"When Matt Hasselbeck signed on with the Titans, he had an idea of what he was getting himself into.

"Zone run left, zone run right, and then every once in a while throw it if you had to," he said.

Indeed, that was the game plan. Run Chris Johnson for big chunks of yardage and then take the occasional shot downfield to Kenny Britt.

What is it they say about best-laid plans?

Except for a couple of games, Johnson has failed to gain traction, and the Titans rank next-to-last in the NFL in rushing. Britt blew out his knee in Week 3. An offense that was built on the running game and play-action passes went off script.

Accordingly, Hasselbeck's role has been completely rewritten. He was signed as a game-manager but now is a game-changer. If he plays well, the Titans have a legitimate chance to win. If he is off, the Titans are toast.

With one game remaining, Hasselbeck has thrown 483 passes, the fourth-most of his 13-year NFL career. He has squeezed off 40 or more passes in five games this season. His 3,274 passing yards are the most by a Titans quarterback since Steve McNair in 2002.

Along the way, the perception that Hasselbeck was little more than a temporary stand-in while first-round draft pick Jake Locker came of age has been shredded and discarded. While Locker's potential has been evident in relief appearances against Atlanta, New Orleans and Indianapolis, it is Hasselbeck who gives the Titans the best chance to win on a weekly basis."