Jeff Fisher has finally come to a decision on which rebuilding process he wants to overtake:

He’s headed to the “Show Me State.”

The St. Louis Rams have named Fisher as head coach per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Fisher chose the Rams over the Miami Dolphins apparently due to the structure that St. Louis offered. One can only estimate what that means, although the Rams do have a potential franchise quarterback in Sam Bradford, a workhorse back in Steven Jackson, and the No. 2 overall pick in next April’s draft. At least from the outset, there appears to be more to work with for Fisher in St. Louis than in Miami.

The Rams are also expected to make Fisher one of the league’s highest-paid head coaches and he will reportedly have a say in who the team will hire as general manager.

Fisher had the NFL’s fifth highest winning percentage from 1998 to 2008, before falling out of favor in Tennessee. It was no secret that he and former No. 3 overall pick Vince Young didn’t have the best relationship, which put strain on the entire Titans organization. Now he has an opportunity to work with a young man in Bradford who had a ton of success in his rookie season but took a step backwards in his sophomore campaign. (Mostly due to injuries, a new offensive system and an overall lack of talent around him.)

This was exactly the type of hire that St. Louis fans were hoping for. Following back-to-back losing tenures of Scott Linehan and Steve Spagnuolo, respectively, Rams patrons were clamoring for a big name. Outside of maybe Jon Gruden, who reportedly wants to stay in TV for the time being, the team couldn’t have landed a bigger name in Fisher.

At least on the surface, this would appear to be a great fit. But Fisher has a lot of work to do in order to get the Rams to where the franchise was early last decade.

Despite their rocky relationship, former Titans head coach Jeff Fisher still believes Vince Young can still win in the NFL if he gets into the right situation.

From NFL.com:

“Vince has won a lot of games; he’s led teams to the playoffs before,” Fisher said. ”I believe he can (win in the NFL). It’s just a matter of him finding a place that suits him and be in the right place and work hard. But he certainly has that ability.”

There’s a chance that Fisher is just taking the high road in order to shine good light on himself. After all, trashing Young now only makes him look bitter for the way things ended in Tennessee.

Still though, he didn’t have to say what he did. He could have avoided saying anything positive at all – in fact, he could have said something negative and made it even harder for Young to find opportunities to play elsewhere. He may be saying something completely different about Young behind closed doors, but it’s big of him to say positive things to the media about a quarterback that he’s had a tumultuous relationship with in the past.

One other note on Young: two sources tell the Washington Examiner’s John Keim that they would be shocked if Young wound up playing for the Redskins next year. There had been talk that the Skins were the frontrunners for V.Y.’s services, but coach Mike Shanahan has a strong friendship with Fisher and former Titans’ coordinator Mike Heimerdinger, leading some to believe that neither of them will give a ringing endorsement for their former QB. (Despite what Fisher said above.)

Bud Adams’ organization is a complete mess right now. For the past couple of years, his head coach has been feuding with his once-prized quarterback and despite owning a league-best 13-3 record in 2008, the team hasn’t won a playoff game in six years.

Call it a firing or a mutual separation – whatever it was, it was time for Jeff Fisher to go. And if Adams is smart, Vince Young will soon be heading out the door, too. Everyone expected Adams to choose between the two but the right decision in the end is to start fresh by ridding himself of both of them.

The Fisher v. Young feud was a major distraction last year. Even running back Chris Johnson (the true face of the franchise) admitted so after the season. Who was most at fault for allowing things to get that bad? Everyone, from Adams to Fisher to Young, everyone played a role in creating the mess that this team is currently in.

Young hasn’t shown the ability to lead and his work ethic stinks. Despite what his supporters believe, he won’t fetch much in a trade because the league is well aware of his maturity issues. Fisher is a throw back coach who usually got the most out of his players, but he’s won five playoff games in 16 years with three of those wins coming in 1999 when he took the Titans to the Super Bowl. In 16 seasons with Tennessee, he never once developed a true No. 1 receiver or had a quarterback who threw for 3,400 yards or 25 touchdowns, which are pretty standard numbers these days for good starters. Granted, he’s supposed to be a defensive-minded coach, but his defenses have finished 27th, 19th, 32nd, 5th, 7th, 28th and 26th since 2004.

It was time for the Titans to go in another direction. Everyone saw what happened last year in Carolina when John Fox rode out the final year of his deal: he had little to no interest in helping a team develop its young players when he wasn’t going to be around to watch them grow up. Maybe things would have been different with Fisher in Tennessee but if the Titans’ front office knew they wanted to eventually make a change, why wait? Part mutually so that both sides could have a clean break.

And that’s exactly what they did. The Titans have a long way to go to right the ship but at least they’ve started the process by parting ways with Fisher. Next up is Young and then this team can really make some headway.

Vince Young will not be a member of the Tennessee Titans next season, as owner Bud Adams has “chosen” Jeff Fisher over his once-beloved quarterback.

The Titans can’t cut Young until February 7 when waivers start for next season and they can’t trade him until early March (when the new season officially begins). But that doesn’t mean we can’t speculate about his future.

So let’s speculate the crap out of this thing. Below are some potential landing spots for VY.

Miami: For some reason, I see Young as being a Miami guy. That doesn’t make a bit of sense seeing as how he’s from Texas. But I keep getting the image of him on South Beach, sipping one of those colorful drinks with the umbrella hanging out. (Wow, I think the long football season is starting to get to me.) Chad Henne is a dead man walking in Miami, as former (Ricky Williams) and current (Brandon Marshall) teammates continue to throw him under the bus for the Dolphins’ failures this season. With Tony Sparano likely heading out the door with him, Miami’s next head coach will look to add a quarterback in the offseason. Seeing as how we don’t know who the next coach for the Dolphins will be, we don’t know if Young would be a fit. But this marriage makes sense based on need.

Arizona: I’m sure Ken Whisenhunt will want to see more out of John Skelton next summer in order to better evaluate his potential. But if he hasn’t seen enough of Derek Anderson to know the guy can’t play, then Whisenhunt isn’t long for the NFL. I don’t see Young being a fit for Whisenhunt’s offense, but the Cards are desperate and still scrambling to fill Kurt Warner’s shoes.

Buffalo: Ryan Fitzpatrick is more than serviceable but the Bills could bring in Young to provide competition. Any kind of talent that Buffalo can add to the roster would be a good thing.

Oakland: When there’s a high-profile free agent about to become available, I think it’s almost automatic that you have to list the Raiders as a potential suitor. You know Al Davis just put Texas’ Rose Bowl win over USC into his VCR (what, you think the Crypt Keeper has a Blu-ray player?) and is drooling over Young right now. Jason Campbell who? I need Vince, baby!

San Francisco: Same as Miami: We don’t know who the head coach will be so we don’t know if Young would be a fit. But there’s no doubt the Niners have a need at quarterback.

Houston: Young is from Houston and the Texans could use a backup for Matt Schaub, but I’m sure VY wants a crack at being a starter. Still, it makes sense.

Dallas: Same thing as above with Houston, although Young definitely isn’t a fit for Jason Garrett’s offense.

The overwhelming consensus among fans and the media is that Titans owner Bud Adams will choose between head coach Jeff Fisher or quarterback Vince Young.

One will stay, one will go.

My question is: Why not let them both walk?

Young may have a winning record as a starter but that doesn’t mean he’s a winning quarterback. This latest incident in which he threw his shoulder pads into the stands after one of Tennessee’s games this year once again proves that he lacks maturity. While there’s no doubt the guy has talent, he refuses to put in the work necessary to become a great player. Michael Vick had the same issue in Atlanta before he was hauled off to prison for two years and realized he actually had to work for what he wanted. Meanwhile, JaMarcus Russell never honed his craft and now he’s out of the league.

If Adams sides with Young, it would be a foolish decision. Word has it that even his trusted executives have told him to move on from the former third overall pick. Maybe Young would change his ways if Fisher was let go, but does Adams really want a player that will only work hard if he likes his authority figures? What kind of message is that sending to the rest of the team?

No, Young has to go. And Fisher should join him.

For the record, I like Jeff Fisher and I think he could have success again elsewhere. He’s a throwback coach of sorts, in that he teaches the fundamentals and demands that his players work hard. He would probably have success building a team like the Panthers from the ground up, because he knows what it takes to reach the Super Bowl.

That said, it’s time for the Titans to go in another direction. They had the best record in the league in 2000 and 2008 and failed to win a single playoff game. He’s won five playoff games in 16 years, with three of those five wins coming in 1999 when he took the Titans to the Super Bowl. In his 16 years in Tennessee, he’s never once developed a true No. 1 receiver or a quarterback who has thrown for 3,400 yards or 25 touchdowns. And while he’s supposed to be a defensive-minded coach, his defenses have finished 27th, 19th, 32nd, 5th, 7th, 28th and 26th since 2004.

Again, I don’t think Fisher is a bad coach and if it came down to keeping him or Young, the decision is an easy one for Adams. But you get the sense that the Titans aren’t really improving anymore under Fisher. They’re the epitome of blasé and they’re a team that lacks an identity.

It’s time for some fresh blood. It would be hard for Adams to part with both Fisher and Young, but maybe that’s the right choice in the end.

This is the second installment of my new column: “I’m Just Saying.” Peter King has a column (Monday Morning Quarterback), so it only makes sense that a well-respected sports blogger like myself has a column as well.

What-ev.

- So let me get this straight, the NFL moved the Giants-Vikings game to a NFC North city and is handing out free tickets? If I’m the Vikings, I’m pissed. Nice home game for Minnesota – think any Lion fans will get sauced up and attend the game for free just to root against the Vikings?

- Of course, if the roof of the Metrodome weren’t made of paper mache, the Vikings wouldn’t have to worry about playing at Ford Field.

- Does anyone else find it ironic that Sal Alosi’s job as the Jets’ head strength and conditioning coach is to help players get in shape and avoid injuries and he goes out and trips a Dolphins player…who gets injured? You stay classy, Sal Alosi.

- I’m willing to bet that if the Patriots played all of their games in a blizzard, they would be 19-0 and will have beaten their opponents by a combined score of 855-17.

- The Titans’ backdoor cover against the Colts on Thursday night was one of the worst backdoor covers in the history of backdoor covers. First of all, Indy was up 21-0 in the first half. So what should have been a blowout actually turned into a decent game because their defense is made of Charmin extra soft tissue paper. After they allowed Tennessee to crawl back in the second half, Peyton Manning had not one, but two chances to waste the clock and move the ball and he did neither. Then, with the Colts up by 10 in the final minutes of the game (they were favored by 3), Jeff Fisher trots out Rob Bironas for a field goal attempt but calls him back instead. He decides to put his offense back onto the field and Kerry Collins marches the Titans up the field for a touchdown on the final play of the game (a 4th down no less) and covers the spread. If Fisher were actually trying to win the game, he would have kicked the field goal and tried an onsides kick (he needed 10 points, after all). But because he was trying to screw bettors (which is the only logical explanation here), he decided to go for the touchdown and run the clock down to zero in the process. Final score: Colts 30, Titans 28. Thanks, Jeff.

- Speaking of Fisher and the Titans, I loved his explanation after the game as to why Randy Moss didn’t play much (because Moss and Kenny Britt play the same position). I’m sorry, is he running the triple option? Can you not have Randy Moss and Kenny Britt on the field at the same time? Nice coaching.

- I firmly believe that if Cleveland fans had to make a choice between watching Derek Anderson quarterback their team or Jake Delhomme, they’d opt for c) the sweet release of death.

- I’m a little confused by Mike McCarthy’s game plan in Detroit on Sunday. The Lions’ weakness is clearly their defensive backfield and the Packers’ strength is clearly their passing game. So why McCarthy decided to establish the run is beyond me. What’s worse is that the Packers stuck with the run when it wasn’t working. What, did you think you were going to pull a fast one on the Lions, Mike?

- From now on, the Detroit Lions defense will be known only as Ndamukong Suh. “Man, the Ndamukong Suh is playing lights out today.”

- I would write something about the Redskins’ botched extra point but that would be too easy. To watch that catastrophe live was punishment enough for Mike Shanahan and Co.

- I’m starting to think that Jimmy Clausen flat out enjoys being hit. Because there’s no way a quarterback has that little pocket presence.

- The Raiders-Jaguars contest was the most entertaining game of the day and absolutely nobody outside of Jacksonville saw it.

- Sam Bradford ran down Saints’ safety Roman Harper in the open field after Harper scooped up an apparent fumble recovery (the play was overturned because the runner was down) and started racing down field. I don’t know whether to laud Bradford for one of the best hustle plays of the year or criticize Harper for actually being run down by a freaking quarterback.

- With their 40-21 shellacking of the Seahawks on Sunday, the 5-8 49ers are now one game out of first place in the NFC West. If the Giants, Packers or Bucs don’t make the playoffs and a 7-9 NFC West team does, then the NFL should fold up shop for good.

- What time does the Patriots-Bears game start?

- Only the Packers-Lions debacle could hold a candle to the crap football that went at the New Meadowlands. Watching Mark Sanchez and Chad Henne try to move their offenses is like watching a drunk try to start a car with his house key.

- Who would have thought that at the beginning of the year that pundits would be saying, “Man, the Chiefs really need Matt Cassel to come back soon – he’s the key to their playoff hopes.”

- I’m starting to feel the hits Michael Vick is absorbing from my couch.

- Hopefully Kyle Orton still has Josh McDaniels’ number saved in his phone because they’ll both be looking for work soon.

I’m Just Saying…

Want to know how irrelevant Randy Moss has become? It wasn’t until the fourth quarter of Thursday night’s game between the Titans and Colts that I realized he wasn’t on the field. And even then, one of the horrendous NFL Network announcers had to mention something for me to notice.

For only the second time in his career, Moss wasn’t targeted in a game as Tennessee fell to Indianapolis, 30-28. In five games with the Titans, he has just five catches for 62 yards, which of course begs the question: Why did the Titans claim him if they weren’t going to use him?

According to coach Jeff Fisher, the reason Moss didn’t see much action last night was because he and Kenny Britt play the same position.

“Well, (Britt and Moss) are playing the same position and so we try our best to rotate them both, but Kenny was feeling good and he made some plays for us,” Fisher said. “… It’s just that Kenny was a starter here and he came back (from a hamstring injury). He fought back. I’m pleased with everything Randy has done. He’s been great with the guys and great in the locker room and he’ll continue to play.”

On the surface, what Fisher said makes sense. Britt had an injury, returned, and earned his starting job back from the newcomer.

But the newcomer isn’t some street free agent that the Titans signed – it’s Randy freaking Moss. And even if Moss is on the downside of his career, it’s up to Fisher and his coaching staff to figure out how to best utilize the talent on their roster.

Are you telling me that it’s not worth having Moss streak towards the end zone and Kerry Collins throwing him a jump ball when the Titans are down two scores at the end of the game? Is that what Fisher is saying? That because Kenny Britt (the same Kenny Britt that has been in and out of Fisher’s doghouse the past two years) plays the same position that Moss is rendered useless? Come on.

I wonder what Bill Belichick or Andy Reid would do if they had both Moss and Britt on the same roster. I highly doubt you would have heard either of them say, “Well, they play the same position so that’s why we left Moss on the bench for four quarters.” They would find ways to get both of them on the field at the same time because that’s what good coaches do.

It’s ridiculous the way Fisher and the Titans have handled Moss and I wonder if this isn’t Fisher’s way of sticking it to the front office. As in, “Hey, you want me to use this guy? I’ll show you…Randy, sit your ass on the bench.”

If that’s the case, then maybe it’s time for the longest-tenured head coach to move on. I’m not saying that the mess in Tennessee is all Fisher’s fault, but sometimes change is for the best.