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Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

Biggest surprise: Chris Henry survives again? It’s hard to think that if they look to add someone in the next couple days it won’t put the running back at risk. But the third-year runner got at least an initial spot as the Titans waived-injured Quinton Ganther, a more valuable and versatile player as the fourth back He suffered a calf injury in the preseason finale. Hardly as big on the list of surprises: the end for veteran linebackers Ryan Fowler, Josh Stamer and Rocky Boiman, leaving the team with very young depth; Patrick Ramsey sticking as a third quarterback; and the survival of cornerback Cary Williams.

No-brainers: The Titans kept nine defensive linemen. The lowest ranking of the bunch is probably second-round pick Sen’Derrick Marks and the Titans certainly intend to give him time to develop. They kept four tight ends, a move never in doubt with Jared Cook in his first year and Craig Stevens in his second. Receiver Paul Williams showed very little in two seasons since the Titans spent a third-rounder on him and it was certainly time to look to someone like rookie Dominique Edison instead.

What's next: Sixth-round draft pick Jason McCourty, looks to have an early chance to be a special teams contributor and should survive ahead of Cary Williams at cornerback if the Titans make a move to upgrade depth. But corner depth and the punt return job remain the two largest concerns.

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

The Titans’ official list of cuts:

DE Larry Birdine

LB Rocky Boiman

TE Casey Cramer

CB Tanard Davis

G Ryan Durand

CB DeMarcus Faggins

FB Rodney Ferguson

LB Ryan Fowler

RB Quinton Ganther (injured)

S Tuff Harris

WR Mark Jones

DT Mitch King

T Cory Lekkerkerker

WR Phillip Morris

TE Matthew Mulligan

G Jason Murphy

DT LaJuan Ramsey

S Nick Schommer

LB Josh Stamer

P A.J. Trapasso

OL Fernando Velasco

WR Paul Williams

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Here's my take on an idea you might have seen in the average-to-bad movie "Vantage Point."

In a goal line period with the offense at the 1-yard line Tuesday, the Titans handed off to Chris Henry. Linebacker Rocky Boiman blew up fullback Robert Ferguson Casey Cramer, helping keep Gerald McRath clean, and the rookie came crashing through. The end result -- McRath's big hit on Henry, with Boiman also involved -- was probably the loudest hit I've heard in all the practices I've watched this month. [Turns out I didn't nail the details here, and even multiple vantage points didn't give us all the information. That kind of proves the point of the post, maybe, no? Read all the way through for clarifications.]

I went to some of the key people in the play, and to one keen observer and asked them each to recount what happened. So without further ado, here are multiple takes on that one play:


McGrath, who said things were more spirited under the hot noon sun: "I came free, he didn't score, so I don't care what anybody says. We're going to take it to the film room, the eye in the sky never lies. It was a good play, a good run. Really I think the hit came from Rocky stopping the fullback because he got the penetration. Everything was cleaned up, I came free from the outside and just wrapped up. In a game, on the goal line, third-and-1, fourth-and-1, that's what you live for."


Defensive end Larry Birdine: "We were in goal line gaps on the 1. We pretty much just shot our gaps and filtered the run to the linebackers that were flowing and they pretty much just had to come down hill. With gaps, you're pretty much getting the penetration. We got deep penetration, we funneled up all their blockers and it was just one-on-one, G-Mac and Chris Henry, and he came down hill and fitted him up. I heard it. My back was kind of to the play, matter of fact it happened on my side. I ripped the tight end [Matthew Mulligan] and McRath just came off my [butt] and just hit him. I was like, 'Damn, somebody just got popped.' So I tried to spin out, and he still had him up, then he finally let him go."


Starting fullback Ahmard Hall who watched the play from behind the offense: "Both of them got a pretty good hit on Chris. Gerald got in, he's a real instinctive guy, he shot the gap, he's been doing that the whole camp, and Rocky came in and cleaned him up. The defense just made a good play on that one. Rocky's a vet, so he can read plays well but I think Gerald really made the play by shooting the gap and standing Chris Henry up and letting Rocky come through and clean him up."


Second-team left guard Jason Murphy: "The defensive line really clogged it up so good up in there that there was nowhere to go. I was a puller on that play, I was pulling from left guard out around to that front-side B gap, we were trying to hit it in there. You're just trying to find green grass in there. Once I did find green grass, I just tried to push the pile and [McGrath] slipped through there from somewhere, I'm not sure, I'll have to look at the film. As soon as I found green grass, I got one of the linebackers, I grabbed one of the linebackers and just kept on pushing. I just heard a big smack and everybody screaming. I knew it wasn't a good result. The defense was in the back of the end zone and we were going towards them, you could just hear them, see them, jumping up and down screaming and stuff. From what I understand, it was a good play evidently. It's the game. He's a big hitter. I like the kid, he's quick too."


Henry: "It was a loud noise, but I was still standing and I think the guy who delivered the blow was on the ground. I was standing so I don't know what to tell you. In a live situation, I hope he would have wrapped up. In a game, we met, it was a loud noise and if you don't wrap up that's not a tackle the last time I checked. It was an iso play, so it was going to be a quick hitter, it's goal line, you've got to get it. I saw a little bit of light and then McRath came and filled the hole. He probably was in unblocked. I hope you get in the hole, it's not that hard if you're unblocked. ... It sounds good, but I got a big hit man, I think my helmet is bigger than McRath's. I don't know what to tell you."

Photographer George Walker of The Tennessean snapped the play and showed me several several frames on his computer of after practice. Boiman did wind up on the ground at the end. But McGrath was on his feet and the defense would have easily rallied to Henry, easily tackling him for a loss. The defense clearly won the snap.

UPDATE, Wednesday afternoon: Jim Wyatt also wrote about this play, and like me, he thought McRath delivered the big hit. At special teams practice Wednesday morning, Wyatt was told it really had been Boiman.

That started a long lunchtime conversation about it -- isn't camp beautiful, we're debating a second team goal-line play a day after the fact -- and we wound up asking if we
might see the play on film.

Lo and behold, as McRath said the eye in the sky didn't lie and, even his take on the play wasn't completely accurate. Boiman did make the big hit, but it wasn't on the fullback, it was THE hit on Henry. Boiman shot through the gap, went low, put his helmet and right shoulder on Henry and drove him back, ensuring there would be no score.

Thanks to the Titans for their participation in this exercise and helping us clean things up.

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

TexansFight in Houston writes: Reports out of Texans camp are saying Andre Davis is catching every ball that is thrown his way and Jacoby Jones has finally become a professional and is showing serious deep threat skills. Could we be seeing the beginnings of the deepest WR Corp in the NFL this season?

Paul Kuharsky: That's great news if true. I'll be in Houston this week and be able to offer more after I see them for myself. Andre Johnson is in the conversation about the league's best, of course. And Kevin Walter and David Anderson are certainly under the radar for a lot of people. They have a chance to be a very good group.

---

Anthony in Georgia writes: Everyone seems to be talking about second chances and how Mike Vick deserved one but what about Matt Jones? Jones seems to be blacklisted by the NFL because I haven't even heard about him being invited for a tryout. He was on pace to be one of the top WRs in the NFL last season and now he cannot even get a tryout. Why is that?

Paul Kuharsky: On track to be one of the league's top receivers? He missed four games, three for suspension. If 814 yards, 53 receptions and 10 TD catches off the pace of the leader in each of those categories makes a guy one of the top receivers, then yes, I guess he was on track.

Guys get judged on a case-by-case basis not on some universal second-chance thinking.

I think Jones can be a pretty good possession guy who can help you convert a third-and-7 with an 8-yard catch. I still expect he'll surface somewhere eventually. Teams will suffer injuries or decide they are missing a piece.

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David Franklin, IN writes: I am a Titans fan, and I am curious as to the pickup of Boiman recently for linebacker depth as opposed to Derrick Brooks who is still out there. His leadership and playmaking ability are certainly pluses for a guy who would add great depth. Are they afraid it would create a controversy with the starters bringing someone with the quality of Brooks?

Paul Kuharsky: They weren't looking for a front-liner, they were looking for a camp fill-in.

Rocky Boiman would have to be great to stick, and if he did he'd be a backup and special teamer.

But they are happy with what they had before him, they just aren't healthy.

Derrick Brooks is surely looking for a lot more of a role than what Boiman can possibly earn and what's available in Tennessee.

---

Marla from New York City writes: Paul, the reports about Peyton throwing an unusually high number of INTs in practice have me worrying about my team before we've even taken a snap! Do you think Peyton will have returned to being, well, Peyton-esque by opening day? And, BTW, thanks for all the great work!

Paul Kuharsky: No reason to worry at all. He looked like himself for the most part. Some mistakes, some plays where he's surely trying stuff to see how stuff works. Those three sacks Friday night were a bigger concern to me, but I certainly expect that to be cleaned up in short order.

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

Houston Texans

• Jerome Solomon looks at Twitter and sports, including the Texans who use it.
• Shaun Cody is showing off his versatility, says Jordan Godwin.
• Kevin Walter is a quiet complement to Andre Johnson, writes John McClain.
• Dominique Barber is getting some reps ahead of strong safety Nick Ferguson, says McClain.
• Kris Brown missed three field goals in a row, one because of a bad snap.
• A look ahead to Texans-Chiefs, from Alan Burge.
• Walter is probably a goner after this season, says battleredblog.com.
• A jump to average can make a big difference for the Texans' defense, writes Stephanie Stradley.
• Texans fans might be interested in Jim Irsay's read on how Mario Williams and Andre Johnson rank.

Indianapolis Colts

• Jim Caldwell did his homework as he replaced Tony Dungy, getting in touch with George Seifert, says Bob Kravitz.
• Curtis Painter is ready for some action, writes Mike Chappell.
• Irsay wants another Super Bowl ring, says Chappell.
• John Oehser's Tuesday practice report.
• The defenses' added fronts, coverages and changing looks are helping Peyton Manning and the offense, says Oehser.
• Demond Sanders says Charlie Johnson as the starting left tackle is a ploy.
• Tony Ugoh will now get work at right tackle as Ryan Diem is out with a back issue, says Phillip B. Wilson.
• Caldwell says the Colts veterans keep the team in line, said on WNDE in Indianapolis.

Jacksonville Jaguars

• Rashean Mathis is looking to do more, says Michael C. Wright.
• Jack Del Rio held back-to-back practices in pads, says Vito Stellino.
• A chain that sold Jaguars merchandise is closing three stores, reports Kevin Turner.
• The Jaguars have depth concerns at a lot of spots, but quarterback is the biggest concern says Vic Ketchman.
• Five questions on the Jaguars from Clifton Brown.

Tennessee Titans

• Five things Jim Wyatt knows about the Titans so far.
• Chuck Cecil's first game at coordinator found him wandering outside the territory he's supposed to occupy, says David Climer.
• Vince Young ran some option plays in practice, says The Tennessean.
• Michael Lombardi considers Vince Young.
• Charley Casserly declines to say "I told you so" on Mario Williams over Vince Young, says Wyatt.
• Roster moves include Alex Mortensen out, Rocky Boiman in, says Terry McCormick. Boiman's likely temporary as the Titans are banged up at linebacker.
• Wyatt's grown tired of the running backs' nickname game.
• The NFL Total Access crew discusses the potential for Vince Young to be a third-stringer.

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

The Indianapolis Colts aren't a very good kick or punt coverage team.

Last year they were the worst team in the league covering punts and ranked 29th against kickoffs.

They gave up a 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Devin Hester to open Super Bowl XLI the season before that.

They don't accept that, certainly, and expect to improve.

But coach Tony Dungy does concede that the way his team is built, it's unlikely to have long-tenured special team stalwarts to anchor the coverage units.

"We don't want to give up plays, but we are always going to be training new people there because, with the salary cap, we're not going to be able to go after veteran special teams players," he said. "You'd love to have them, but it's a lot with our draft choices and young guys and guys who haven't played on special teams a lot. And they have to learn.

"Hopefully, they'll learn in the preseason and we'll be good to go in the regular season. But we do have much more turnover on special teams than we have on offense and defense usually."

Darrell Reid led the team with 22 special teams tackles last year - including a monster blowup of the Titans' Chris Henry in Week 17 -- but he could be called on for a bigger role on defense after the unexpected retirement of Quinn Pitcock.

Two other special team players who were among the top tacklers are gone. Rocky Boiman went to Philadelphia as a free agent and Luke Lawton was traded to the Eagles.

Another possible contributing factor -- Indy's defense thrives with small, quick linebackers. Linebackers are usually key special teamers. While speed is a big ingredient on coverage, it also needs to be blended with beef. The Colts are often thin on the second element of that formula.