Dan Pompei

How the Titans won 10 games a season ago remains one of the true mysteries of the NFL year. Clearly, much of the credit had to go to coach Jeff Fisher and his staff for getting the most out of his roster and for gameplanning to take advantage of opponents' weaknesses.

The Titans also were the healthiest team in the league, as starters missed only 18 games with injuries. That won't happen again.

So Fisher will be challenged to get similar results this year, even though the Titans shuffled the deck in the offseason.

The most interesting change might have been at offensive coordinator. The team parted ways with Norm Chow, replacing him with Mike Heimerdinger from the Broncos.

Heimerdinger is in Tennessee to get more from the unusual talents of quarterback Vince Young. Specifically, Heimerdinger has to make Young a better passer. Last season Young had a 71.1 passer rating and threw 17 interceptions—one for every 22 passes. His was the worst ratio of interception to attempts of any quarterback who started the majority of his team's games last season.

Heimerdinger may be more willing to allow Young to use his feet than Chow was. In Denver, Heimerdinger moved Jay Cutler around in the pocket and even ran some option plays.

Young of course, is most dangerous when he's on the move.

Heimerdinger also will have to find creative ways to utilize first round draft choice Chris Johnson. The running back is not a traditional, between the tackles runner, and the team already has LenDale White and Chris Henry to handle those kinds of runs.

But Johnson may have been the fastest player in the draft, so the Titans want to see him get about 15 touches a game. That means, in addition to special teams, Johnson will get some unconventional handoffs and some checkdown passes and swing catches. He may even be split out on occasion, giving Young a weapon he could use in the passing game.

Hot seat
It's time for Young to start fulfilling the potential that inspired the Titans to take him with the third pick in the 2006 draft. Young has crossed the bridge from young player to veteran, so he can't use inexperience as an excuse anymore.

In the offseason Young chose to work on his degree at Texas rather than spend the time with his teammates in Nashville. Though he did find time to party shirtless (you may have seen the photos on the internet) and tell a reporter he considered retiring after his rookie season.

Overheard at camp
Many thought what the Titans needed most was a star quality wide receiver for Young to throw to. But general manager Mike Reinfeldt and Fisher didn't see it that way. They did not pursue a big name wide receiver through free agency, trade or the draft.

Instead, they re-signed free agent Justin Gage, they added free agent Justin McCareins, and used a fourth round pick on Lavelle Hawkins.

Their thinking is they have faith in some of the players on their roster to develop—specifically Roydell Williams and Brandon Jones, who finished strong in 2007, and Mike Williams, who was chosen tenth in the draft by the Lions in 2005. Williams has lost about 30 pounds in the offseason and is showing signs that he might finally be starting to get it now that he is on his third team.

"He's a big, strong receiver with excellent hands who can run for his size," Fisher says. "There is definitely potential there."

Comings and goings
The Titans defensive line will have a different look. The team kept defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, the line's centerpiece, by putting the franchise tag on the defensive tackle. But Tennessee lost three big contributors—ends Antwan Odom and Travis LaBoy and defensive tackle Randy Starks.

They did find an old friend to help out, picking up Jevon Kearse after his release from the Eagles. But there is no question defensive line coach Jim Washburn will have his work cut out for him in trying to replace Odom, LaBoy and Starks.

Prediction
You can count on the Titans being competitive, rough, industrious and smart. They always are under Fisher's watch.

What you can't count on is whether or not they can compete with superior talent in the division. The bar is high in the AFC South with the Jaguars having a chance to join the Colts as an elite team.

The Titans might not be in their class.

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