#2 Kevin Matthews
2010-present
All-Time Career
3 games, 1 start
Yes. In just one season, three appearances and only one start, I've already ascended an undrafted player fresh off the practice squad to #2 in my nine years worth of centers. But should Matthews never achieve much, he can certainly rest easy in knowing he had quite a fan base behind him.
Because honestly, we all want him to win the starting job. We want him to become a fixture on the line, just like his dad, because it would be an awesome story. One of the franchise's best players ever, a hall of famer, has his legacy live on with his son picking up where he left off?
It's beautiful, and I love it. When the junior Matthews was first signed last year, I was happy to see it happen, but I never thought he'd get anywhere. I figured he'd hang around during training camp, maybe survive a few rounds of cuts, and then just disappear. A bit like Alex Mortensen, who would have been a fun storyline, had he not thrown a pick six in the preseason vs. the Bills and then gotten dropped two days later.
But Matthews hung in there, made the practice squad and, in the face of Amano's placement on IR, was upgraded to the active roster and, good lord, he started a game at season's end. I know, we were dead in the water and in the end a loss would have been more beneficial for draft positioning and what have you, but a victory would have denied the Colts a playoff berth. If the Titans were thinking like I was at the time, that would have been so worth it.
And Kevin Matthews was the man they would have lead them. It's promising. And with his o-line coach Munchak now in the head coach position, with his own father Bruce filling the vacated spot, Matthews may have more of a chance to succeed than any of my other fringe guys who I wanted to hang on. More than Lavelle Hawkins, Myron Rolle and yes, even more than Dudley Guice. Remember him? Me neither.
#1 Kevin Mawae
2006-2009
Titans Career
61 games, 61 starts
All-Time Career
241 games, 238 starts
It's kinda an easy call to make; one of the premiere centers of his generation had to be the selection for my favourite Titans center.
And with Mawae, it was for a lot of things beyond his play, as well. His presence really meant a lot to that offensive line; a 16-year veteran who had seen it all, Mawae knew exactly what was coming, and was able to adjust accordingly. In his last few appearances he was looked at by some as the weak link on the offensive line, his dirty play garnering a lot of penalties and bad rep.
But once he left in 2010? That line collapsed, man. Was it general struggles by Amano and Leroy Harris? Or was it a lack of leadership in the middle and Mawae's audibles on the line that set the Titans back from league leaders at the position to middle of the pack, at best? Hard to say.
But you know me. I'm a fan of blue-collared, veteran guys who play physically. Mawae fits that mould to a tee, the only difference between him and a lot of my other favourites is that he spent most of his career elsewhere.
Also, as a side note, he reminds me of Angel Batista from Dexter. If I ever encountered David Zayas, I would have to resist the urge to ask him to don the uniform and snap me the ball.
Actually, that's not true at all. The dude is huge, I'd be too terrified to.
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