THE NAME ON THE CARD
On April 18, 1998, the franchise was still called the Tennessee Oilers. Steve McNair was 25 years old. Eddie George was 24. Jeff Fisher was entering his fourth full season as head coach, and the organization held the 16th selection in an NFL Draft that had already produced Peyton Manning, Ryan Leaf, Charles Woodson and Fred Taylor before Tennessee went on the clock. In real history, Tennessee selected Utah wide receiver Kevin Dyson. Five selections later, Minnesota took Randy Moss at No. 21. Dyson developed into a useful NFL receiver, but Moss immediately became one of the league's most difficult offensive players to defend. The reasons Moss fell were well known. NFL teams had concerns about incidents from his past and questioned whether they wanted to commit a first-round pick to him. The football evaluation was much easier. Moss had rare speed, size, ball skills and the ability to score from anywhere on the field. Tennessee decides the talent is worth the risk. Paul Tagliabue walks to the podium. The Tennessee Oilers select Randy Moss. Minnesota never gets its chance.
WHAT TENNESSEE ALREADY HAD
The 1998 Oilers did not need Moss to rescue them. They needed him to complete something that was already being built. McNair had become the full-time starting quarterback. George was entering his third season after rushing for more than 1,300 yards in each of his first two years. Frank Wycheck had developed into a dependable tight end, Derrick Mason was beginning his second NFL season, and Tennessee had signed veteran receiver Yancey Thigpen. The real 1998 Oilers finished 8-8. McNair passed for 3,228 yards and also rushed for 559. George carried the ball 348 times for 1,294 yards, but his 3.7 yards per carry reflected how frequently defenses could concentrate on Tennessee's running game. Moss changes that problem before his first NFL snap. If a safety moves closer to George, McNair can attack vertically. If the safety stays deep, George has one fewer defender involved near the line of scrimmage. Wycheck gets more room underneath, while Thigpen and Mason are no longer receiving the secondary's first attention. Fisher does not abandon the running game. He finally has a passing threat capable of making defenses pay for focusing too heavily on it.
1998PREMIUM
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View MembershipJEVON KEARSE NEVER MAKES IT TO TENNESSEEPREMIUM
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THE REST OF THE 1999 CLASSPREMIUM
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NASHVILLE FINALLY GETS THE TEAM IT WAS WAITING FORPREMIUM
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McNAIR'S BACKPREMIUM
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THE FIRST ST. LOUIS GAMEPREMIUM
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A PLAY THAT NEVER HAPPENSPREMIUM
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JACKSONVILLEPREMIUM
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SUPER BOWL XXXIVPREMIUM
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THE LAST PICK OF THE FIRST ROUNDPREMIUM
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McNAIR GETS MORE OF THE OFFENSEPREMIUM
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BALTIMOREPREMIUM
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SUPER BOWL XXXVPREMIUM
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RUDI JOHNSONPREMIUM
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2001PREMIUM
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NEW ENGLANDPREMIUM
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SUPER BOWL XXXVIPREMIUM
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WHAT THREE TITLES CHANGEPREMIUM
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2002PREMIUM
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2003PREMIUM
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THE BILL COMES DUEPREMIUM
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VETERANS START CALLINGPREMIUM
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2005PREMIUM
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SUPER BOWL XLPREMIUM
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THE CAREERS THAT COME OUT OF ITPREMIUM
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DERRICK MASON'S CAREER DOES NOT SHRINKPREMIUM
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JEFF FISHERPREMIUM
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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS TENNESSEE TAKES FROM OTHER TEAMSPREMIUM
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TENNESSEE HAS NO REASON TO DRAFT VINCE YOUNGPREMIUM
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VINCE YOUNG GOES HOMEPREMIUM
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BUILDING THE OFFENSE AROUND THE QUARTERBACKPREMIUM
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THE COPYCAT LEAGUE RESPONDSPREMIUM
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THE NEXT GENERATIONPREMIUM
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FIVE PICKSPREMIUM
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THE DISCUSSION
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