Focal Point

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AUDIO/VIDEO
audio
 Steve McNair wants to put the two wins over the Jags behind him.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6

video
 Jaguars QB Mark Brunell talks about his brief outing in the rout of Miami.
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 Mark Brunell will be ready to face Miami's aggressive defense.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6


Focal Point: McNair vs. Brunell

The Matchup:
Titans QB Steve McNair vs. Jaguars QB Mark Brunell.

The Game:
Titans at Jaguars, Sunday, 12:35 p.m. ET, CBS.

The Question:
Which quarterback presents the bigger challenge for the opposing defense in the AFC title game?

Steve McNair   Mark Brunell
 
By Mike Golic
Special to ESPN.com

As much as I have criticized Steve McNair, the Titans quarterback poses a bigger challenge for an opposing defense than Mark Brunell because of Brunell's ailing knee. Brunell is dangerous when he is mobile, but he has been gimping around on his sore left knee.

There is no question Brunell is a better passer than McNair down the field. But McNair is so dangerous with his feet that he can beat teams on the run. I still think the jury is out on his ability to go vertical in the passing game, but the last time the Titans played the Jaguars, he threw five touchdown passes. So he found a way to get it done against Jacksonville.

McNair will probably run 3-5 quarterback draws in the game. If the Jaguars have to put a spy on him, that takes one man out of their defense because all he is doing is worrying about McNair.

McNair does enough in the passing game as long as the Titans are still in the game. What does he do if the Titans are behind in the fourth quarter? It's a "what-if" question. It is still unknown how well McNair can do throwing 15- to 20-yard routes, but his legs and his good health make him more problematic for a defense than Brunell.

By Merril Hoge
Special to ESPN.com

Mark Brunell presents a bigger challenge because he has mobility and can keep plays alive. And as he moves out of the pocket, he looks to throw the ball down the field.

When Brunell throws the ball on the move, he is often very accurate and usually produces a big play to Jimmy Smith or Keenan McCardell. He is not a quarterback that defenses can easily target because they don't know where he will be at all times. Even though Brunell has the bad knee and will be wearing two braces, the Jaguars will still try to take advantage of his mobility. They will need to in this game because the Jaguars offensive line can struggle at times, especially without All-Pro tackle Tony Boselli.

Brunell is a much better passer than Steve McNair. He is more confident in the pocket; if a team forces him to stay in the pocket, he can beat teams from there as well as he can from outside on the edges. He as gotten better at beating teams from the pocket as his career has progressed. He is capable of staying there the entire game and beating Tennessee.

If Brunell loses his mobility, it wouldn't be as critical as it would be for McNair. Brunell is dangerous with the football inside or outside of the pocket. His versatility and consistency make him more of a challenge than McNair.




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