"Forget the notion that there's any sort of rivalry between quarterbacks Vince Young and Matt Leinart.

The more appropriate word is empathy.

Neither one of the top two signal callers drafted in 2006 made a seamless transition to the NFL. Each was thrown into the fire for a time as rookies only to be put on ice in the seasons that followed.

Monday night, though, they will be the starting quarterbacks when the Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals meet in a prime-time game at LP Field.

"I'm excited for him," Young said Thursday. "It's his turn. He's been waiting and I know how he feels."

Young (the third overall selection in 2006) helped ignite the Titans' run to respectability in 2006 when he replaced Kerry Collins after six games and helped the team to eight victories in the final 10 weeks.

He was a central figure in a similar resurgence in 2006, when he started the final 13 games and earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. In between he endured one season (2008) when he saw the field just three times and concerns were raised about his maturity and mental well-being.

Leinart (the 10th overall selection) started 11 times and appeared in 12 games as a rookie but played a total of 17 times with six starts in the next three seasons. His only start of the last two years was a 20-17 loss to the Titans last season, when Young drove Tennessee 99 yards and threw the game-winning touchdown pass on the final play."