In praising Chow, zing at Heimerdinger
By DAVID CLIMER
Senior Writer
Wonder if Mike Heimerdinger ever realizes he did such a lousy job.
I mean, from the comments coming out of the Titans' locker room, you'd swear Heimerdinger ran the team's offense like he was Capt. Hazelwood aboard the Exxon Valdez. This thing sputtered along until it scraped bottom and started oozing muck all over the place.
In the rush to praise new offensive coordinator Norm Chow, some of those on the premises have leveled backhanded criticism of his predecessor. Chow is the flavor of the month, Heimerdinger the bad aftertaste of the previous five seasons.
Early on in minicamp, quarterback Steve McNair said he felt "unleashed" because of the different opportunities Chow's offense presented.
He noted that the idea now is to get first downs by throwing to different receivers out of diverse formations instead of focusing on quick-strike touchdowns.
"Dinger was a guy who was going to try to burn you every play on the deep ball," McNair said.
Really? That would come as a surprise to a lot of defensive coordinators around the NFL. The Titans didn't exactly specialize in going vertical during Heimerdinger's five-year stay in Nashville.
In fact, the Titans averaged 11.7 yards per completion while Heimerdinger was calling plays. Last year, the Colts averaged 13.1 yards per completion.
Clearly, there is a difference between perception and results. So much for revisionist history.
OK, it's no secret that Heimerdinger grated on some of the players' nerves. His form of positive reinforcement was to tell a player that he hadn't screwed up too bad. If you didn't have a crocodile's skin, it left a mark.
Tight end Erron Kinney called it "a more positive atmosphere" under Chow.
Indeed, Chow is less likely to incite, more likely to offer insight.
But for all the good vibes in the huddle since Chow's arrival, don't sell Heimerdinger short. As Eddie George's legs began to fail, 'Dinger rang up some big offensive numbers with a passing game that made McNair a star.
If memory serves, he was responsible in no small part for helping shape McNair into the league's co-MVP in '03. He also helped mold Billy Volek into the quintessential No. 2 quarterback, capable of stepping in and winning games at a moment's notice.
Heimerdinger squeezed production out of the passing game when the Titans lacked superstar power at wide receiver. Derrick Mason was a go-to guy, but hardly a big-play threat. Drew Bennett developed beyond anybody's wildest dreams. Justin McCareins made a splash and then was traded. Tyrone Calico remains a compelling talent but an unproven commodity.
Through it all, Heimerdinger found ways to get the ball from Point A to Point B with stunning regularity.
In time, Chow's offense may exceed anything Heimerdinger accomplished. With multiple formations, shifts and motion packages, he will attempt to create matchup problems for opposing defenses. It all looks good on paper.
But the jury is out. Chow is coming to the pro game after a career in college ball. And he will not benefit from the talent disparity that sometimes made his Southern Cal Xs and Os look more like Xbox versus Pong.
So give 'Dinger his due. The Jets did. They more than doubled his salary to lure him north.
Not bad for a guy that did such a lousy job. •
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll ... 106/SPORTS