Let’s be clear about one thing up front: NFL exhibition results are rarely a reliable barometer of the regular season.
The Indianapolis Colts lost all five of their exhibition games in 2005, then won their first 13 regular-season games. Before winning the Super Bowl the following year, the Colts were 1-3 in the preseason.
And it's not just Indy that seems indifferent to what lands in its X-files this time of year. Before the New York Giants won last year's Super Bowl they were 1-3 in their 2007 preseason. True to form, they dropped their opening exhibition game this weekend to the Detroit Lions.
That said, could any Tennessee Titans supporter not feel giddy about his blue-hued crew after Saturday night's 34-13 preseason win over the St. Louis Rams? Especially given the dynamic debut of first-round draft pick Chris Johnson.
In case Michael Phelps’ Olympic gold rush caused you to miss it, Johnson raced 66 yards for a touchdown on just his seventh pro carry. The play was so surprising and electric that many of the fans inside LP Field apparently believed Johnson had caught a pass rather than run the entire way.
If this keeps up, the East Carolina product just may become the hottest thing to hit Music City since the steel guitar.
“That's why he's here,” said Titans coach Jeff Fisher after the game. “It's nice to have that kind of talent as a weapon on offense.”
The Titans have quietly amassed a lot of talent on offense. Johnson. Quarterback Vince Young. Fullback LenDale White. Tight end Algie Crumpler. An unappreciated receiving corps.
Not that one meaningless exhibition game makes a legend. Especially when it comes against the Rams. Beyond that, Johnson wasn't even the Titans' most productive runner, that honor going to Quinton Ganther, who finished with 115 yards and two touchdowns.
But Johnson wasn't shy about predicting even better future showings, telling the media, “I feel (in the scoring) run tonight, I still didn't get up to my top speed.”
And no less than White, who spent his college years at Southern Cal in the same backfield as Reggie Bush, said of his new backfield mate late Saturday, “He's lightning to me now. For a while, people have asked me if he reminds me of Reggie. I saw (Johnson) split those safeties and take it to the house. You can see why they drafted him and how he can help our team.”
No one needs more help in the NFL these days than Chattanooga's other favorite pro team, the Atlanta Falcons.
Still reeling from the Michael Vick disaster and the 13-game reign of shame that was Bobby Petrino, the Dirtied Birds needed something good to happen fast under new coach Mike Smith.
A win at Jacksonville might have been asking too much, but the Falcons' 20-17 loss to a Jaguars unit many believe capable of a deep playoff run at least hints at the possibility of respectability.
And just as the Titans' first-round pick lived up to, if not surpassed his hype, Atlanta top pick Matt Ryan showed the NFL why the Falcons chose the Boston College star as its quarterback of the future and possibly its present
“I thought Matt looked really good,” said Smith after watching Ryan complete 9 of 15 passes for 113 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.
“We wanted to get Matt in there early against a very, very good and efficient defense. I think for a rookie, first time out, that is a pretty good outing.”
Indeed, it was a pretty good outing all the way around, even if Smith's past employment with the Jags probably helped the Falcons' pregame preparation a bit.
“The really important thing is that we were all swarming to the ball,” said veteran Falcons linebacker, Georgia Tech grad and Atlanta native Keith Brooking. “All in all, I thought it was a great first step.”
Just not quite as impressive a first step as the one belonging to the Titans' Johnson.
