Chris Johnson and the Tennessee Titans ran by in a flash and the Buffalo Bills’ season seems to be doing the same.

Johnson ran for 153 yards and two touchdowns, including a 48-yard dash in the second quarter that gave the Titans the lead for good in Sunday’s 23-17 win over the Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

The Titans finished the day with 187 rushing yards and Matt Hasselbeck completed 16-of-25 passes for 140 yards.

“At the beginning of the season the passing game carried us, but now it’s time for the running game to step it up,” said Johnson.

Rob Bironas added three field goals, including a 44-yarder in the fourth that gave the Titans a 23-10 lead.

C.J. Spiller, starting for the second consecutive week in place of the injured Fred Jackson, rushed for 80 his career-high 83 yards in the first half.

“In my first start last year, I was doing a lot of thinking in the game and I really wouldn’t let my ability take over,” said Spiller. “Now, I’m just going out there and playing football, just playing the way I always played.”

Spiller also had a 41-yard touchdown in the first quarter nullified by a holding penalty against fullback Corey McIntyre.

“I don’t know what the ref saw, but when you don’t touch a person, let him spin, and don’t even grab him,” said McIntyre. “You be the judge of that. You can call it phantom or whatever, but I know that wasn’t a hold.”

Spiller gave the Bills a 7-3 lead when he recovered his own fumble in the end zone after a 30-yard run down the left sideline.

Titans safety Michael Griffin knocked the ball out of Spiller’s grasp at the 5-yard line and the ball bounced into the end zone. Referees initially ruled Spiller recovered it out the back of the end zone for a touchback, giving Tennessee the ball at the Buffalo 20.

However, a replay challenge overturned the play to a touchdown. Tennessee (7-5), which has won three of four, took the lead on its next  drive on Johnson’s long touchdown run and the running back added a  four-yard score later in the half to make it 17-7.

“If we can run the ball that well, we become a tough team to stop,”  said Titans head coach Mike Munchak.

The Bills got closer with Ryan Fitzpatrick’s two-yard touchdown pass to Stevie Johnson on 4th down with just under three minutes to go in the fourth, but a once promising 5-2 start has turned into a five-game losing streak.

“We’ve still got resolve to go out there and win every game,” said Bills tight end Scott Chandler, had a fumble that set up an 11-play drive for Tennessee that use up more than six minutes of the clock in the third quarter capped by a Bironas field goal. “We were set up in pretty good shape and we need to get back to winning.”

Fitzpatrick finished 29-of-46 for 288 yards and Brad Smith, in his second straight start at wide receiver, caught a career-best seven passes for 72 yards. Stevie Johnson had five catches for 52 yards for Buffalo (5-7).

“I think the reason we lost was fundamentals,” said Bills head coach Chan Gailey. “You’ve got to block, you’ve got to tackle, and you’ve got to take care of the football. Those are the things that happened to us in this game that we didn’t get the job done to win and you have to do those things, fundamentally, in order to be able to win.”

Rookie Colin McCarthy, starting at middle linebacker for Tennessee in place of the injured Barrett Ruud (groin), had a team-best eight tackles, as well as a forced fumble that led to a Chris Johnson touchdown and a fumble recovery that set up a field goal.

“If you want to make a run at this thing in December you need guys to make plays and that’s what we saw today,” said Munchak.

Notebook: The game was blacked out on local TV because it failed to sell out. The announced attendance was 56,463 … Bills safety George Wilson (neck) missed his third straight game … Spiller also had a 41-yard touchdown run in the first half negated by a holding penalty against fullback Corey McIntyre … Johnson had his third 100-yard game in the last four weeks after only through the first eight games of the season … Bills LB Nick Barnett had a game-high 10 tackles and a sack.

The playoffs have just about slipped away for the Buffalo Bills after a fifth straight loss.

Chris Johnson rushed for 153 yards and two touchdowns and the Tennessee Titans beat the Bills 17-10 on Sunday.

A month ago, the Bills were playoff contenders. Now they are closer to last place than second place in the AFC East.

“I’ve never lost five in a row, ever,” Buffalo linebacker Nick Barnett said. “Pop Warner, baseball, all that stuff, so this is new territory for me and I’m sure for a lot of guys. It doesn’t feel good, and I’m sure they don’t like it and I don’t like it.”

From 5-2 to 5-7 — with the possibility of going from first to last in the division — the Bills fall has been fast and furious. A fizzling offense coupled with a defense that has plenty of holes has left the Bills staring at their 12th straight non-playoff season.

“Extremely shocked and disappointed, all those words,” said quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who finished 29 of 46 for 288 yards. “It’s been really disappointing these last five weeks. It just seemed like when a play needed to be made we didn’t make it, and they did. That was the difference.”

A rejuvenated Johnson didn’t help matters. Held under 100 yards seven times in his first eight games, Johnson now has topped the century mark three times in his last four outings.

He scored on runs of 48 and 4 yards to match his season touchdown total. Kicker Rob Bironas did the rest, hitting three field goals, including a 44-yarder midway through the fourth quarter to put the Titans ahead 23-10.

Johnson had 106 yards in the first half.

“We were two different defenses,” Barnett said. “The first half we let (Johnson) make some big plays, and he made them.”

C.J. Spiller had a career-best 83 yards rushing and scored on a 35-yard touchdown run in his second start since Fred Jackson broke a bone in his leg. Receiver Stevie Johnson toned down his touchdown celebration after scoring on a 2-yard catch with 2:58 left to make the game close.

Johnson had been criticized for much of the past week over his celebration in a 28-24 loss to the New York Jets. Johnson was fined $10,000 by the NFL for mocking Jets receiver Plaxico Burress, pretending to shoot himself in the thigh. He was also flagged 15 yards for going to the ground in pretending to be a crashing plane.

This time, Johnson kept his arms to himself and politely handed the ball to the nearest official.

The Titans (7-5) converted two Bills turnovers into 10 points.

Rookie linebacker Colin McCarthy stripped Fitzpatrick on a fourth-and-3 scramble and recovered it at the Titans 43-yard line. Six plays later, Johnson scored on a 4-yard scamper up the middle to put Tennessee up 17-7.

McCarthy also recovered tight end Scott Chandler’s fumble at the Titans 37 to end the Bills’ first possession of the second half. That set up a time-consuming 11-play, 54-yard drive capped by Bironas hitting a 27-yard field goal to give Tennessee a 20-10 lead.

Spiller gave the Bills a 7-3 lead midway through the fourth quarter when he beat the Titans to the left corner and cut it up the sideline. He was chased down from behind by Michael Griffin, who punched the ball loose inside the 10. The ball ricocheted off Spiller’s left knee and was bouncing out of the end zone when the running back made a diving attempt to secure it before sliding out.

Officials initially ruled it a touchback, before reversing the call to a touchdown after replays showed Spiller had control of the ball while inbounds.

The Bills never regained the lead after that.

“It’s a drastic difference from where we were to where we are now,” Bills receiver Brad Smith said. “We look at ourselves in the mirror, and know it’s on us.”

Notes: Johnson’s 48-yard TD run was his longest since scoring a 76-yard touchdown in the 2010 season opener. … Fitzpatrick’s TD pass gave him 20 this season, becoming the first Bills player to throw that many in consecutive years since Jim Kelly did it in 1994-95. … The Bills honored Allen Wilson, longtime beat writer for The Buffalo News, who died Saturday of leukemia. Flowers and a framed picture of “Big Al” were placed at his seat in the press box. Bills safety and captain George Wilson spoke for the players in issuing his condolences, calling the writer a “good man” and “genuine guy.”

A month ago, the Bills were playoff contenders. Now they are closer to last place than second place in the AFC East.

“I’ve never lost five in a row, ever,” Buffalo linebacker Nick Barnett said. “Pop Warner, baseball, all that stuff, so this is new territory for me and I’m sure for a lot of guys. It doesn’t feel good, and I’m sure they don’t like it and I don’t like it.”

From 5-2 to 5-7 — with the possibility of going from first to last in the division — the Bills fall has been fast and furious. A fizzling offense coupled with a defense that has plenty of holes has left the Bills staring at their 12th straight non-playoff season.

“Extremely shocked and disappointed, all those words,” said quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who finished 29 of 46 for 288 yards. “It’s been really disappointing these last five weeks. It just seemed like when a play needed to be made we didn’t make it, and they did. That was the difference.”

A rejuvenated Johnson didn’t help matters. Held under 100 yards seven times in his first eight games, Johnson now has topped the century mark three times in his last four outings.

He scored on runs of 48 and 4 yards to match his season touchdown total. Kicker Rob Bironas did the rest, hitting three field goals, including a 44-yarder midway through the fourth quarter to put the Titans ahead 23-10.

Johnson had 106 yards in the first half.

“We were two different defenses,” Barnett said. “The first half we let (Johnson) make some big plays, and he made them.”

C.J. Spiller had a career-best 83 yards rushing and scored on a 35-yard touchdown run in his second start since Fred Jackson broke a bone in his leg. Receiver Stevie Johnson toned down his touchdown celebration after scoring on a 2-yard catch with 2:58 left to make the game close.

Johnson had been criticized for much of the past week over his celebration in a 28-24 loss to the New York Jets. Johnson was fined $10,000 by the NFL for mocking Jets receiver Plaxico Burress, pretending to shoot himself in the thigh. He was also flagged 15 yards for going to the ground in pretending to be a crashing plane.

This time, Johnson kept his arms to himself and politely handed the ball to the nearest official.

The Titans (7-5) converted two Bills turnovers into 10 points.

Rookie linebacker Colin McCarthy stripped Fitzpatrick on a fourth-and-3 scramble and recovered it at the Titans 43-yard line. Six plays later, Johnson scored on a 4-yard scamper up the middle to put Tennessee up 17-7.

McCarthy also recovered tight end Scott Chandler’s fumble at the Titans 37 to end the Bills’ first possession of the second half. That set up a time-consuming 11-play, 54-yard drive capped by Bironas hitting a 27-yard field goal to give Tennessee a 20-10 lead.

Spiller gave the Bills a 7-3 lead midway through the fourth quarter when he beat the Titans to the left corner and cut it up the sideline. He was chased down from behind by Michael Griffin, who punched the ball loose inside the 10. The ball ricocheted off Spiller’s left knee and was bouncing out of the end zone when the running back made a diving attempt to secure it before sliding out.

Officials initially ruled it a touchback, before reversing the call to a touchdown after replays showed Spiller had control of the ball while inbounds.

The Bills never regained the lead after that.

“It’s a drastic difference from where we were to where we are now,” Bills receiver Brad Smith said. “We look at ourselves in the mirror, and know it’s on us.”

Notes: Johnson’s 48-yard TD run was his longest since scoring a 76-yard touchdown in the 2010 season opener. … Fitzpatrick’s TD pass gave him 20 this season, becoming the first Bills player to throw that many in consecutive years since Jim Kelly did it in 1994-95. … The Bills honored Allen Wilson, longtime beat writer for The Buffalo News, who died Saturday of leukemia. Flowers and a framed picture of “Big Al” were placed at his seat in the press box. Bills safety and captain George Wilson spoke for the players in issuing his condolences, calling the writer a “good man” and “genuine guy.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

10 MEMORABLE TOUCHDOWN CELEBRATIONS

Phone Home (2003): Saints wide receiver Joe Horn pulls out a cell phone he’d hidden underneath the goalpost padding and calls his mom. The NFL fines him $30,000.
The Sharpie (2002): 49ers wide receiver Terrell Owens removes a Sharpie from his sock and autographs the football.
Full Moon (2005): Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss pretends to pull down his pants and moon the Lambeau Field crowd.
Disrespecting the Star (2000): At Texas Stadium, Owens twice runs to the middle of the Cowboys’ star at midfield and spikes the football. The second time, Cowboys safety George Teague levels the 49ers wideout.
Bang the Drums (2008): Titans running back Chris Johnson joins the pep band at Arrowhead Stadium and begins banging the drums. He is immediately flagged, and later fined $10,000.
Gunplay (2011): Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson pretends to shoot himself in the leg, an act aimed at Jets wide receiver Plaxico Burress, who accidentally shot himself in 2008.
Rock the Baby (2005): Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith takes a towel, wipes the back of the ball, pretends to burp it, and puts it down for a nap.
H.O.F. (2007): On Monday Night Football, Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson (now Chad Ochocinco) runs to the sideline and puts on a yellow jacket with “Hall of Fame Class of 20??” on the back.
Will You Marry Me? (2005): Chad Johnson runs to a nearby cheerleader, drops to one knee and “proposes.”
It’s In The Hole (2005): Chad Johnson grabs an end-zone pylon, uses it as a putter and taps the football.
—Jim Wyatt

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) —
Chris Johnson
‘s usual gloves got wet and slick, so he tried on a pair of leather gloves. Those proved too slippery as well, so he finally
went without anything on his hands on a cold rainy day.

With the way the
Tennessee Titans
blocked and how he ran, Johnson finally looked like the man who led the NFL in rushing the previous three seasons.

Johnson ran for a season-high 190 yards, and
Matt Hasselbeck
threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to
Damian Williams
on fourth-and-2 with 3:01 left and the Titans beat the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
23-17 Sunday.

Johnson said he knows it’s only one game and likely won’t quiet his critics.

“Basically we just executed our plays,” said Johnson, who did lose one fumble. “I feel like everybody did the right thing.
I read my blocks well, they blocked well. … I feel like everybody executed.”

It was the third-highest rushing game of Johnson’s career and highest since Nov. 1, 2008.

“Any running game questions?” Titans coach Mike Munchak said to open his postgame news conference.

The Titans (6-5) forced five turnovers and overcame four turnovers of their own. The Bucs outscored them 14-3 off mistakes
even though Tennessee got the ball three times on Tampa Bay’s side of the field.

But the Titans got the ninth and final turnover of the game when rookie linebacker
Colin McCarthy
intercepted
Josh Freeman
with 2:19 left.

The Bucs (4-7) lost their fifth straight even with
LeGarrette Blount
running for 103 yards, though he also had two fumbles.

“No excuses and no explanations,” Bucs coach Raheem Morris said. “We’ve got to stop the run better at the end and we can’t
turn the football over. The weather and none of that stuff is an excuse.”

Freeman threw for 199 yards and a touchdown, but he had an interception and lost a fumble. He also fumbled the snap on fourth-and-1
before being tackled with 40 seconds left to seal the Titans’ victory. Morris wasn’t happy that officials didn’t measure to
see if Freeman got the first down.

“You shouldn’t have to ask. It is what it is,” Morris said. “When you do ask, they tell you they don’t have to give it to
you. They just give it to you automatically (in) third downs and critical situations.”

Tommie Campbell
took a reverse from
Marc Mariani
and ran 84 yards for a kickoff return,
Dave Ball
had two sacks, and
Rob Bironas
kicked field goals of 31, 52 and 38 yards as the Titans keep chasing the
Houston Texans
(8-3) in the AFC South and hanging around the playoff picture.

Johnson ran for 44 yards, including a season-long 34-yarder, as Tennessee drove 80 yards to go ahead. But the Titans had to
go for it on fourth down, and Hasselbeck rolled right before finding Williams at the back of the end zone for a 20-17 lead.
He finished 19 of 34 for 160 yards and two interceptions.

Hasselbeck credited Williams for staying alive at the back of the end line.

“We knew that this was a do-or-die situation, a critical situation,” Hasselbeck said. “Someone needed to come up and make
a play, make a clutch play. We needed this to win the game, and Damian came through and did a great job.”

Tampa Bay had been giving up 133.5 yards rushing per game. Johnson shredded the Bucs at times after being booed heavily most
of this season after signing a $53.5 million extension.

“I just knew if we were able to execute ourselves we could have a pretty good day,” Johnson said.

On a rainy day with a cold front dropping the temperature more than 15 degrees, both teams had a hard time holding onto the
ball.

The Bucs tied it up at 10-all just before halftime off Tennessee’s second turnover.
Javon Ringer
fumbled after a short pass from Hasselbeck with the ball popping straight to Bucs safety
Tanard Jackson
, and he took it 13 yards to the Tennessee 13. Freeman needed only 46 seconds before tossing a 3-yard pass to
Mike Williams
to tie it up.

It only got worse in the third quarter when the teams had four turnovers combined.

Johnson opened the half running well only to be stripped on his third carry after 13 yards by
Aqib Talib
. The Bucs had the ball all of three plays before Titans safety
Jordan Babineaux
stripped it from receiver
Mike Williams
after a catch. Talib picked off Hasselbeck and ran it back 27 yards for the TD and a 17-10 lead with 12:04 left in the third.

Blount had his second fumble after a short pass from Freeman when Titans rookie tackle
Jurrell Casey
stripped him of the ball and recovered at the Bucs 29. The Titans got nothing from the turnover.
Adrian Clayborn
sacked Hasselbeck, and the Titans went three-and-out.

“There’s nothing anybody could do besides hold on to the ball tight,” Blount said of the slippery conditions.

Notes: Johnson has 27 career 100-yard rushing games and six for more than 150 yards. … Munchak said Campbell will have an
MRI, but they think he sprained his left shoulder. … Bucs DT
Brian Price
was carted off in the second quarter with an ankle injury and walked out of the stadium on crutches. … Campbell and Mariani
combined for a 100-yard return that was the fourth-longest in team history.

© 2011 STATS LLC