Amazingly, Rusty Smith is the starting QB for the Tennessee Titans this week. A game that if they win, the Titans will be (possibly) tied for first place. If they lose, they will be in last place and probably a longshot/out of the playoffs...especially if Indy and/or Jacksonville win.

A quick briefing on Rusty Smith:

• 6'5, 225 pounds...a prototype-sized NFL QB
• Played all 4 seasons at Florida Atlantic under esteemed coach Howard Schnellenberger
• 2-time Sun Belt Player of the Year (SO and JR years)
• shoulder injury his senior season, limited to 7 games
• 76 to 36 TD/INT ratio in 4 seasons, 70 to 28 in his main 3 years (SOPH-SR).
• never completed more than 58% of his passes in any season
• 5 matchups with bigger schools in his JR and SR seasons -- Nebraska, South Carolina, Texas, Michigan State, Minnesota. Had 47.8% comp pct vs. that group with 3 TDs to 8 INTs, with a high of 253 yards in a game.
• Did not attend NFL Combine due to his shoulder injury
• among scouting circles and "insiders", many were whispering Smith as better than the typical higher profile/sketchier  QBs -- Tebow, Claussen, McCoy
• 6th Round Draft pick of the Titans in 2010
• Went 18 of 33 for 198 yards and 0 TDs/2 INTs in 4 preseason games
• throwing motion, accuracy are an issue (threw a bad INT in last weeks game vs. WAS, almost had a few more on just 9 attempts)
• leadership, body type, upside are his positives

My take on Smith from watching on tape and talking with others -- Smith could be the Titans future QB, he has the size and "moxie" to be a nice/smart QB. His longer delivery may pose a problem for him and he is definitely not ready for the NFL right now.

Smith is a turnover machine waiting to happen on his inexperience, likely he will play 1-3 games before Kerry Collins returns. Game 1 for Smith is with the Texans, so you'd have to have some guts to make that play to grab the Texans D to capitalize on it...because the Texans D may be the worst in the NFL. JAC/IND/HOU(2nd time) all loom the next 3 games, so Smith isn't walking into the totally worse scenario possible.

Smith's inexperience issues are likely to (A) get Chris Johnson more like 25-30+ carries per game (B) a more than usual stacked line against Johnson. Given the Titans face some of the worse Run-D's around coming up, CJ may be able to convert 125+ yard games while Smith is QB. The added opportunity/carries coming CJ's way increases his likelihood of 150-200+ yard games upcoming. Javon Ringer will probably see more like 5-10 carries as well.

Randy Moss may benefit as Smith takes some safe long shots down the sidelines where only Moss or the sideline can get to it. Smith is smart, I can see him throwing plenty to Moss with 1-on-1 coverage with the stacked box against C.Johnson. Nate Washington's value drops here, as I doubt Smith will be able to make use of Washington as well as Young/Collins could in the intermediate passing game.

This may not be great for Rob Bironas either, the Titans are likely to struggle to get into FG position...not to mention Bironas's groin injury lessening his long range capabilities...which are more needed now.

• Smith has a chance to be good, just a few years from now....likely to be really bad right now. 
• Chris Johnson should benefit from additional carries.
• As great a Fantasy-D play that being against Smith might be...HOU, JAC, IND are so sketchy on defense, that only in a deep league with your own underperforming Fantasy defense might you gamble on picking up a HOU or JAC against Smith. Mark my words, Smith is going to throw INTs -- so the opportunity is going to be there for a HOU or JAC defense, likely multiple times.

 

 

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