Vince Young Wins over Houston and Doubters
November 24, 2009 by Staff
Filed under All Sports
I know I have presented this question before, but after the Tennessee Titans 20-17 win over the Houston Texans last night, I must ask it again: What in the world does Vince Young have to do to get some respect around here?
The man won his 8th game in a row; his 4th win in a row since taking over as starter of the Titans. And yet just prior to the game, there were so many out there questioning him and his ability to be a quarterback in the National Football League.
Well, the doubters have suddenly given way to Vince Young’s latest victory. And while I’m sure there still a sprinkle of people that don’t think Vince Young will continue to have success in the NFL, the consensus appears to have finally turned, and VY is getting his respect.
Of course, it took a 4-game turnaround, 8 wins in a row, and transforming an offense that averaged 14 points per game into an offense that averages 31 points per game for people to give Young some respect, but they’re doing just that now. However, I never understood the doubt in the first place.
Vince Young has never been a loser. Not on any level. While I know that the NFL has seen its fair share of life-long winners and has chewed them up and spit them out of the league, coming into this season, there really was no reason to question whether Young was capable of leading a football team to victory. Coming into the season, Young had a record of 18-11. That averages out to 9.9 wins every 16 games, basically a borderline line playoff team every year, and those numbers include his rookie season!
So why was there every any question about his ability to lead his team?
I really don’t know, because in 2006, Young came into the season late, and took a poor Titans team and went 8-5 with them, nearly making the playoffs. Then in 2007, Young was the starter for the entire season, and the Titans went to the playoffs. Last year, in 2008, Young got the win in the first game, but he was hurt in the same contest. Kerry Collins took over, went 12-0, ultimately leaving Young subject to the bench. Of course, Young’s MIA venture didn’t help, especially when reports surfaced that he may have contemplated suicide. But that was an off the field issue, which seems to have never manifested itself on the field of play, contrary to what others will tell you.
However, people took Young’s brief moment of insanity, for lack of a better term, and turned into something it wasn’t. They said he couldn’t throw from the pocket, wasn’t smart, didn’t work hard enough and didn’t care all that much. Yet, all of that flew in the face of his winning record, and the response his team had every time he walked on to the field. That says to me that people just wanted to see Young fail, because how else could you explain a guy, who has won as many game as he has, getting so much criticism despite being more of a winner than most quarterbacks in the league?
You can’t.
But the tide has turned, and people are jumping on the Vince Young bandwagon. I don’t see what took them so long to get in the vehicle, but the way this ride is going, there are a lot of people who will have plenty of time to atone for their misportrayal of Vince Young.
