Rams to go on exhibition NFC champs make preseason debut again

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans are ready. They know that every team they play this year will throw the ball early and all over the field testing their defense.

So why not kick off the preseason with the NFC champion St. Louis Rams, aka the Greatest Show on Turf?

"It's good for us because last year we didn't do too well in the passing game, and we can start off working on pass defense," cornerback Andre Dyson said. "It'll help us see kind of where we're at."

The Titans know they won't get a final answer until the regular season, but Saturday night's exhibition opener for both teams can offer an early grade on their off-season moves to improve a defense that ranked last against the pass in the NFL in 2001.

Quarterback Kurt Warner will play only one or two series for St. Louis, but the Titans helped guys like Todd Bouman, Charlie Batch and Jon Kitna have field days passing last year. Marshall Faulk won't even take the field for the Rams, but they still feature the system that was the NFL's best offense last season, averaging 418.1 yards per game.

"You can't pick a better team in the league to start your preseason against," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said. "We've got a young secondary, and they're going to light it up."

Gone are cornerbacks DeRon Jenkins and Michael Booker who almost invited quarterbacks to throw their way in 2001. Samari Rolle is out with a sprained ankle, but the Titans have veteran Dainon Sidney healthy after tearing an ACL in last season's opener. They also used three draft picks on defensive backs and signed safety Lance Schulters.

The secondary wasn't the Titans' only problem. The pass rush struggled as former Rams end Kevin Carter had the worst season of his career with only two sacks. Titans right tackle Fred Miller, one of three former Rams now with Tennessee, said the defensive line has been much better in training camp.