During his Super Bowl chat live from Atlanta, the two-time Pro Bowl selection told users he got on the Titans' bandwagon at the beginning of the playoffs and despite some key injuries, he has no plans of getting off. Theismann also talked about the keys to the big game, answered the question about him on the sidelines and offered users his take on where Tim Brown may end up next season.

If you missed Theismann's Jan. 25 chat, an edited transcript follows:

	If the Rams are going to succeed, Isaac Bruce must have a big day.

Joe Theismann: Hi, everyone. Welcome to frigid Atlanta. Let's go.

Nick: Who is going to win the Super Bowl?

Joe Theismann: I think the Titans will win. I liked 'em in the beginning of the playoffs and I still like them. They match up real well against the Rams.

Cheno50: Are the Rams this year's Falcons, or do they have a nucleus that will allow them to compete at a high level over the next few years?

Joe Theismann: I definitely think the Rams have a nucleus to contend for the playoffs for the next few years. Not just the players, but by keeping Mike Martz as their offensive coordinator, they keep their system in place. I do think that because of how well Kurt Warner played, Trent Green will probably become available and could be the key to another team's success. I wonder if he might be the guy that the Tampa Bay Bucs would consider.

Kreyzhorse: Does Steve McNair have what it really takes to be a long-term QB for the Titans?

Joe Theismann: I definitely think McNair has what it takes to be a good quarterback in this league for a long time. The thing that impresses me most is his unselfish play. Most quarterbacks, yours truly included, would want to be able to throw for 300 yards every time you play. But Steve realizes that that's not the way the Titans will win. He has not only accepted the way the offense is designed, but he has embraced it. And besides that, if he was asked to throw for 300 yards, I think he could do it anyway.

Bsgmike: With several controversial instant replay decisions, do you think the replay system needs an overhaul?

Joe Theismann: Even with some of the calls that we have seen replay been a part of, I think the system works. I think the league has to improve on it, but in the Tennessee-Buffalo game, I felt like it was a tool. In the Indy-Tennesse game it was also used in a positive way to show a guy stepping out of bounds. Regarding the replay in the Rams-Bucs game, I thought it was a catch. When I looked at in on the replay, I even thought it was a better catch. I will be calling the league office so that they can describe to me what constitutes a catch. I always thought one knee equals two feet, not to mention one elbow. But overall, I think the system works.

Scott: What do you think Dan Marino will do or what will be done to Marino?

Joe Theismann: Regarding Dan Marino, I think that Dan should retire. But I don't think it should be his decision. As great of a competitor as he is, I wouldn't expect him to want to leave the game. I think that responsibility has to fall on the shoulders of the Dolphins.

'the dan': Why on earth would the Bucs go after Trent Green? They have a young talented guy who is great to the fans and the community. Again, you just don't know.

Joe Theismann:You ask why I think the Bucs would consider Green. Because I still think you need two quality quarterbacks to be successful in this league today. For example, Green was the starter for the Rams. All of a sudden, Kurt Warner has come in and led them to a Super Bowl. The fact that King is the QB of the Bucs doesn't mean that they couldn't add another quality player to that position. Let me add this, I think Shaun King can be a heck of a quarterback. But in this game, it's tough to play 16 games.

Carrolldomer: In your opinion, which has better food, North Dining Hall or South?

Joe Theismann: There's no question at the University of Notre Dame, I always enjoyed dining at the South Hall. But the desserts are great in the North Hall.

Nick: Do you think that Barry Sanders will come back or not?

		Tues., Jan. 25 Joe Theismann is ESPN's Sunday Night NFL color commentator. Theismann, who received a 1993 CableACE Award in the Sports Commentator Analyst category, also is an analyst for ESPN's NFL Prime Monday and the network's live coverage of the NFL Draft. The former Washington Redskins quarterback joined ESPN in April 1988, reuniting with play-by-play voice, Mike Patrick. Theismann's first television experience came in 1976 when he served as analyst alongside Patrick for University of Maryland basketball telecasts. Theismann joined ESPN after spending two seasons as an NFL analyst for CBS Sports. A 12-year NFL veteran, Theismann played in 163 consecutive games from 1974-85 and holds Redskins' records for passing yardage (25,206), completions (2,044) and attempts (3,602). A two-time Pro Bowl selection, Theismann led Washington to a 27-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XVII.

Joe Theismann: Regarding Sanders coming back, I would be surprised if he did. I'm sure he took a long time to make the decision to retire. And, it would really surprise me if he came back. I just don't see Barry as the type of a player who decides one year to leave (for whatever reason) and the next to come back. Even though there have been people who have retired and come back. Namely Sugar Ray Leonard -- about five times and of course, Michael.

SY: You've always been one of my favorite all-time quarterbacks. I remember you saying the winner of the Bills-Titans game would take it all. Good Call! Go Titans!

Joe Theismann: Thanks for the compliment. Regarding the Bills-Titans winner. I'll go out on a limb right now -- I think the Buffalo Bills will go a long way in the playoffs next year with Rob Johnson as their quarterback.

Jason Paredes: I just watched up close with Gary Miller, he had Tim Brown on and he stated that going to Dallas would be a dream come true. Do you think that would be a good addition or just picking up more old baggage?

Joe Theismann: With regards to Tim Brown saying that he would like to go to the Cowboys, I personally think he would be a great fit. Every offense needs different types of receivers. With the Rocket being their speedster, Tim could work wonders in the slot. You can have one type of receiver to play every position. Just look at the Rams. You've got Isaac Bruce for the speed, you have Ricky Proehl to work inside and Az-zahir Hakim has that special knack for making special plays.

Bird: Do you think the "so-so" injury to Jeff Wilkins will play a part in the Super Bowl for the Rams?

Joe Theismann: I do think that the injury will play a part in the Super Bowl. In most of the games this year, the Rams have scored so many points that they haven't needed a critical field goal. But I think in this game, they will. And Jeff will have to be more accurate than he has been in the last couple of games.

Titanguy15: Who will be the biggest factor in Sunday's "Super" game?

Joe Theismann: I think the biggest factor won't necessarily be one particular player, but it will be the big toe of Steve McNair. He has had turf toe, had a problem with it against Indy and now he has to come back and play on the turf again. Don't be surprised if late in the game, Neil O'Donnell comes in to save the game.

Chief: Would you enjoy playing in the league the way it is now?

Joe Theismann: I would love to play in the league today. With defensive backs only able to hit receivers within the first five yards, there's no telling how good Art Monk could have been. The game hasn't changed that much -- they still use 11 on both sides of the ball and if you are a quarterback, so much of your success depends on two things: the system you play in and the guys that you get the ball to. I'd love one more shot at the brass ring, but it's not going to happen.

Titanguy15: Will the Rams be able to stop the defensive fury of rookie Jevon Kearse?

Joe Theismann: I think the Rams will definitely figure out a way to try to control Kearse. But can they do it for 65 plays? I think the Rams will probably throw at least 40 of those times. They might stop him most of the day, but I would expect him to make at least a couple of big plays.

Pete: Who was the toughest opponent that you have ever faced in your career?

Joe Theismann: The toughest player I ever faced was Lawrence Taylor. And Jevon Kearse reminds me an awful lot of him. They are both the type of players who are relentless pursuers of the football.

Chris: Do you think the Rams' Isaac Bruce will have a big day?

Joe Theismann:I think for the Rams to win, Bruce will have to have a big day. He is the catalyst of this offense. All you have to do is take a look at last week's game and you can see that the Rams don't move the ball as well without Isaac getting his fair share.

Ted: Do you have any coaching aspirations?

Joe Theismann: Thanks for asking. I really haven't entertained any consideration about coaching. I enjoy TV very much and it gives me an opportunity to learn from a lot of different people in this business. If I coached for one team, I would lose the opportunity to learn and I certainly have a lot of learning to do.

Matt Tetreault: Any changes planned for next year in the Sunday Night Football broadcasting booth?

Joe Theismann: At this point no, there are no major changes planned for our Sunday Night telecasts. This past year, we added the Superstrator, which I hope the fans enjoyed. It was fun drawing lines and having them be straight. But to be honest with you, I missed my circles.

Barak: Do you think that Dick Vermeil will have his team uptight before the game, similar to the way the Eagles were against the Raiders?

Joe Theismann: I don't think Dick's team will be tight at all. He is an entirely different coach now than he was 17 years ago. I think that his players know the new version of Dick Vermeil. He will be intense, like he always has been, but I don't expect him to be uptight. As a matter of fact, I think the Rams will go for the big play within the first series of the game -- just like they have done all year.

Mike: Who do you think is the better back -- Eddie George or Marshall Faulk?

Joe Theismann: Both Eddie and Marshall are really different types of backs. You couldn't go wrong with either one. Faulk is the more elusive and probably a better receiver. But Eddie is the guy who can pound it up inside when you need three or four yards. I wouldn't say one would be that much better than the other.

Packy: Love your TV skills. Any word on the injuries to Marcus Robertson and Yancey Thigpen?

Joe Theismann: Robertson looks like he won't play and Thigpen, as much as he would like to, probably won't play either. It really hurts Tennessee from a leadership standpoint. Especially Yancey because the receiving corp is so young.

Niner-nick: Do you think the hectic one-week break to the Super Bowl will be hard to handle for players and coaches?

Joe Theismann: Funny you should ask about preparation in one week for a Super Bowl. I had a chance to both prepare for one week and play in Super Bowl XVII and then in Super Bowl XVIII, I had two weeks to prepare. I liked the one week -- not just because we won the game, but because as a player you are able to stay in your normal week's preparation. For example, both teams would normally have an off day. And that's exactly the way it was. Really, these two teams will only have three days to prepare for each other. The good thing is that they did play in October so they've got some film to look at. But don't expect anything fancy from either one of these teams.

Vike4life: Do you think Cris Carter is the best wide receiver in the game right now?

Joe Theismann:I really know your name is Cris Carter and I do think that you have the best hands in professional football. As a matter of fact, only one other player comes to mind -- Raymond Berry -- when it comes to catching the ball.

JoeM89: Who do you think is the greatest quarterback of all-time and do you think the Rams will bounce back offensively (I do)?

Joe Theismann: I think the greatest QB of all time is Joe Montana. He won early in his career, he won late in his career, he won hurt and he just did it better than everybody.

As far as the Rams go, I think it's important that they get off to a fast start. If they don't, they might just be wondering if this is going to be another game like the Tampa Bay game. And certainly, Tennessee brings more offense in.

Rick: What role will you be doing for the game? Hopefully you will be in the booth!

Joe Theismann: I will be in the booth, but not with Al and Boomer. I will be doing the game on the Internet -- at SuperBowl.com and I will look forward to taking some of your questions during the game.

PackFan4Life: Do you think the Packers can turn it around and make the playoffs next year?

Joe Theismann:Yes, I do. I think the Packers can make the playoffs. As long as you have a quarterback with the abilities of Brett Favre, you are always going to be in every game. But, Brett is going to have to play a lot more within himself and not try to carry the franchise on his shoulders. That's what he did when Holmgren was his coach, and that's what he'll have to do again for the Pack to be Back.

SeanSF: What about Robertson's replacement, Anthony Dorsett? Will he be able to keep up with the explosive receiving corps of the Rams?

Joe Theismann:I think Dorsett will do a heck of a job. The reason why is at the end of the season, Marcus got hurt riding his motorcycle and Anthony had to fill in for him then. So this isn't the first time that he has started a game. And this isn't the first time that he has had to play against three and four wide receiver sets. He should not be a problem.

Kyle Mckinney: Are you and Al Michaels close friends?

Joe Theismann: Al and I have not had a chance to spend a lot of time together so I wouldn't say that we are close friends. But the times that we have been around each other have been a lot of fun. He's really good at what he does.

GrandsMan: Do you think today's player is at all affected by events such as what happened to Derrick Thomas? Do they really have an appreciation for where they are, and how quickly that all can go away?

Joe Theismann: I think a lot of players appreciate and understand the privilege of playing professional athletics. But there are always some because of their youth or because of unfamiliar situations to them, that wind up making mistakes that cost them their careers. Unfortunately, what happened to Derrick should be a lesson to everyone -- not just athletes -- that you have to wear your seatbelts. Even if you are just going around the corner. And the other thing is the unfortunate accident that Thomas and his friends were a part of just lets us know that we are all human and it can all end in a heartbeat. And certainly our prayers and thoughts are with Derrick and the family of the young man who was lost in that accident.

Joe: What was your favorite Super Bowl moment? I enjoyed watching you play for the 'Skins.

Joe Theismann: All three of my favorite moments were from Super Bowl XVII. I saved a Dophin TD by knocking the ball out of Kim Bokamper's hands, which was quite a relief. I also enjoyed watching John Riggins score on fourth and one. And taking the final snap to become world champs was wonderful, too.

Good night. I'll be back on Friday night for more of your questions. Bring the coffee, bring the cream and get ready for another cup of Joe.