3 overall in the 2006 draft. Still unable to read a defense or progress through reads beyond counting to two, Young has shown almost zero progress in the NFL. He can still make electrifying plays with his legs, and his arm strength is great when he sets his feet. But it's becoming clearer all the time that he has no future in Tennessee. Journeyman Patrick Ramsey nearly beat out Young for the #2 spot, though the Titans would like to carry just two quarterbacks. RB: The Titans hit the jackpot with Chris Johnson, their first rounder in 2008. Blessed with amazing speed and an extra gear where almost nobody can catch him, Johnson ran with a lot more toughness and aggressiveness than expected as a rookie. Having said that, he still dances into the hole too often and is prone to turning a 2-yard gain into a 3-yard loss. Johnson gets extra points for being an exceptional receiver (he was considered by some teams at wide receiver heading into the draft) and he added a few pounds of muscle this offseason, which should help him not get pushed off routes as easily, a problem last year. He might have gained those pounds from LenDale White, who shed nearly 30 pounds this offseason -- allegedly by giving up tequila. As a tequila aficionado myself, I cannot fathom drinking enough Cabo Wabo (my personal fave) that going cold turkey would cause drastic weight loss, but who am I to argue? Anyhow, the net result is a leaner, quicker White and he appears to still have all his pile-moving power. He is also (potentially) playing for a new contract, powerful incentive for a talented runner behind a strong line. White has better vision and wiggle through the hole than he's credited, though he's not going to outrun most defensive ends. One thing to watch with White is his fumbles; he didn't lose one last year but led the league in running back fumbles (not fumbles lost) in 2007. He and Johnson provide a great thunder/lightning package, and Coach Jeff Fisher knows how to use them to maximize their effectiveness. Rookie Javon Ringer seized the #3 running back job with an eye-opening preseason, bumping waste-of-a-draft pick Chris Henry to the scrap heap. He appears to have earned the primary return specialist gig as well, which speaks to his ability in the open field. At Michigan State he was noted for being exceptional in pass protection, and he flashed a tenacious toughness while running between the tackles this preseason. Ahmard Hall is a quality blocking fullback who is content touching the ball once per game. This offense is predicated on running the ball in heavy doses, and the Titans have the pieces to do that very effectively. WR/TE: This is the sore spot of the offense, though a couple of new additions should help fill the hole. Long searching for a true #2 wide receiver, let alone a #1, the Titans went out and signed free agent Nate Washington and used their first round pick on dynamic Kenny Britt. Washington comes from Pittsburgh with a reputation for being able to get open deep reliably and is renowned for his body control on long catches. The Titans will live with a downtick from his outstanding 15.8 YPC if he can uptick the catches from 40 to 60. He represents a major upgrade over the departed Justin McCariens, who the good folks at Football Outsiders will tell you was the worst staring wide receiver in the league last year. Britt is a TO-like wideout -- big, physical, hard to tackle, supremely confident, strong blocker, effective but not blazing speed. He should thrive in a similar role, running intermediate routes all over the field and making things happen after the catch. In theory Britt is the #3, but he will see extensive playing time, and his development is critical to Tennessee's passing offense. Justin Gage is a savvy, underrated receiver who should see more than 34 catches in 2009. He gets tagged as a possession receiver because of his size and lack of long speed, but Gage is adept at finding the deep zonal holes in the middle and sidelines, and he has some YAC ability. He is also a very good run blocker. With the bigger threats surrounding him, he probably won't come anywhere near his 19.4 PC of 2008, but is likely to produce just as many first downs. Hybrid tight end/wide receiver rookie Jared Cook is likely to play a lot as a slot weapon, provided he proves he can catch the ball in traffic and handle the speed of NFL linebackers. The rest of the receiver corps is extremely unimpressive, with seventh round rookie Dominique Edison quickly vaulting more seasoned competition, making health a huge priority. With Washington already hobbled in preseason with a bum hammy, that concern is magnified. Tight end Bo Scaife earned the franchise tag thanks to his team-leading 58 receptions. Scaife should relish the salary boost, as he is nothing more than an average starting tight end that took advantage of a lousy wide receiver group to look better than he is. Veteran Alge Crumpler came to town with the reputation of being a receiving specialist, a very large one at that. Instead, he has proven to be a surprisingly effective and enthusiastic blocker who can still get open and flash great hands. With Cook also seeing time at tight end, Crumpler has proven his savvy by reading the writing on the wall and embracing his new role. That sort of "what's good for the team is good for me" attitude permeates this entire organization, save the backup quarterback. OL: This group is solid but probably a bit overrated. Left to right, the starters are once again Michael Roos, Eugene Amano, Kevin Mawae, Jake Scott, and Dave Stewart. Roos is the biggest name, a Pro Bowler who almost never gets beat in pass protection (just one sack allowed in 2008). Few guys his size can square their shoulders to outside speed so quickly, and he is adept at extending his arms after engaging the defender. He's a great run blocker, able to fire out and lock up targets. Right tackle Dave Stewart is a great run blocker as well, though he's more restricted to the line of scrimmage than Roos, who can venture out to the second level. Stewart doesn't bend well and can be beat with speed, but he's so big it takes enough time to get around him for Collins to get rid of the ball. He plays with a menacing toughness. Mawae has something to prove at age 38, as he's not the pile mover of five years ago and is coming off an elbow injury. He's still quicker than most and knows all the tricks, and he just might be the most respected lineman in any locker room of any NFL team. He makes the two guards better, which is good because they are the weak points. Scott is solid, though he wasn't as quick as the Titans expected when signing him away from Indianapolis. Amano is slow-footed and leans too much, though he is a sound cut blocker and fights beyond the whistle. Depth could be an issue up front. Leroy Harris is a very good sixth lineman who could start for several other teams. He can play guard or center but is probably better at guard. Beyond Harris, the reserves figure to be Mike Otto and rookie Troy Kropog. Both are tackle/guard tweeners with little or no experience. Because the Titans will keep an extra defensive lineman on the roster, only eight offensive linemen will likely make the 53-man roster. That is a real calculated gamble, though nobody they'd try to sneak onto the practice squad is likely to be claimed by someone else. Defense: DL: Albert Haynesworth left for greener pa$ture$ in Washington, leaving behind a big void in the middle of the line. But all hope is not lost, as the Titans have some promising up-and-coming talent that can step up and try to fill his shoes. Jason Jones is an intriguing talent with a nice blend of size and quickness. He played much better down the stretch, getting more comfortable at disengaging from blocks and being more aware of zone blocking. Tony Brown takes over Haynesworth's role as the right side tackle. Brown fed off Haynesworth quite well, using his quick burst and strong hands to get into the backfield. He excels at snuffing out cutback runs. Haye showed some playmaking ability as a 3-techinque in Tampa, but he struggled in 2008 and has never been good against the run. Without Big Albert to command double teams, this group must elevate their play. Perhaps the biggest change comes to right end Kyle Vanden Bosch, who was often dominant and worked in great concert with Haynesworth. Already iffy for recovering from a torn groin muscle, Vandenbosch will have to initiate the pass rush himself while being the primary focus of the blocking. If he's healthy he has the barrage of moves and athleticism to make it work, but his advancing age won't help matters. Jevon Kearse had a nice bounce back season, though he's nowhere close to his prime anymore. Jacob Ford and Dave Ball are both more effective pass rushers than Kearse, and Ford could wind up playing more snaps if he figures out how to hold an edge against the run. William Hayes showed promise as a rookie and is more of an all-around end than Ford or Ball. There is great depth at end, though the unit will take a hit if Vanden Bosch struggles again. Kevin Vickerson is a serviceable backup inside, and rookie Sen'Derrick Marks has good quickness for his size, though he sorely lacks strength. LB: Keith Bulluck is the best linebacker you've never heard of, unless you're a Titans fan or avid football head -- then you know what a great all-around talent Bulluck has become. He struggled in coverage a bit in 2008, but remains a sure tackler with great range and instincts. He will be asked to attack the run more aggressively, as the primary playmaker in front of him is gone, and he has the ability to do that successfully. The primary question is how well he can avoid blockers, which figure to have an easier time getting to him with Big Al not in their way anymore. The other outside linebacker is David Thornton, an imposing talent and one of the best cover linebackers in the game. His specialty is quickly diagnosing the play; nobody studies opposing tight ends and how to read their body language better. Like Bulluck, he rarely misses a tackle and uses sound fundamental technique. Manning the middle is Stephen Tulloch, the only starter below 30. Tulloch fits great into the pass coverage zone, and shows good range and a quick burst to the ball. He has some playmaking juice, but is also the most likely of the linebackers to give one up. Depth behind the starters is questionable. Rookie Gerald McGrath earned the primary backup spot with a solid preseason, and he's a big-time hitter. McGrath is on the smaller side and appeared stiff in coverage, but he appears to have future starting potential. The rest of the depth is underwhelming Stanford Keglar and special teamers Collin Allred and Ken Amato, so the starters need to remain durable. DB: Three of the four starters here made the Pro Bowl, yet the one that didn't is probably the most valuable to the team. That would be corner Nick Harper, appearing ageless at 34. An aggressive run defender, Harper loves to set up short and jump the 5 to 10-yard routes. When he doesn't make a play on the ball, he is quick to make the tackle. He needs help (lots of help) over the top in coverage, but both he and the coaches know this and have designed a scheme that works for him. That over the top help often comes from Chris Hope, a strong safety with a lot more freedom than most to roam the field. Hope is a very sound tackler who reads the field well and has good timing on his hits. His uptick in interceptions and passes defensed got him into the Pro Bowl, though whether that is sustainable is an open question. Cortland Finnegan has developed into one of the best cover corners in the league, so long as he's not guarding Andre Johnson anyways. Extremely quick and fast (no, those do not necessarily always go together), Finnegan does not need over-the-top help and often plays man instead of zone. That sort of mixed coverage can cause confusion for opposing quarterbacks. Finnegan is great while the ball is in the air. Free safety Michael Griffin is an amazing athlete that still shows occasional greenness in his coverage ability, but he has the speed and quick reactions to make up for it. His 7 interceptions are no fluke, as he displays the attributes of a wide receiver while the ball is in the air. If he ever learns to read the eyes of the quarterback and the body language of the receiver, he could be an elite talent. Nickel back Vincent Fuller is nominally a safety, which provides extra oomph versus the run when the opponent trots out multiple wides. That's important, because he is not very good in coverage. Rookie Ryan Mouton should eventually emerge as the nickel corner, but the Hawaii product has been struggling with a bad ankle that has stunted his progress. Rookie Jason McCourty has the inside edge to be the fifth corner, as DeMarcus Faggins appears to be a mistaken free agent signing that might not make the team. Donnie Nickey is strictly on the roster for special teams, though he had a very strong preseason game against the Browns. In a division with Peyton Manning and Houston's strong passing attack, having a loaded secondary is a requisite, and the starters must stay healthy or else the Titans are in a real hole. Special Teams: Rob Bironas remains one of the best kickers in the league, strong-legged and accurate to a longer range than most. He is one of the rare breed that is better on grass than turf. Punter Craig Hentrich is in the midst of a late-career slide and strongly considered retiring. The Titans will probably wind up wishing he did, because young AJ Trapasso clearly has a stronger leg and quicker release, but they had to cut him. Javon Ringer was impressive enough as a return man that the team released free agent signee Mark Jones, and fellow rookie Ryan Mouton was a very good returner in college. The coverage units are strong, led by backup safety Donnie Nickey, one of the most aggressive gunners in the league. 3 Keys To The Season: 1. See those "Key Stats" above? Tennessee ranked first or second in every category. Repeating that is unlikely, but staying in the top 10 in all three is imperative. 2. The aging key players on defense must play with youthful impact and good health, and the replacement-by-committee to Albert Haynesworth has to come close to filling his giant shoes. 3. Can a suspect passing offense step up and become a more worthy complement to the potentially fantastic rushing attack? Forecast: For three years running I have forecast the downfall of the Titans. Three years in a row I have predicted a 6-10 finish, only to find myself amazed that the Titans win 8, 10, and 13 games respectively. I have a different feeling about Tennessee this year; I am actually fairly upbeat and bullish about their chances. This leads to a quandary -- do I trust my gut, which has been so wrong for so long about this franchise? The schedule is wicked, particularly before the bye. The depth on defense is unproven and thin. Kerry Collins is a year older, and the offensive line has little depth behind some aging starters. In past years that would lead to predict, well, a 6-10 finish. I'm going to be bold and buck my trend. Tennessee will finish 10-6 and back in the playoffs. Of course, my predicting that pretty much ensures they will finish (what else?) 6-10... -- Jeff Risdon is RealGM's senior football writer. He may be reached at Jeff.Risdon@RealGM.com.