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Remember the Titans for Fisher
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_64277065-4925-5c81-a648-d5a46066f489.html
NASHVILLE • First and foremost for coach Jeff Fisher, it’s the middle of the preseason. He’ll be thinking about fewer penalties, more productive offense, and avoiding injuries for his Rams when they kick off at 7 p.m. Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.
But surely there will be a time or two when he looks around what is now known as Nissan Stadium and remembers his long tenure with the Tennessee franchise.
He started in 1994 as a defensive coordinator for the Houston Oilers. Before the season was out he replaced Jack Pardee as head coach and retained that title for the next 16 seasons, through the franchise’s move to Tennessee in 1997 — first Memphis and then Nashville.
Sunday’s nationally-televised game (KTVI, Channel 2) marks his first game in the stadium since 2010. So preseason or not, it will be meaningful for Fisher.
“I have great memories,” Fisher said. “The thing reflecting back, it’s the relationships with the players. All of the players that came through there. Getting through the move process, the relocation process.
“And then the ’99 season and the 2000 season where I think we had a better team than we did in ’99. It didn’t work out for us. But it’s a great organization. I owe a tremendous amount to the (Bud) Adams family for the opportunity. We won a lot of games down there.”
A total of 147 victories to be exact. Fisher guided the Titans to six playoff berths, three division titles, and an AFC title in that ’99 season, losing to Dick Vermeil’s Rams 23-16 in Super Bowl XXXIV.
The Titans haven’t been to the playoffs since Fisher left and are 24-40 over that span.
“Fisher was Nashville,” said Rams defensive end Williams Hayes, one of five current Rams players who once played for the Titans. “He was one of the most loved guys there. So I’m pretty sure it’s gonna be heartfelt when he goes out there. I don’t think he’ll be bitter or angry. I’m pretty sure he likes his situation just as much as I do here (with the Rams).”
At some point during the contest, the Titans plan a video tribute to Fisher. Nothing elaborate, but a tribute nonetheless.
“That’s the first I’ve heard of it,” Fisher said after Thursday’s practice at Rams Park. “I’ll probably miss it. Coaches on the sideline don’t watch stuff on the board.”
Fisher still has a place on the outskirts of Nashville, and makes it back occasionally, including the annual Drive 4 Dinger charity golf tournament and auction. The event honors the memory of Mike Heimerdinger, Fisher’s former offensive coordinator with the Titans who died of cancer in 2011.
At least in terms of playing his former team, Fisher got that out of his system to a degree in 2013 when his Rams suffered a wrenching 28-21 midseason loss to the Titans. Hayes was so upset with the defeat that he shattered a mirror in the locker room that bloodied his arm and required stitches to close. That game was at the Edward Jones Dome, however. This one’s in Music City.
“You know, it’s a preseason game and it’s an opportunity for us to get better,” Fisher said. “I had great memories down there, but obviously it’s been a while. I guess I’d rather go down there for a preseason game than a regular game, but we’re looking forward to it. There’s some other guys in addition to myself that have some special memories there.”
Besides Fisher, six members of his Rams coaching staff once coached or played for Tennessee: assistant head coach Dave McGinnis, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, senior defensive assistant Chuck Cecil, wide receivers coach Ray Sherman, linebackers coach Frank Bush and assistant linebackers coach Frank Bush.
Besides Hayes, four other Rams players once played for the Titans: tight end Jared Cook, wide receiver Kenny Britt, linebacker Akeem Ayers and wide receiver Damian Williams.
“It’s the first time I’ve been back there since I left,” Hayes said. “I haven’t been back to Nashville, not even to visit.”
Hayes spent his first four seasons with the Titans after they drafted him in the fourth round in 2008 out of Winston-Salem State. He signed with the Rams after the 2011 season as an unrestricted free agent.
“The atmosphere on Sundays was awesome there,” Hayes said. “I had great teammates out there. I had a good time when I was there. But my time in St. Louis, I think has been even better. That’s not a knock towards Tennessee, but it’s just the organization all-around is just amazing in St. Louis, and I love coming to work every day. It’s been good.”
As is usually the case in second preseason games, Fisher plans to play his starters on both sides of the ball into the second quarter.
“But the one thing that we did get, which is really important for us, where we are now, is we got great reps against Dallas,” Fisher said. “So as I said, we almost got an extra preseason game. So we’ll increase reps (against Tennessee) but some guys may play less. We’ll give Nick (Foles) a chance to play a little bit.”
Offensive guard Rodger Saffold will be held out of Sunday’s game after tweaking his shoulder in the preseason opener against Oakland. But defensive end Chris Long, who sat out the Raiders game because of a back issue, is expected to make his preseason debut.
“We want to keep the penalties down,” Fisher said. “I’d like to see the run game continue to improve. It’s the same thing with the defense — defense against the run. When you tackle and just do those things, it’s a progression. It’s about improvement, so that’s what we’re looking for.”
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_64277065-4925-5c81-a648-d5a46066f489.html
NASHVILLE • First and foremost for coach Jeff Fisher, it’s the middle of the preseason. He’ll be thinking about fewer penalties, more productive offense, and avoiding injuries for his Rams when they kick off at 7 p.m. Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.
But surely there will be a time or two when he looks around what is now known as Nissan Stadium and remembers his long tenure with the Tennessee franchise.
He started in 1994 as a defensive coordinator for the Houston Oilers. Before the season was out he replaced Jack Pardee as head coach and retained that title for the next 16 seasons, through the franchise’s move to Tennessee in 1997 — first Memphis and then Nashville.
Sunday’s nationally-televised game (KTVI, Channel 2) marks his first game in the stadium since 2010. So preseason or not, it will be meaningful for Fisher.
“I have great memories,” Fisher said. “The thing reflecting back, it’s the relationships with the players. All of the players that came through there. Getting through the move process, the relocation process.
“And then the ’99 season and the 2000 season where I think we had a better team than we did in ’99. It didn’t work out for us. But it’s a great organization. I owe a tremendous amount to the (Bud) Adams family for the opportunity. We won a lot of games down there.”
A total of 147 victories to be exact. Fisher guided the Titans to six playoff berths, three division titles, and an AFC title in that ’99 season, losing to Dick Vermeil’s Rams 23-16 in Super Bowl XXXIV.
The Titans haven’t been to the playoffs since Fisher left and are 24-40 over that span.
“Fisher was Nashville,” said Rams defensive end Williams Hayes, one of five current Rams players who once played for the Titans. “He was one of the most loved guys there. So I’m pretty sure it’s gonna be heartfelt when he goes out there. I don’t think he’ll be bitter or angry. I’m pretty sure he likes his situation just as much as I do here (with the Rams).”
At some point during the contest, the Titans plan a video tribute to Fisher. Nothing elaborate, but a tribute nonetheless.
“That’s the first I’ve heard of it,” Fisher said after Thursday’s practice at Rams Park. “I’ll probably miss it. Coaches on the sideline don’t watch stuff on the board.”
Fisher still has a place on the outskirts of Nashville, and makes it back occasionally, including the annual Drive 4 Dinger charity golf tournament and auction. The event honors the memory of Mike Heimerdinger, Fisher’s former offensive coordinator with the Titans who died of cancer in 2011.
At least in terms of playing his former team, Fisher got that out of his system to a degree in 2013 when his Rams suffered a wrenching 28-21 midseason loss to the Titans. Hayes was so upset with the defeat that he shattered a mirror in the locker room that bloodied his arm and required stitches to close. That game was at the Edward Jones Dome, however. This one’s in Music City.
“You know, it’s a preseason game and it’s an opportunity for us to get better,” Fisher said. “I had great memories down there, but obviously it’s been a while. I guess I’d rather go down there for a preseason game than a regular game, but we’re looking forward to it. There’s some other guys in addition to myself that have some special memories there.”
Besides Fisher, six members of his Rams coaching staff once coached or played for Tennessee: assistant head coach Dave McGinnis, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, senior defensive assistant Chuck Cecil, wide receivers coach Ray Sherman, linebackers coach Frank Bush and assistant linebackers coach Frank Bush.
Besides Hayes, four other Rams players once played for the Titans: tight end Jared Cook, wide receiver Kenny Britt, linebacker Akeem Ayers and wide receiver Damian Williams.
“It’s the first time I’ve been back there since I left,” Hayes said. “I haven’t been back to Nashville, not even to visit.”
Hayes spent his first four seasons with the Titans after they drafted him in the fourth round in 2008 out of Winston-Salem State. He signed with the Rams after the 2011 season as an unrestricted free agent.
“The atmosphere on Sundays was awesome there,” Hayes said. “I had great teammates out there. I had a good time when I was there. But my time in St. Louis, I think has been even better. That’s not a knock towards Tennessee, but it’s just the organization all-around is just amazing in St. Louis, and I love coming to work every day. It’s been good.”
As is usually the case in second preseason games, Fisher plans to play his starters on both sides of the ball into the second quarter.
“But the one thing that we did get, which is really important for us, where we are now, is we got great reps against Dallas,” Fisher said. “So as I said, we almost got an extra preseason game. So we’ll increase reps (against Tennessee) but some guys may play less. We’ll give Nick (Foles) a chance to play a little bit.”
Offensive guard Rodger Saffold will be held out of Sunday’s game after tweaking his shoulder in the preseason opener against Oakland. But defensive end Chris Long, who sat out the Raiders game because of a back issue, is expected to make his preseason debut.
“We want to keep the penalties down,” Fisher said. “I’d like to see the run game continue to improve. It’s the same thing with the defense — defense against the run. When you tackle and just do those things, it’s a progression. It’s about improvement, so that’s what we’re looking for.”