Jimmy Raye certainly has taken some lumps this week - including in this space - but he had a staunch defender on hand for Friday's practice. Rich Gannon, who will call Sunday's game against Tennessee, is a two-time protégé of Raye's, first in Kansas City 10 years ago and later in Oakland. Gannon said there was no underestimating the challenge a new offensive coordinator faces as far as implementing his system. Raye's task is augmented by the fact that he is suddenly dealing with a new quarterback, whose strengths are different than the QB who began the season.
"I think what Jimmy's trying to do - you look at what was here and look at what Shaun was comfortable with, the concepts in the passing game. I think it's taken him a while to kind of pare things down and really get it to where it is. I think from a coordinator's standpoint, you have to focus on not only what you do as a coordinator and what you're comfortable with but what can these guys handle. I think that's a big part of it."
On Raye's ability to tailor an offense to a team's strengths:
"I think that's one of Jimmy's strengths. I think he understands what guys are capable of. You're not going to fool him. He's an intelligent guy. ... I think that's one of the things he does well. You look what they've gone through now. You go through a stretch and now you change quarterbacks. And that's not easy on a coordinator. The other thing is, you make that change, I've always said as a play caller, you have to see it through the eyes of the quarterback. Now Shaun Hill's not the quarterback. Now it's Alex. What does Alex do well? And how do we get him in a position where he's comfortable? And not only that, but it's the first time the guy has played in a while. Are we going to overload him? ...Not only that, but I've got No. 15. What's he comfortable with? It's constant tweaking as you go along. ... But I like what I see. I think they have a chance to be a pretty good team."
Perhaps the most salient thing that Gannon said is that it takes at least two offseasons for a team to really understand its new offense. Raye, of course, has had one ...
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Gannon also had some funny anecdotes about former Kansas City roommate, Greg Manusky. Gannon would pick Manusky up every morning at 6:30 a.m. When the temperature dropped, Gannon recalled, Manusky would wear the same outfit every day - a one-piece camouflage hunting suit. What made Manusky's ensemble unique is that he never wore anything underneath it ...
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Colts linebacker Clint Session was fined $5,000 today for hitting Smith at the knees Sunday in Indianapolis. (Personally, I'm not a fan of this "Tom Brady rule.")
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Linebacker Takeo Spikes practiced today and figures to be in the lineup against the league's top rusher, Chris Johnson, on Sunday. Meanwhile, safety Reggie Smith is a game-time decision. Both are probable.
For the Titans, RB Javon Ringer (back) is out; S Vincent Fuller (groin), CB Nicholas Harper (forearm), DE Jevon Kearse (knee), T Mike Otto (knee), T David Stewart (hamstring) and LB David Thornton (hip) are questionable. Stewart is the team's starting right tackle.
-- Matt Barrows
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