Oakland Raiders: QBs Are Key To Limiting Chris Johnson, Beating Tennessee Titans

When the Oakland Raiders travel to Tennessee to open the 2010 season this weekend, much of the talk will undoubtedly surround Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson. Last season, Johnson became only the sixth player in NFL history to put up over 2,000 rushing yards and set a new record for all purpose yards with over 2,500. With stats like these, it is understandable why the media will focus on Johnson as the 2010 NFL season begins.

However, in spite of the fact that Chris Johnson will be the best player on the field Sunday, he will not be the player who makes the biggest difference in the game. Instead, it is the two quarterbacks who are trying to establish themselves as new team leaders who will decide the game.

With his ability to affect both the run and passing game, Chris Johnson is the type of player that is rarely shut out of a game. He is going to get 100-150 all purpose yards no matter what. The key is to shut down the rest of the team so that Johnson's inevitable success is meaningless in terms of the outcome of the game. In order to do this, the Raiders will need to contain quarterback Vince Young.

After being benched in favor of veteran quarterback Kerry Collins, Vince Young bounced back onto the scene last year. When he took over for the aging Kerry Collins, Young took a team who started 0-6 and made a legitimate playoff push with them. Hailed by many as the savior of the team, Vince Young now needs to prove that he can be a consistent starter that will lead the Titans back to the playoffs.



Vince Young has become a much better passer while continuing to be a serious threat on the ground as well. Young was the second leading rusher on the Titans last year and put up an impressive 5.1 yards per carry when he decided to take off. It was his play last year, keeping drives alive, that turned the Titans from a team who couldn't buy a win, into a playoff contender.

Chris Johnson and ...

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