BLUE 1,026 Posted October 20, 2011 Per Rotoworld.com: Despite his early-season struggles, Chris Johnson insists he's the same player now as he's always been."It's just things are not working right now," said Johnson, who looks more hesitant on tape this year. "Trust me, it's not him," added RG Jake Scott. According to Football Outsiders' Aaron Schatz, the Titans' run blocking has been "hideous." Explains one high-ranking NFL personnel official to ESPN.com: "The interior offensive line and fullback haven't played as well, the guards in particular. Johnson isn't pressing the hole with as much confidence and hasn't been as decisive on his cuts." The Titans concentrated on fixing the running game during the bye. We'll see if there are instant results on Sunday against the Texans. Oct 20 - 3:52 PM Source: AOL.SportingNews.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeyDay Posted October 20, 2011 Some of it is CJ, ALOTT of it is our interior line and some on the coaches. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014 Posted October 20, 2011 Like I've said since he came into the league, Johnson can't do anything without impeccable run blocking to lead the way. He's overrated in the same way that Emmit Smith was overrated while having one of the best lines of all time. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeyDay Posted October 20, 2011 Like I've said since he came into the league, Johnson can't do anything without impeccable run blocking to lead the way. He's overrated in the same way that Emmit Smith was overrated while having one of the best lines of all time. I could give u that but also no rb can do anything when he has two ppl on him before he even gets back to the LOS. Barry Sanders has the most runs for negative results, it happens. CJ may not be the size ppl like for a RB to be considered "Elite" but hes damn good. Our oline wasnt THAT good in 08 it was def solid as fuck tho. Nothing like the 90 Dallas oline though. When we get decent play from the interior line CJ will go back to being a play maker Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014 Posted October 20, 2011 I could give u that but also no rb can do anything when he has two ppl on him before he even gets back to the LOS. Barry Sanders has the most runs for negative results, it happens. CJ may not be the size ppl like for a RB to be considered "Elite" but hes damn good. Our oline wasnt THAT good in 08 it was def solid as fuck tho. Nothing like the 90 Dallas oline though. When we get decent play from the interior line CJ will go back to being a play maker If you were to put Jamaal Charles behind the 2009 Titans line (that's the year he ran for 2,000 yards, not 2008) for 16 games, he'd have gotten 2,500 yards. Johnson is fast as hell and if he gets a giant hole, he's a threat to take it to the house every play. That being said, there are a ton of backs that could do the same thing and probably get even more yards by breaking tackles and breaking ankles. Johnson is a decent back, but he's not better than Peterson, Charles, Jackson, et cetera. Those complete backs, behind that same line, could do just as well. I posed this argument in 2009 when Charles had over 1,000 yards while starting 8 games behind one of the absolute WORST lines in the league (he is credited with 10 starts, but only saw 10+ carries in 8 games). Great backs are the backs like Sanders back in the day and Charles and Jackson today who can still break off amazing runs with abysmal blocking in front of them. Swap Johnson and Charles in 2009 and Charles runs for well over 2,000 yards while Johnson runs for around 1,000. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeyDay Posted October 20, 2011 If you were to put Jamaal Charles behind the 2009 Titans line (that's the year he ran for 2,000 yards, not 2008) for 16 games, he'd have gotten 2,500 yards. Johnson is fast as hell and if he gets a giant hole, he's a threat to take it to the house every play. That being said, there are a ton of backs that could do the same thing and probably get even more yards by breaking tackles and breaking ankles. Johnson is a decent back, but he's not better than Peterson, Charles, Jackson, et cetera. Those complete backs, behind that same line, could do just as well. I posed this argument in 2009 when Charles had over 1,000 yards while starting 8 games behind one of the absolute WORST lines in the league (he is credited with 10 starts, but only saw 10+ carries in 8 games). Great backs are the backs like Sanders back in the day and Charles and Jackson today who can still break off amazing runs with abysmal blocking in front of them. Swap Johnson and Charles in 2009 and Charles runs for well over 2,000 yards while Johnson runs for around 1,000. I wont argue about Charles i know how good he is. He was #3 last yr and i said if he kept it up hed be #1 in terms of making the most of every play. CJ is strong too tho, he chooses to juke over trucking and while i know he wont AP a secondary, hes done his share of breaking some tough runs breaking tackles. CJ persona is speed, doesnt mean he cant do it all. I would take KCs line that yr in run blockon over this one.. since the Colts oline ive never seen such poor play for run blocking ever. Its embaressing. Two Hof lineman as coaches and they cant fix it??? I just think CJ is debated unfairly. He has that media diva spotlight on him, which is his choice but no one likes outspoken players. T.O., James Harrison, Deangelo Hall , Ocho etc. T.O is a HOFER. But ppl will diss his stats and career due to him being a "big asshole". CJ holdout really put that on perspective. Im not sayin hes the best ever but he gets put down more then he should. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phins4life 271 Posted October 21, 2011 I wont argue about Charles i know how good he is. He was #3 last yr and i said if he kept it up hed be #1 in terms of making the most of every play. CJ is strong too tho, he chooses to juke over trucking and while i know he wont AP a secondary, hes done his share of breaking some tough runs breaking tackles. CJ persona is speed, doesnt mean he cant do it all. I would take KCs line that yr in run blockon over this one.. since the Colts oline ive never seen such poor play for run blocking ever. Its embaressing. Two Hof lineman as coaches and they cant fix it??? I just think CJ is debated unfairly. He has that media diva spotlight on him, which is his choice but no one likes outspoken players. T.O., James Harrison, Deangelo Hall , Ocho etc. T.O is a HOFER. But ppl will diss his stats and career due to him being a "big asshole". CJ holdout really put that on perspective. Im not sayin hes the best ever but he gets put down more then he should. I don't really think he's being put down, but when you come out after getting just over 2k and say you're going to break 2500, and don't cash in...well, the pressure is now yours to deal with. Everyone knows Johnson is dangerous. But it's hard to deny that he isn't really the "carry the load" type that people want him to be, at least on a consistent basis. You referenced Barry's all-time negative yardage, but he also made plays way behind his own line that Johnson could only dream of achieving at his current awareness level. Sanders did what he did, and almost completely carried his team to 5 playoff appearances, with possibly the worst O-line of his era. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeyDay Posted October 21, 2011 (edited) I don't really think he's being put down, but when you come out after getting just over 2k and say you're going to break 2500, and don't cash in...well, the pressure is now yours to deal with. Everyone knows Johnson is dangerous. But it's hard to deny that he isn't really the "carry the load" type that people want him to be, at least on a consistent basis. You referenced Barry's all-time negative yardage, but he also made plays way behind his own line that Johnson could only dream of achieving at his current awareness level. Sanders did what he did, and almost completely carried his team to 5 playoff appearances, with possibly the worst O-line of his era. Yes but i just meant even HOFERS have their bad games. And id take Sanders over CJ anyday , never would argue that. The 2500 i didnt take seriously because i knew he wouldnt do it. Idk why u would hold that against him either, he just broke 2000 , one of few to do that he felt confident. Least he didnt say 2800 or something. He would have Eric Dickersons record had the ref not call a bad hold on hall on CJs 70 something yard touchdown. Cant do nothing on it but shit happens. But least he stays out of trouble, nothing there. Edited October 21, 2011 by MikeyDay Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phins4life 271 Posted October 21, 2011 (edited) Yes but i just meant even HOFERS have their bad games. And id take Sanders over CJ anyday , never would argue that. The 2500 i didnt take seriously because i knew he wouldnt do it. Idk why u would hold that against him either, he just broke 2000 , one of few to do that he felt confident. I hold it against him because he invited me to when he talked the game, but didn't cash in. Confident is one thing. Cocky is another. You can get away with the former if you keep your mouth shut. No one can call you on your bullshit if you don't hand it to them on a silver platter. Compound all this with the fact that he just got done making a HUGE deal about how valuable he considers himself to be, and there you have it. You're right, it was an amazing feat. I don't normally like to deal in hypotheticals, but like Zach said, you could name several high caliber backs who would have done the exact same thing CJ did with the quality blocking he got. That, in my opinion, degrades the achievement enough for me to be skeptical of whether or not he really is as good as he seemed at the time. A bit of an add-on: Regarding the rarity of landmark achievements, I think it's interesting to note that the longest margin between 2k rushers in the SB era is 1984 to 1997. Since Sanders, the largest margin between 2k seasons has not exceeded 6 years. By comparison, passers have only hit 5k twice.....with a margin of 24 years. Food for thought. Edited October 21, 2011 by Phins4life Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AL_Royalty 489 Posted October 21, 2011 The bottom line to me in this whole situation is that CJ made his own bed by demanding "playmaker money." He wanted more than running back money because he portrayed himself as more than just a running back and demanded to be treated as such. Seems to me that he's getting exactly what he asked for. Be careful what you wish for. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
.AirMcNair. 1,232 Posted October 21, 2011 Like I've said since he came into the league, Johnson can't do anything without impeccable run blocking to lead the way. He's overrated in the same way that Emmit Smith was overrated while having one of the best lines of all time. If you think 2009 and 2010 Titans o-lines gave us impeccable run blocking, you need to educate yourself in football. 2009 was average at best and 2010 was pretty bad, though not as putrid as this year. 2008 you can use the elite run blocking line excuse, and I'll agree 100%. But 09 and 10? Yeah...no. That was CJ just playing great football. His speed mixed with elusiveness and vision. This year, the biggest problems have been the line and CJ missing training camp. CJ is still the same player he was the last 3 years. Maybe everyone just has terrible memory, but in the year he ran for 2,000 yards, 4 of his first 5 games, he didn't rush for 100+ yards. He ran for 57/197/97/83/34 in that 5 game stretch. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
funnygunny 521 Posted October 21, 2011 I don't understand how you can say "I'm the same player I've always been" when you're 26th in rushing at this point in the season. Clearly you're not, regardless of how abysmal your line is. Miss training camp, how do you even expect to be remotely good Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted October 23, 2011 After today's game, I really don't think so. He got paid now he's vanishing. The Titans got jewed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lost Viking 4 Posted October 24, 2011 Lol, he got benched! I feel awful for the titans. Caveat Emptor I suppose. Guess this helps squash the "who's better, AD or CJ2K?" debate Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BLUE 1,026 Posted October 24, 2011 (edited) Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on October 23, 2011, 8:15 PM EDT Titans' Johnson is tackled by Texans' Quin during first half of their NFL football game at LP Field in The Titans entered Sunday dead last in the NFL in rushing. That doesn’t figure to change after their inept performance at home against the Texans. Chris Johnson was held to 18 yards on 10 carries. His longest run was three yards. It got to the point where Titans fans booed Johnson and cheered when backup Javon Ringer entered the game. Ringer had a 25-yard run, but only three carries. We’ve heard a lot of people blame the Titans offensive line, but Johnson isn’t running with the same aggression or explosion. Johnson, for one, says it’s not his fault. “I wouldn’t say I am the issue. I’m very confident I’ve been doing the things .. I do. I can’t do nothing but keep working hard,” Johnson said after the game via Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. Johnson came as close to blaming the offensive line as possible without saying it outright. “If you are watching the game and you can’t tell what’s going on with the run game then I’d say u really don’t know football,” Johnson said. Titans coach Mike Munchak said that fixing the run game was the team’s top priority during the bye week. Instead, the team is still searching for answers. Johnson seems convinced that he’s not to blame. Source: ProFootballTalk Edited October 24, 2011 by BLUE Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
