The Titans still have the best workhorse in the league in running back Eddie George, but if George would happen to go down, there is not a suitable backup to lead an offense that depends a lot on the running game. This offense will probably depend on the running game more than ever since the Titans failed to bring in a top-notch wide receiver, after releasing veteran Yancy Thigpen. They did pick up a couple of young receivers in the late rounds of the draft, but neither will contribute significantly this season.

Another long-term veteran that was released was field goal kicker Al Del Greco. Del Greco had been with the Titans for ten years, but fell on hard times last year. He will be replaced by ex-Carolina Panther Joe Nedney, who had a fantastic season, connecting on 34 of 38 field goal attempts.

On defense, the Titans are very excited about the prospects of Kevin Carter and Jevon Kearse playing together on the offensive line. The key will be to motivate Carter, who had a bad habit of taking plays off while with St. Louis. If he plays up to his potential on every play, then Kearse and Carter will terrorize opposing quarterbacks.

The Titans defense did suffer a big blow when cornerback Denard Walker left to join the Denver Broncos, but they soon filled his slot by signing free agent DeRon Jenkins. Tennessee also lost defensive end Kenny Holmes to the New York Giants, but he will not be missed if Carter shows up every Sunday.

Overview Steve McNair and Eddie George are still the heart and soul of this team, but if George were to go down with an injury, there would be a huge drop off in talent at the position, and the offense would suffer tremendously. The Titans still have backup Neil O'Donnell, who could adequately cover for McNair if needed, but Tennessee would prefer to not have to rely on him for the long term. They will not be seeing much help from their current set of receivers either, so the two of them will have to carry most of the load. If either of these guys goes down, the offense could be in big trouble.

On defense, the Titans line could be a terror if Kevin Carter decides to play with the same dedication he showed with the Rams in 1998. I think Carter has a lot to prove this season and he will do just that. Watch for Carter and Kearse to both have big years, but a lack of explosiveness on offense may cost the Titans at playoff time.