Titans fans miss Jevon Kearse—especially when he's on the field

So the Tennessee Titans are winless in four tries, and their defense has given away points like federal bailout dollars. Thus the obvious question: How much do they really miss former defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth?It's fair to ask, particularly in light of the team's performance last season with Big Al in the lineup as compared to its play when he was not on the field. The easy answer is that they miss him a great deal.

Take another look at the defensive line, though. Someone else is missing—in a manner of speaking, at least—and this particular absence might be the most compelling of all.

That someone is Jevon Kearse. Never mind that he is, in fact, a member of the Titans and—consequently—part of the problem.

I'm not talking about the current version of Kearse, the well-traveled 33-year-old who has overcome a pair of serious injuries, who has made millions of dollars and who has little—if anything—left to prove in this league.

I'm talking about "The Freak."

Jeff Fisher and Co. desperately miss the fast-forward defensive end who took the franchise and the league by storm in 1999 when he was drafted 16th overall, a spot he considered insulting.

I'm talking about the guy who set an NFL rookie record of 14.5 sacks. The guy who forced seven fumbles in a span of seven games that season. The guy who recorded a safety in his first playoff game. The guy who made it seem as if something amazing was possible every time the other team snapped the ball.

After all, the Titans' primary failing this season is in pass defense. They rank last in the league (tied with Jacksonville) in passing yards allowed. Opponents complete more than two-thirds of the throws they attempt.

One-quarter of the way through the schedule, it's apparent that quarterbacks have too much time to stand in the pocket and to allow their receivers to get open. When they do throw, it's not often enough with someone (Kearse, for example) bearing down on them at full speed.

As the interior anchor of the line, Haynesworth's greatest impact was in the run game. He occupied blockers and took up space so that his teammates could run free and make tackle. Arguably his greatest contribution to the pass defense was how his play against the run consistently forced opponents into obvious passing situations.

Kearse's calling card always has been his dazzling speed around the corner and the mayhem he creates once he gets to the backfield. These days, instead of mayhem, it's "maybe"—as in maybe he'll get there, and maybe he'll make something happen when he does.

His first three years in the league he averaged 12 sacks and had at least 10 each of those seasons. No other player in franchise history ever led the team in sacks three straight seasons and had 10 or more in all three.

He forced 19 fumbles during that time and made several plays that seem less feasible as the memory fades. Remember when he covered more than half the field and chased down Baltimore wide receiver Qadry Ismail, one of the fastest players in the league at that time?

When Kearse left for Philadelphia, Kyle Vanden Bosch became that guy. He did a lot of the same things, although in a slightly different style.

Four games into this season, Kearse and Vanden Bosch have one sack and one forced fumble between them. On pass plays, when Titans fans used to slide to the edge of their seats in anticipation of what might happen to the opposing quarterback, they now look away for fear of what might happen next.

When we look at Kearse, we see a player whose best days have passed.

It's nobody's fault. He missed 12 games in 2002 with a foot injury and then missed 14 games in 2006 with a serious knee injury. Those two episodes, combined with the wear and tear of close to 150 regular-season and playoff games, are bound to take their toll.

Still, the current state of the Titans has their followers freaking out to the point that they might not realize how much they're actually missing The Freak.

Miles to go

And while we're talking about missing things ... in case you missed it, LSU pulled out another victory last Saturday, 20-13 over Georgia on Charles Scott's 33-yard touchdown run in the final minute.

Thus LSU's Les Miles is my "athlete" of the week.

Every time I watch this guy I think he's a bad coach. His teams are loaded with talent, yet rarely do they breeze to victory. But they do win—and so often in dramatic fashion.

It is in the final minutes of close games that players need leadership. They need someone to help them focus on their jobs and on the task rather than all the emotion and chaos around them.

Miles' record in such contests suggests he excels in such moments. It's a trait that must be recognized.

Email dboclair@nashvillescene.com