There’s a non-zero chance I accidentally invented a rudimentary version of RPOs playing as the Titans on “Madden 10.”
I’d line up in the shotgun with Vince Young at quarterback, Chris Johnson offset to Young’s right. I’d split Kenny Britt out wide to the left, Nate Washington wide on the right and Lavelle Hawkins in the slot. The only play I’d call consisted of Britt and Washington running curl routes, Hawkins running a go route and Johnson running a swing toward the sideline. If the coverage was soft, I’d throw the curl. If the coverage was tight, I’d throw the swing. If nothing was open, I’d roll right. If the nickel corner followed me, I’d throw to Hawkins. If he didn’t, I’d run with Young.
My friend Mikey was a nationally ranked Madden player. He kicked my butt up and down the field every week. Until I deployed this strategy. The day I thought it up, I beat Mikey two games in a row. No exaggeration: One of the greatest achievements of my life.
Anyway, on Nov. 29, 2009, the Titans kinda-sorta won a game with a similar strategy against the Arizona Cardinals at Nissan Stadium. And it’s here where we see the Tennessee Titans‘ No. 14 best moment, as ranked by The Tennessean.
Fourth quarter, 2:37 left, Titans backed up on their own 1-yard line trailing 20-17. Enter Young, already in the midst of a career day. To this point, Young, recently reinstated as a starter, had thrown for 293 yards and run for 45 more. But that’s all appetizer. It’s about to be The Vince Young Show.
He converts a fourth down from his own end zone. He makes tight ends Bo Scaife and Jared Cook look like Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates. He throws to Hawkins. He throws to Washington. He throws to Britt. He keeps. He converts another fourth down. He guides the team into the red zone. The Titans haven’t even had to use a timeout yet. That’s how smooth it’s all going.
Then, in a snap, it’s fourth-and-goal with six seconds left. Young’s in the shotgun. Johnson’s to his right. Britt is split wide left and Washington’s wide right. Hawkins is in the slot. He runs the curl this time. Britt sneaks behind him. Young steps up in the pocket, head-fakes toward Hawkins and throws something between a no-look pass and a no-foundation pass into the back of the end zone toward Britt, who hauled the ball in through traffic as time expired.
Eighteen plays, 99 yards, all either via Young’s arm or legs. Maybe the best drive in Titans history.
Couldn’t have called it better myself.
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @nicksuss.