NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) The Tennessee Titans need help on defense. They decided the best way to get it with the 20th overall pick in Thursday night’s NFL draft was by taking an “electric” offensive playmaker in Baylor wide receiver Kendall Wright.

The Titans made Wright just the fourth wide receiver ever drafted by the franchise in the first round but their second in four seasons. They expect the receiver to contribute in a big way in his rookie season.

Wright may have been a surprise pick to some, but new general manager Ruston Webster said the Titans just stuck to their draft ratings.

“It really was more about Kendall and the fact he was the best player available,” Webster said.

Coach Mike Munchak, trying to build off a 9-7 record in his first season, said adding a talented player like Wright will help the defense immediately because the offense should stay on the field and score more points.

“It helps both sides of the ball,” Munchak said. “I mean when you’re looking for guys to help you win, this is the type of guy that jumps to the top of the list. And that’s what’s exciting about it I think for the whole team.

“This is a guy who’s going to help this team win football games.”

Wright joins Haywood Jeffires in 1987, Kevin Dyson in 1998 and Kenny Britt in 2009 as the only wide receivers drafted in the first round by this team. Britt is coming off a torn right ACL and has missed games to injuries each of the past two seasons.

The Titans also looked at receiver Stephen Hill of Georgia Tech along with Michael Floyd of Notre Dame. They visited with Wright and also sent their coaches to work out the Baylor receiver.

And Wright now becomes an extra target for either Matt Hasselbeck or Jake Locker, the quarterbacks who Munchak wants competing to see which starts this season.

Offensive coordinator Chris Palmer called Wright electric and compared him to the likes of Drew Hill and Ernest Givens from this franchise’s days with the run and shoot offense as the Houston Oilers.

“The fact he has the ability, with his run after catch, his hands are very, very good, and I think he’s a guy that will allow us to move him around and complement our other receivers and give us a chance to be more explosive offensively,” Palmer said. “And the fact he can get down the field, if you watch the film, he’s throwing passes, he’s made outstanding catches. I think this guy is electric and a very explosive player.”

The Titans got career seasons out of receivers Nate Washington, Damian Williams and Lavelle Hawkins after Britt was sidelined last September despite no offseason to learn Palmer’s scheme. Hasselbeck became the first quarterback for this franchise not named Warren Moon to throw for at least 3,500 yards, finishing with 3,571 yards passing with 18 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions.

But the Titans ranked 21st in the NFL, averaging 20.3 points per game. They also managed to stay on the field an average of 27 minutes, 54 seconds.

Britt, a first-round pick out of Rutgers in 2009, was off to the best start of his career with 289 yards receiving ranking him fifth in the NFL before his knee buckled underneath him in the second quarter of a win over Denver on Sept. 25. Munchak said Britt is running, though not cutting yet, and is expected to be able to play in preseason games.

The 5-foot-10, 196-pound Wright caught 108 passes for 1,663 yards working with Robert Griffin III at Baylor last season, and he was timed at 4.46 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Wright played four seasons at Baylor and finished his career with 302 catches for 4,004 yards with 30 touchdowns.

“We made each other as good as we were,” Wright said on a conference call when asked if he helped the QB known as RGIII. “So I didn’t make him, he didn’t make me. We made each other.”

Wright is known for being able to get in and out of his breaks on pass routes, using his speed to race by cornerbacks.

Tennessee still needs help for a pass rush ranked next to last in 2011 with a measly 28 sacks. The Titans had plenty of choices at defensive end with Whitney Mercilus of Illinois, Courtney Upshaw of Alabama, Syracuse’s Chandler Jones and Nick Perry of Southern California still available.

The Titans did sign defensive end Kamerion Wimbley to a five-year deal and re-signed Dave Ball, and they also expect lots of improvement out of end Derrick Morgan with his first real offseason after being the 16th pick overall in 2010 only to tear his own ACL in his first month of his rookie season.

Webster said they would be looking at defensive players in the second round slotted to pick at No. 52 and also in the third round.

But the Titans also have worked to improve the offense going into Munchak’s second season, signing five-time All Pro Steve Hutchison to play left guard in free agency.

He’s’ also just 73 yards shy of Frank Wycheck’s franchise record of 769 yards receiving by a tight end going into Sunday’s game at Houston (10-5).

“We know what a good player he is. I think since the first day (offensive coordinator) Chris Palmer came in here and in the first press conference, I think he is the first guy he talked about,” Titans coach Mike Munchak said of Cook. “I think there has been an emphasis to try to get him the ball.”

In last week’s 23-17 win over Jacksonville, Cook had eight catches for 169 yards including a 55-yard touchdown. That bumped aside Casper who had 150 yards receiving Nov. 30, 1980, against Cleveland for the then-Houston Oilers. That also marked Cook’s second straight 100-yard receiving game and put him over 1,000 yards receiving fo rhis career.

Cook has 45 receptions for the season. His biggest challenge since being drafted out of South Carolina is being an up-and-down player. He has 17 catches the past two weeks, but none in either of the two previous games.

“There are going to be roller coasters in seasons, you just got to roll with it,” Cook said. “Sometimes the offense expects to do great things, but sometimes we don’t. You’ve just got to keep riding the roller coaster.”

The tight end is just happy that things are finally going well for him.

“It feels good,” he said. “Hopefully, this is kind of a preview of what’s to come for the offense. It feels good to be out there and offense is clicking and everybody is catching balls.”

As for why Cook has been so inconsistent, that appears to remain a bit of a mystery.

“Things are trending the way where it’s either feast of famine with him more so than anything,” Munchak said. “It just a multiple of factors … and it doesn’t mean that we are not trying to get him the ball. There could be things about what Cookie is doing and what he is not doing, the quarterback getting a read wrong, how they are covering, it’s all of those things going into the equation.”

Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck agreed, saying it was good to see Cook involved in the game from start to finish against the Jaguars.

“It was nice to see Jared Cook come out and play so well,” Hasselbeck said. “He’s always been kind of a big-play threat for us in a way, but he consistently played well for us in that game, catching the ball, pass blocking, all of it. That was great to see. He’s a matchup problem for a lot of people.”

The Titans (8-7) hope to keep up that trend Sunday at Houston. They must win to maintain their playoff hopes and need help from later games to earn a playoff berth.

They head into the game relatively healthy.

Defensive end Jason Jones remains in a walking boot with a high ankle sprain and is doubtful. But running back Chris Johnson (right ankle), receiver Lavelle Hawkins (ankle), tight end Daniel Graham (illness), defensive tackle Shaun Smith (knee) and linebacker Gerald McRath (knee/ankle) all practiced fully Friday and are questionable.

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

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)—For nearly three seasons, the Tennessee Titans have
waited for Jared Cook to consistently perform up to his potential.

Now Cook has put together the best two games of his career, with 169 yards
receiving in the last game to set a new team record for most yards receiving by
a tight end.

He’s’ also just 73 yards shy of Frank Wycheck’s franchise record of 769
yards receiving by a tight end going into Sunday’s game at Houston (10-5).

“We know what a good player he is. I think since the first day (offensive
coordinator) Chris Palmer came in here and in the first press conference, I
think he is the first guy he talked about,” Titans coach Mike Munchak said of
Cook. “I think there has been an emphasis to try to get him the ball.”

In last week’s 23-17 win over Jacksonville, Cook had eight catches for 169
yards including a 55-yard touchdown. That bumped aside Casper who had 150 yards
receiving Nov. 30, 1980, against Cleveland for the then-Houston Oilers. That
also marked Cook’s second straight 100-yard receiving game and put him over
1,000 yards receiving fo rhis career.

Cook has 45 receptions for the season. His biggest challenge since being
drafted out of South Carolina is being an up-and-down player. He has 17 catches
the past two weeks, but none in either of the two previous games.

“There are going to be roller coasters in seasons, you just got to roll
with it,” Cook said. “Sometimes the offense expects to do great things, but
sometimes we don’t. You’ve just got to keep riding the roller coaster.”

The tight end is just happy that things are finally going well for him.

“It feels good,” he said. “Hopefully, this is kind of a preview of what’s
to come for the offense. It feels good to be out there and offense is clicking
and everybody is catching balls.”

As for why Cook has been so inconsistent, that appears to remain a bit of a
mystery.

“Things are trending the way where it’s either feast of famine with him
more so than anything,” Munchak said. “It just a multiple of factors … and
it doesn’t mean that we are not trying to get him the ball. There could be
things about what Cookie is doing and what he is not doing, the quarterback
getting a read wrong, how they are covering, it’s all of those things going into
the equation.”

Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck agreed, saying it was good to see Cook
involved in the game from start to finish against the Jaguars.

“It was nice to see Jared Cook come out and play so well,” Hasselbeck
said. “He’s always been kind of a big-play threat for us in a way, but he
consistently played well for us in that game, catching the ball, pass blocking,
all of it. That was great to see. He’s a matchup problem for a lot of people.”

The Titans (8-7) hope to keep up that trend Sunday at Houston. They must win
to maintain their playoff hopes and need help from later games to earn a playoff
berth.

They head into the game relatively healthy.

Defensive end Jason Jones remains in a walking boot with a high ankle sprain
and is doubtful. But running back Chris Johnson (right ankle), receiver Lavelle
Hawkins (ankle), tight end Daniel Graham (illness), defensive tackle Shaun Smith
(knee) and linebacker Gerald McRath (knee/ankle) all practiced fully Friday and
are questionable.

With all the AFC’s playoff scenarios, the math is simple for the Tennessee Titans.

Win Saturday or nothing else matters.

Tennessee ruined the chance to control its playoff fate with two straight losses, and none more painful than the last to the previously winless Colts. Now the Titans (7-7) are looking up at the New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals needing lots of help to earn a playoff berth under first-year coach Mike Munchak.

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck says the Titans have work to do after the loss to the Colts cost them control of the AFC’s sixth and final playoff spot.

“We’re disappointed about some of the things that have happened this year being 7-7,” Hasselbeck said. “That’s all behind us. As crazy as it sounds, we can be really proud if we’re able to go 9-7 because of what we accomplish the next two weeks. I think that’s the mindset right now for everybody. Get better, win this game … then hopefully getting the chance.”

Hosting the Jaguars (4-10) in the home finale offers a painful reminder just how precious each game is. Jacksonville opened the regular season beating the Titans 16-14, spoiling both Hasselbeck’s debut with his new team and Chris Johnson’s first game back with his new $53.5 million contract.

Now Jacksonville limps in with an NFL-high 22 players on injured reserve. The team has been sold with new owner Shahid Khan taking over in January, coach Jack Del Rio is gone with Mel Tucker 1-2 as the interim coach. Helping Maurice Jones-Drew, the NFL’s leading rusher with 1,334 yards, finish with the rushing title and playing spoiler are about all they have to play for now.

“If we get it, we get it,” Jones-Drew said of the rushing title. “If not, I hope we win the next two games. I’d rather win the next two than not. It’s really about winning right now.”

Winning now is why Munchak is sticking with Hasselbeck at quarterback, even though rookie Jake Locker was put in to try and rally the Titans in a 27-13 loss to Indianapolis. Munchak said he is going with the quarterback he believes gives the Titans the best chance to win, especially against a Jacksonville defense that ranks fourth-stingiest in the NFL giving up 307.4 yards per game.

“We just think that this is the best thing to do for the team right now,” Munchak said.

The strained left calf that had Hasselbeck limping at Indianapolis has healed up enough that the 13-year veteran isn’t listed on the injury report. Hasselbeck said he likely just needs to be more mentally tough and not worry about hurting the calf muscle again. He threw for 223 yards against the Colts with two interceptions and is 76 yards passing shy of his eighth 3,000-yard passing season.

The bigger injury concern for Tennessee is Johnson’s right ankle. Both he and Munchak expect the running back to play, and Johnson is 70 yards from reaching 1,000 yards rushing this season. Johnson did not practice Tuesday and did only some individual work Wednesday. Johnson said the Jaguars’ defensive ranking means they have the Titans’ respect.

“We’ve got our work cut out for us,” Johnson said.

Tennessee’s defense faces the bigger challenge in Jones-Drew. He ran for 97 yards against them, mostly in the first half, of the opener, and he has been even better in his last two visits to Nashville running for 177 and 186 yards. Rookie Blaine Gabbert has thrown for only 11 touchdowns since taking over as the starting quarterback, and he was sacked five times in last week’s 41-14 loss to Atlanta.

That’s why the Titans know they must contain Jones-Drew. It’s such a challenge Titans safety Michael Griffin said it tops any playoff worries after Tennessee gave up 205 yards rushing to the Colts.

“Jones-Drew is a tough runner, a strong guy. He can catch and he can run the ball. We know the offense, it’s going off him, and that’s what we want to do. The main part is stop him early,” Griffin said.

Tucker isn’t changing his offense either, not at this point in the season.

“MoJo is going to get his touches, and I think that’s obvious,” Tucker said. “Our offense is predicated on running the ball and he’s a major part of that, and so he’ll get his carries.”

The Titans are 4-3 at home this season, and bouncing back could be challenging with more than 20 players on the roster in the final year of their contracts.

“This team can do anything,” Griffin said. “It’s all about what we put our minds to. So it’s the last home game of the season and we play this game to win. Maybe some of us, our last time playing at LP Field. There’s going to be a lot of things going through our minds. The main objective is to try and get a win.”

___

AP Sports Writer Mark Long in Jacksonville, Fla., contributed to this report.

___

Follow Teresa M. Walker on Twitter at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

The Carolina Panthers have just a pair of wins through eight games, but with
rookie quarterback Cam Newton(notes) keeping them competitive, they’re confident there
will be better second-half results.

The Tennessee Titans have the same hopes as they sit at .500 at the season’s
midpoint.

Coming off a bye, the Panthers close out a three-game stretch at home Sunday
when they face a Titans team opening a road-heavy portion of its schedule.

With Olindo Mare(notes) missing a 31-yard field goal with 26 seconds left in a
24-21 loss to Minnesota on Oct. 30, the Panthers limped into the bye week at 2-6
- far off the 10-win pace first-year coach Ron Rivera said his team was capable
of in training camp.

“To be 2-6 is not acceptable by any means, and it’s disappointing,” Rivera
said. “But what we can do, and what we have the ability to do, is more important
to our guys right now.”

Through eight games, Newton’s poise and athletic ability have provided
plenty of optimism for a franchise that finished last in the league in points
(196) and total offense (258.4 yards per game) last season in going 2-14.

The No. 1 overall pick and Heisman Trophy winner is sixth in the NFL with
2,393 passing yards and he’s thrown for 11 TDs – four apiece to Steve Smith and
tight end Greg Olsen(notes) – after setting a career high with three against the
Vikings.

Newton has also run for 319 yards and seven scores, helping Carolina rank
fifth in the league in offense with 415.1 yards per contest.

“The biggest thing is Cam has changed our expectations,” Rivera said.
“We’ve gotten more than we expected from him at an earlier time. And that’s
great. That has helped us to develop the offense a lot faster. As he continues
to progress, this system will continue to grow.”

While some Panthers feel the team has the talent to win out – tackle Jordan
Gross(notes) said the goal should be to finish with a winning record – one of
Carolina’s primary concerns should be closing out games. They’ve blown second
half leads in five of their six losses.

“It’s been like (the movie) Groundhog Day around here,” Olsen said.

As Carolina looks to get back on track before playing three straight and
five of seven outside Charlotte, the Titans (4-4) are trying to rebound from a
1-2 homestand with the first of five second-half road games.

Tennessee missed a great opportunity to keep pace with AFC South-leading
Houston (6-3) by getting outscored 17-0 in the second half of Sunday’s 24-17
loss to Cincinnati. The Titans, though, are still in the playoff hunt as every
team in the conference has at least two losses.

“Nobody is out of reach,” right guard Jake Scott(notes) said. “There’s nobody
running away with it. On the other side, there’s not that many teams out of it
completely. It’s going to be very interesting in the AFC going down the next two
months.”

It the Titans are going to make a second-half run, the offense will likely
have to step up. Tennessee, which managed just 95 yards in the final 30 minutes
against the Bengals, is 23rd in the league in scoring (19.5 points per game) and
27th in total offense, averaging 310.3 yards.

The biggest disappointment for coach Mike Munchak’s team has been its
NFL-worst running attack, which is averaging 70.0 yards. Three-time Pro Bowler
Chris Johnson is on pace to rush for 732 yards after going for a league-best
4,598 in his first three seasons.

The Panthers are yielding 133.3 yards per game on the ground – sixth-most in
the league – and are tied for the most rushing TDs allowed with 11.

Carolina’s pass defense has also struggled, with opposing quarterbacks
averaging 8.35 yards per attempt – the second-highest ratio allowed in the NFL.

Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck(notes) is averaging 5.63 yards per attempt
during the 1-3 skid, yet his 2,014 yards are the second-most he’s passed for
through eight games in his career.

Hasselbeck was 3-1 as a starter against Carolina while with Seattle,
including a 34-14 victory in the 2006 NFC championship game.

This is the fourth meeting between these franchises, and first since the
Titans’ 20-7 home win Nov. 4, 2007.

The Titans posted a 37-17 victory in Carolina on Oct. 19, 2003, in the first
matchup between these teams since the Houston Oilers relocated to Tennessee in
1997.

The Tennessee Titans were looking for their second straight win at home but the Bengals dashed their hopes and won 24-17 Sunday.

Andy Dalton threw for three touchdowns and 217 yards, and the Cincinnati Bengals rallied from a 10-point deficit and beat the Tennessee Titans for their fifth straight victory and longest winning streak since 1988.

The Bengals (6-2) hadn’t won five straight since 1988 when they won the AFC championship and went to their second Super Bowl.

They also improved to 4-1 on the road with the rookie quarterback leading the Bengals to 17 unanswered points as he tossed TD passes to three different receivers.

Tennessee (4-4) has lost two of three to wrap up a three-game homestand. Chris Johnson had 110 yards from scrimmage, but the Titans blew a 17-7 halftime lead when the offense shut down in the second half.

Tennessee managed just 95 yards in the final 30 minutes with 30 on the final play that came up well short of the end zone.

Copyright 2011 WSMV, Associated Press. All rights reserved.

“In the beginning, it was a lot of pressure just because you’re replacing a player the type of Kenny … and you’ve got to think about that when you’re the guy replacing him,” Williams said Wednesday with a laugh. “As we’ve gone along the past couple weeks, I feel comfortable. They feel comfortable, and I think there’s no pressure anymore.”

A third-round pick out of Southern California, the 6-foot-1, 199-pound Williams has caught a touchdown pass in each of his past two games. He already has nine catches for 94 yards and is on target to easily top the 16 catches for 219 yards from his rookie season.

Offensive coordinator Chris Palmer wasn’t happy with Williams when the receiver told him he could beat a defender in a 38-17 loss at Pittsburgh on Oct. 9, then seemingly went on cruise control. But Williams had a talk with Williams and feels the young receiver got his message on the need to go full out when on the field or head to the sideline if needing a breather.

“He’s only a second-year player. He’s got a bright future ahead of him,” Palmer said.

Williams will be making his third straight start Sunday when Tennessee (3-2) hosts Houston (3-3). The receiver did have the advantage of extra work in the preseason while the Titans tried to ease Britt back from a strained right hamstring, and Williams played at each of the three receiver spots.

But Williams worked mostly with rookie Jake Locker, so he’s still adjusting to veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.

“We just have to get that rapport and get that timing and I think we’re getting a lot closer,” Williams said.

The Titans know they can’t replace Britt, who tore his right ACL and MCL on Sept. 25 against Denver. He’s what receivers coach Dave Ragone calls his own special type of player.

Williams has had some success in his own career.

He played and won a state title with now-Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn at Springdale High School in Arkansas before playing a year for Arkansas in college and being named to the freshman All-Southeastern Conference team. Williams transferred to USC for two seasons after sitting out a year and declared for the 2010 draft.

Ragone said Williams is very smart and understands what defenses are trying to do to him. He has some speed too.

“He can be physical with defensive backs, and he’s got that kind of pedigree. Great high school player, great college player and knows he can make plays. It’s about going out there each game and getting more comfortable for him,” Ragone said.

Hasselbeck has made it clear that he will throw to the open receiver, and the Titans are giving Williams the chance to show what he can do right now. The trade deadline passed Tuesday without the Titans making a move for receiver Brandon Lloyd, who was sent to St. Louis.

They did sign Donnie Avery the same day they placed Britt on injured reserve Sept. 28, and the Titans are working to catch Avery up on their offense so he can help more in the offense.

The Titans have been mentioned as a possible landing spot for Terrell Owens, whose agent announced Wednesday on Twitter that the veteran is healthy now after his own torn ACL. Munchak said he didn’t know Owens’ status and that the Titans will continue to work out players weekly.

But the team that claimed Randy Moss off waivers last November doesn’t seem interested in T.O.

“There’s nothing going on at all with us,” Munchak said.

Williams has been in the NFL long enough to know that no job.

“You kind of take it as a compliment and a confidence booster. In the end, nobody’s safe. Well, except maybe for Chris” Johnson, Williams said of the Titans’ running back.

Notes: TE Craig Stevens (ribs) did not practice Wednesday, but he ran on the side. LB Colin McCarthy (hamstring) also did not practice along with S Chris Hope (left forearm).

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

BEREA: The Browns were as healthy as they had been all season heading into their 31-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, but their prosperity didn’t last long.

Pro Bowl center Alex Mack reported to the team’s headquarters Monday with symptoms of appendicitis and had an appendectomy later in the day at the Cleveland Clinic, coach Pat Shurmur said. Doctors felt the surgery went well, and Mack was expected to spend the night in the hospital, Shurmur said.

Meanwhile, cornerback Joe Haden had an MRI on his left knee and was diagnosed with a sprain, Shurmur said. Haden attended team meetings Monday while wearing a brace on his leg. He is not expected to need surgery, Shurmur said.

The Browns (2-2) have a bye this coming week and won’t play again until they visit the Oakland Raiders on Oct. 16. Shurmur said he doesn’t know whether Mack or Haden will be able to face the Raiders.

If Mack can’t play after the bye, Steve Vallos and John Greco could compete to play center. If Haden must miss a game, Dimitri Patterson or rookie Buster Skrine could receive an expanded role.

Several other players also are dealing with injuries. Shurmur said wide receiver Josh Cribbs is day-to-day with a “slight knee sprain,” and wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi’s sprained shoulder is not believed to be a significant injury. Cornerback Sheldon Brown (groin) and offensive lineman Tony Pashos (ankle) did not exacerbate their injuries by playing through them Sunday, Shurmur said.

Mack was hooked up to IVs before the game against the Titans, because he wasn’t feeling well. Still, he did not miss any of the offense’s 87 plays.

“He’s tough as nails because he was feeling a little queasy during that game, too,” Pashos said of Mack. “The guy is tough. I don’t expect him to miss any time. He’s played with some injuries before, and I think he’ll be all right. I’m not a doctor, but I know Alex.”

Haden was hurt and examined by trainers on the sideline after the Titans punted with 8:38 left in the second quarter. He stayed in the game but limped off the field after catching wide receiver Nate Washington from behind and tackling him at the Browns’ 4-yard line with less than a minute left in the first half. Haden played in the second half until he left the game in the fourth quarter.

“He hurt it, and he just kept on playing,” Skrine said. “We didn’t even know he hurt it. Being the guy that he is and doing everything for the team, he stayed in the game.”

Voicing support

When Shurmur was asked Monday if he would diminish the role of running back Peyton Hillis because of the latter’s unresolved contract issues, Shurmur said: “Absolutely not. I think that’s a nonissue.”

Hillis, who’s in the final year of his rookie contract and set to make a base salary of $600,000 this season, had 10 carries for 46 yards (4.6 average) and five catches for 23 yards against the Titans. He shared the workload with running back Montario Hardesty, who had seven carries for 22 yards (3.1 average) and five receptions for 49 yards. Shurmur said he did not call more running plays, because the Browns fell behind by a large margin and needed to pass in an attempt to rally.

“I think Peyton Hillis fits extremely well [in the offense],” Shurmur said. “He played yesterday. He got the football. I’ll tell you what, I think it’s important he touches the ball and he did.”

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday that although Hillis said he was ill last week, some unnamed Browns players believe that Hillis’ unresolved contract situation may have contributed to his decision not to play in Week 3 against the Miami Dolphins. Shurmur addressed the report Sunday after his team’s loss to the Titans and again Monday.

“The young man was sick, and he didn’t play,” Shurmur said. “OK. That’s the end of it. He played yesterday, and I think that’s where the important thing is. Two weeks ago, he didn’t play. We played the Miami Dolphins, and we won the game. Yesterday he did. All right. He was a significant contributor yesterday, and we didn’t win.”

Rookie wide receiver Greg Little, linebacker Titus Brown and Pashos defended Hillis on Monday.

“I don’t take those sources to be very credible,” Little said. “I just think that’s coming from very thin air. I think Peyton is a big enough competitor to want to come out and play every weekend.”

“He was sick,” Brown said. “You have to be at your best to play this game, and he wasn’t at his best. … If Peyton were able to play, he would have played. He loves this team just like everybody else on this team.”

Missed call?

Titans wide receiver Damian Williams knocked into Patterson near the line of scrimmage late in the second quarter, allowing Washington to break free for a 57-yard pass play. Patterson thought Williams should have been called for offensive pass interference.

“It was blatant,” Patterson said. “But they’re going to miss calls. Referees miss calls every game, every sport, so you can’t really go into a game trying to point the finger at the ref. You’ve got to continue to play, and play through those times.”

Shurmur declined to reveal whether he has asked the league office to review the play.

“[The Titans] did a nice job with that,” Shurmur said. “There’s rules for that, though. … You’re not allowed to rub, but they executed the play well.”

Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at http://browns.ohio.com. Follow the Browns on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ABJ_Browns and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/browns.abj.

Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston answers a selection of reader questions about the Ravens’ 26-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

Bob K.: How can a team look so good against an excellent team last week (Steelers) and so horrible against an average team (Titans) this week? Overconfidence? Poor preparation? Your thoughts, please.

Mike Preston: Football is an emotional sport, and against Pittsburgh the Ravens played with eight months of pent-up anger after the Steelers eliminated them in the playoffs last season. The Ravens played with playoff intensity and the Steelers couldn’t match it. The Titans lost their season opener, and their backs were against the wall playing in front of the home crowd for the first time in 2011. The Titans treated this as a big game, and Tennessee coach Mike Munchak broke out the old clips of the Titans-Ravens and built it as a rivalry.

Not only did Tennessee play with more emotion, but the Titans had a better game plan and their staff out-coached the Ravens. They had big receivers who were physically better than the Ravens’ small cornerbacks, and Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was patient in picking the Ravens apart, partly because of the lack of pressure. The Titans beat the Ravens like the Ravens beat Pittsburgh. It was a complete butt-whipping.

The Ravens were beaten soundly in every phase of the game. You can’t point fingers because you only have two hands.

Nate: It appears that Marshal Yanda is making the line calls on offense, and then getting set right as the ball is snapped. The timing of it seemed to allow Tennessee to jump the snap basically every play. What was going on?

Mike Preston: Nate, I don’t know if Yanda was making the line calls, but he was giving some type of signal to center Matt Birk. Like you, I noticed the Titans had picked up on the Ravens’ cadence and it appeared as if they knew the snap count. Coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron have to review the cadence. A good quarterback will use a hard count to draw teams off sides. A major advantage for the offensive line, especially the weak-side tackle, is to get a good jump, but the Ravens lost that advantage several times against Tennessee.

Ben: What do you think led to the drop in performance of the offensive line from Week 1 to Week 2? What can we expect going forward?

Mike Preston: Against Pittsburgh, Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison had been slowed because of offseason surgery, and that helped Ravens left tackle Bryant McKinnie. The absence of left guard Ben Grubbs definitely hurt the Ravens against the Titans. He is more athletic and can run better than replacement Mark LeVoir and right guard Marshal Yanda. Without Grubbs, the Ravens lost their best pulling guard, which limits them on screens, pitches, tosses and any other play where a guard operates in space.

In all honesty, you knew this offensive line was going to struggle early in the season. But for the Ravens to be successful and to mask weaknesses on both offense and defense, this team is going to have to run the ball. If they don’t, they won’t get far. Also, tackle play from McKinnie and Michael Oher has to improve from Sunday. In another two weeks, we’ll get a better barometer of how good this group can become.

Eric: Are the Ravens still very slow getting plays called and coming out of the huddle, especially when there is some urgency to move the ball? Example: In the fourth quarter, Lee Evans catches a 33-yard pass with about 10:31 on the clock. In the next two minutes, the Ravens run two plays, one of which was a 2-yard run by Ricky Williams. Down by two scores, shouldn’t they be a little crisper getting plays in and getting to the line? This seems to have been a problem the last couple years.

Mike Preston: That problem bothers me because the Ravens use a clock in practice. But on Sunday and trailing by 10, and later 13 points, they took their good, sweet time getting to the line of scrimmage. They played as if they had a lead instead of being behind. It was poor game management, and this shouldn’t happen to an NFL team. After last season, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti basically ordered a face lift for the offense. I think after Sunday, he had to write down a note on the Ravens’ time management. It was irritating wondering why the Ravens didn’t go to a no-huddle to try and jump start this offense, but equally painful watching them stroll to the line of scrimmage in the fourth quarter as if they were taking a walk in the park. Coaches are to blame, but a quarterback has to take charge as well.

Pete: Why does it seem like Cam Cameron is unwilling or unable to change his offensive game plan when it’s clear that it’s failing? The Titans dominated our run-blocking scheme in the first half and had our receivers’ routes on lock-down. I know I’m not an expert here, but it seems like common sense that if something isn’t working, you should try something different. Why didn’t we get Ray Rice to the outside or get him going behind some power-run sets? Why did we wait until midway through the fourth quarter to spread our receivers out? I’m so confused, but sadly not surprised since this was a complete repeat of our offense last year.

Mike Preston: I wouldn’t have given up on the run early either, but I would have done some other things. The Ravens have speed, so why not use some slant-ins, bubble screens or hitches to David Reed, Lee Evans or Torrey Smith to see if they can turn a short gainer into a big play? I probably would have gone with a no-huddle late in the third or early in the fourth to try to get some type of rhythm going with Joe Flacco and his receivers. But in Cameron’s defense, if you’re getting your butt whipped at the line of scrimmage, it really doesn’t make a difference what you run. And the Ravens were getting handled up front, especially at the tackle, left guard and center positions. If this was a dog fight, the Ravens’ pup stayed home.

Justin: Do you honestly think Joe Flacco is good enough to carry this team to a championship? I feel like Joe does really well at times, but I do question his football IQ. It seems every year I keep hearing about the receivers not getting open, but how much of it falls on Joe?

Mike Preston: Not picking on you Justin, but I love it when fans who didn’t watch the game in person say receivers weren’t getting open or weren’t getting separation. There is no way in hell anybody sitting in front of their TV set can tell that. It’s impossible, but that’s a major complaint from the Titans game.

Now that I got that out of the way, Flacco is good enough to win a championship, but no, he can’t carry a team like a Peyton Manning, Drew Brees or Tom Brady. In Baltimore, fans need to accept the fact that Flacco is a good quarterback, not a great one. I still say the ceiling for him is probably a Tony Romo, and certainly not better than Philip Rivers. Joe is Joe. Saying that, I understand what makes him good, but there are limitations, and he probably has hit his ceiling in Baltimore working with the current staff.

I thought Flacco might have gotten over the hump with the strong showing against Pittsburgh, but he was disappointing against Tennessee. It was too much of a drop-off for a quarterback in his fourth season. With a strong running game and a strong defense, Flacco is good enough to win a Super Bowl. If Trent Dilfer, Phil Simms and Bob Griese can win Super Bowls, so can Flacco.

David: After two games it is painfully obvious that the Ravens do not have anyone who has stepped up as the third receiver. When is it time to see what Tandon Doss can do? He looked much better than Torrey Smith in the preseason.

Mike Preston: My candidate for No. 3 receiver is the same guy who starts at tight end: Ed Dickson. David Reed can’t stay healthy, Smith hasn’t been impressive and Doss isn’t going to pull away from many defensive backs. Doss would be better in a better offensive scheme, but I don’t see him having much of an impact here in Baltimore unless they game plan around him more, and that hasn’t happened under the present staff.

Law: Why do the Ravens cornerbacks play 10-to-12 yards off the ball, even in the red zone? It looked like pitch and catch at times against the Titans.

Mike Preston: The Titans were too physical for the Ravens to try and press at the line of scrimmage. If you’ve got a big, physical corner like Jimmy Smith, you can jam receivers. When you’re small like the Ravens, you play off because you don’t want to give up the big plays. Plus, to beat strong defensive teams like the Ravens and Steelers, you better have patient quarterbacks and offensive coordinators. Few teams have both, and that’s why both teams have been successful. Very few teams can put together three or four long drives in a game against Pittsburgh or Baltimore.

Tennessee, though, passed the test.

Joe: Do you get the feeling the Ravens coaching staff will slip back into that ‘outsmarting themselves’ mode? I mean, sometimes you have to do what the other side knows you’re going to do, but a good team gets it done anyway.

Mike Preston: Joe, can’t answer that one. Against Tennessee, I just wish they had been smart.

Matthew: Did you ever think two weeks ago that the Bengals would be division leaders after Week 2 and the Steelers would be last (Ravens own the tiebreaker, Browns have better conference record)?

Mike Preston: No, not even with Steven Spielberg’s imagination.

It looks as if the Titans will have two talented defensive ends returning to the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Ravens.

Derrick Morgan and Jason Jones practiced Wednesday and are expected to play Sunday. They missed the season opener against the Jaguars because of knee injuries.

“We were banged up the first week a little bit and we had some guys playing out of position,” Morgan said. “But I think it will be a positive for our defense to get us both back and contributing.”

Defensive end William Hayes, who suffered a shoulder injury against the Jaguars, saw limited practice time Wednesday and said he is hopeful of playing against the Ravens.

Running back Javon Ringer (hip/back) practiced for the first time in more than a week and said he expects to play Sunday. He missed three preseason games and the season opener.

Safety Chris Hope (shoulder) and wide receiver Damian Williams (hamstring) didn’t practice Wednesday and Coach Mike Munchak said both players are questionable for Sunday.

Williams said he would try to practice Thursday.

Looking for Cook: After he finished last season with a flourish and had a strong training camp, tight end Jared Cook figured to be a significant factor in the offense this season.

That may eventually prove to be the case, but he was only a bit player in the loss to the Jaguars.

Cook was thrown to twice and caught one pass for 7 yards. He had another reception nullified because of a holding penalty on guard Leroy Harris.

The Titans got off to a slow start against the Jaguars and only ran 49 offensive plays.

“Their offense pretty much … took the majority of the clock,” Cook said. “It was just hard for us to get things going. When you come out as slow as we did and you don’t have many opportunities, that’s going to leave you in the negative.”

Cook is very much in the plans going forward, according to Munchak.

“We definitely feel like he’s still a weapon,” he said. “That’s a good thing.”

Incomplete grade: Munchak gave fullback Quinn Johnson a grade of incomplete for his debut with the Titans last Sunday.

With the offense struggling to move the ball against Jacksonville’s defense, the 6-foot-1, 263-pound Johnson rarely got on the field.

“He only got like five or six plays,” Munchak said. “What he did, he did well. But again, it’s hard to get too excited one way or the other. On the offensive side, it’s hard to judge a lot of things.”

Johnson, acquired in a trade with the Packers, is filling in for Ahmard Hall, who was suspended four games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.

Another new Titan expected to make a difference in the run game, tight end Daniel Graham, didn’t even get on the field against the Jaguars.

“There were certain guys we just didn’t get in certain packages because we had so much three-wide because we got behind,” Munchak said.

Practice squad: The Titans signed offensive lineman Troy Kropog to the practice squad.

They had released him from the 53-man roster on Friday.

It looks as if the Titans will have two talented defensive ends returning to the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Ravens.

Derrick Morgan and Jason Jones practiced Wednesday and are expected to play Sunday. They missed the season opener against the Jaguars because of knee injuries.

“We were banged up the first week a little bit and we had some guys playing out of position,” Morgan said. “But I think it will be a positive for our defense to get us both back and contributing.”

Defensive end William Hayes, who suffered a shoulder injury against the Jaguars, saw limited practice time Wednesday and said he is hopeful of playing against the Ravens.

Running back Javon Ringer (hip/back) practiced for the first time in more than a week and said he expects to play Sunday. He missed three preseason games and the season opener.

Safety Chris Hope (shoulder) and wide receiver Damian Williams (hamstring) didn’t practice Wednesday and Coach Mike Munchak said both players are questionable for Sunday.

Williams said he would try to practice Thursday.

Looking for Cook: After he finished last season with a flourish and had a strong training camp, tight end Jared Cook figured to be a significant factor in the offense this season.

That may eventually prove to be the case, but he was only a bit player in the loss to the Jaguars.

Cook was thrown to twice and caught one pass for 7 yards. He had another reception nullified because of a holding penalty on guard Leroy Harris.

The Titans got off to a slow start against the Jaguars and only ran 49 offensive plays.

“Their offense pretty much … took the majority of the clock,” Cook said. “It was just hard for us to get things going. When you come out as slow as we did and you don’t have many opportunities, that’s going to leave you in the negative.”

Cook is very much in the plans going forward, according to Munchak.

“We definitely feel like he’s still a weapon,” he said. “That’s a good thing.”

Incomplete grade: Munchak gave fullback Quinn Johnson a grade of incomplete for his debut with the Titans last Sunday.

With the offense struggling to move the ball against Jacksonville’s defense, the 6-foot-1, 263-pound Johnson rarely got on the field.

“He only got like five or six plays,” Munchak said. “What he did, he did well. But again, it’s hard to get too excited one way or the other. On the offensive side, it’s hard to judge a lot of things.”

Johnson, acquired in a trade with the Packers, is filling in for Ahmard Hall, who was suspended four games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.

Another new Titan expected to make a difference in the run game, tight end Daniel Graham, didn’t even get on the field against the Jaguars.

“There were certain guys we just didn’t get in certain packages because we had so much three-wide because we got behind,” Munchak said.

Practice squad: The Titans signed offensive lineman Troy Kropog to the practice squad.

They had released him from the 53-man roster on Friday.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have given new coach Mike Munchak a great teaching point that what matters most is how a team finishes.

Seventh-round draft pick Tommie Campbell returned an interception 90 yards for a touchdown, and the Titans rallied to beat the Chicago Bears 14-13 on Saturday night after what Munchak called a pretty flat start.

The Titans (2-1) had trouble stopping Chicago (1-2) as the Bears outgained Tennessee 416-220, but came up with two interceptions.

Campbell, the cornerback from Division II California (Pa.), picked off Caleb Hanie’s pass late in the third quarter and ran up the left sideline untouched to put Tennessee ahead to stay.

“They executed better than we did at parts of that game than we did,” Munchak said. “We eventually made enough plays to win the game.”

The Titans had dominated the stats a week ago only to lose to St. Louis on a last-second field goal. This time, Campbell came up with the interception, though he didn’t know how to celebrate.

“I knew I had to do something,” Campbell said. “It was all just fun and games. I was just hyped. I probably smacked 50 people in the end zone.’

Chicago protected its quarterbacks well, allowing a lone sack when Hanie was taken down inside the final minute in a mark of improvement for the team that reached the NFC championship game last season.

Bears coach Lovie Smith called the game an improvement over Monday night’s 41-13 loss to the New York Giants. He liked how the offense moved the ball but not the turnovers or the inability to finish drives.

“It’s one thing to get yards, but they don’t determine the winner based on yards,” Smith said. “It’s about points and we have to get points.”

Chicago’s Jay Cutler played one series into the third quarter and was 13 of 21 for 170 yards with his one interception coming on the opening drive. Matt Forte ran 17 times for 74 yards and a touchdown, but Marion Barber hurt his calf early and did not return. Tight end Desmond Clark was carted off the field in the fourth quarter with a knee injury after being hit by Anthony Smith.

The Titans played with receiver Kenny Britt scratched for a third straight game as he recovers from a sore right hamstring, and Chris Johnson still holding out for a new contract. His backup, Javon Ringer, missed his second consecutive game because of a sore hip, and those absences really showed in the offense this time.

Munchak even was booed for the first time when he chose to punt facing fourth-and-1 at his own 34 in the third quarter and trailing 14-10.

“We just weren’t playing smart, making some bad decisions,” Munchak said.

Matt Hasselbeck had been nearly perfect since signing with Tennessee, completing 12 of his first 15 passes over the first two exhibitions. Against the Bears, he was 12 of 22 for 134 yards as he played one series into the third quarter as well. Hasselbeck was the victim of a couple drops, but he completed 5 of 6 passes in driving the Titans 80 yards at the end of the first half.

Hasselbeck said he’s never really had Britt or Johnson so far.

“So I don’t know how to miss them. I just think we weren’t real crisp. We didn’t’ play tonight like we practiced,” Hasselbeck said.

Rookie Jamie Harper got his second straight start and scored his third TD this preseason on a 9-yard run to cap the drive.

It was Cutler’s first game as a pro in the city where he was the Southeastern Conference player of the year in 2005 playing for Vanderbilt.

“Well, we got better again,” Cutler said. “We left some points out there, you hate to see that but our offensive line played better, the receivers played better and Matt ran the ball. So, we’re getting there. We’re not quite ready for the opener but we’re getting there.”

Tennessee had a chance to turn safety Michael Griffin’s pick of Cutler’s tipped pass into points but had to settle for a 51-yard field-goal attempt that Rob Bironas pushed wide right.

The Bears came right back. Cutler drove them down the field over 12 plays with Forte scoring from 3 yards out for a 7-0 lead. Robbie Gould also kicked a 45-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead but clanked a 29-yarder off the left upright in the second quarter.

The Bears kept moving the ball easily against a Titans defense that had allowed only 20 points combined through the first two exhibitions. Tennessee has a new coordinator in Jerry Gray with a unit revamped to put more size on the field. Forte ripped through the Titans almost at will.

Notes: Titans rookie P Chad Cunningham may have had the play of the night. His punt in the fourth quarter was blocked, and he picked it up off the bounce and ran for a first down. … The Bears scratched LB Lance Briggs, WR Sam Hurd and DT Anthony Adams while waiving as injured rookie CB Mike Holmes before the game.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have given new coach Mike Munchak a great teaching point that what matters most is how a team finishes.

Seventh-round draft pick Tommie Campbell returned an interception 90 yards for a touchdown, and the Titans rallied to beat the Chicago Bears 14-13 on Saturday night after what Munchak called a pretty flat start.

The Titans (2-1) had trouble stopping Chicago (1-2) as the Bears outgained Tennessee 416-220, but came up with two interceptions.

Campbell, the cornerback from Division II California (Pa.), picked off Caleb Hanie ‘s pass late in the third quarter and ran up the left sideline untouched to put Tennessee ahead to stay.

“They executed better than we did at parts of that game than we did,” Munchak said. “We eventually made enough plays to win the game.”

The Titans had dominated the stats a week ago only to lose to St. Louis on a last-second field goal. This time, Campbell came up with the interception, though he didn’t know how to celebrate.

“I knew I had to do something,” Campbell said. “It was all just fun and games. I was just hyped. I probably smacked 50 people in the end zone.’

Chicago protected its quarterbacks well, allowing a lone sack when Hanie was taken down inside the final minute in a mark of improvement for the team that reached the NFC championship game last season.

Bears coach Lovie Smith called the game an improvement over Monday night’s 41-13 loss to the New York Giants . He liked how the offense moved the ball but not the turnovers or the inability to finish drives.

“It’s one thing to get yards, but they don’t determine the winner based on yards,” Smith said. “It’s about points and we have to get points.”

Chicago’s Jay Cutler played one series into the third quarter and was 13 of 21 for 170 yards with his one interception coming on the opening drive. Matt Forte ran 17 times for 74 yards and a touchdown, but Marion Barber hurt his calf early and did not return. Tight end Desmond Clark was carted off the field in the fourth quarter with a knee injury after being hit by Anthony Smith .

The Titans played with receiver Kenny Britt scratched for a third straight game as he recovers from a sore right hamstring, and Chris Johnson still holding out for a new contract. His backup, Javon Ringer , missed his second consecutive game because of a sore hip, and those absences really showed in the offense this time.

Munchak even was booed for the first time when he chose to punt facing fourth-and-1 at his own 34 in the third quarter and trailing 14-10.

“We just weren’t playing smart, making some bad decisions,” Munchak said.

Matt Hasselbeck had been nearly perfect since signing with Tennessee, completing 12 of his first 15 passes over the first two exhibitions. Against the Bears, he was 12 of 22 for 134 yards as he played one series into the third quarter as well. Hasselbeck was the victim of a couple drops, but he completed 5 of 6 passes in driving the Titans 80 yards at the end of the first half.

Hasselbeck said he’s never really had Britt or Johnson so far.

“So I don’t know how to miss them. I just think we weren’t real crisp. We didn’t’ play tonight like we practiced,” Hasselbeck said.

Rookie Jamie Harper got his second straight start and scored his third TD this preseason on a 9-yard run to cap the drive.

It was Cutler’s first game as a pro in the city where he was the Southeastern Conference player of the year in 2005 playing for Vanderbilt.

“Well, we got better again,” Cutler said. “We left some points out there, you hate to see that but our offensive line played better, the receivers played better and Matt ran the ball. So, we’re getting there. We’re not quite ready for the opener but we’re getting there.”

Tennessee had a chance to turn safety Michael Griffin ‘s pick of Cutler’s tipped pass into points but had to settle for a 51-yard field-goal attempt that Rob Bironas pushed wide right.

The Bears came right back. Cutler drove them down the field over 12 plays with Forte scoring from 3 yards out for a 7-0 lead. Robbie Gould also kicked a 45-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead but clanked a 29-yarder off the left upright in the second quarter.

The Bears kept moving the ball easily against a Titans defense that had allowed only 20 points combined through the first two exhibitions. Tennessee has a new coordinator in Jerry Gray with a unit revamped to put more size on the field. Forte ripped through the Titans almost at will.

The Titans (2-1) had trouble stopping Chicago (1-2) as the Bears outgained Tennessee 416-220, but came up with two interceptions.

Campbell, the cornerback from Division II California (Pa.), picked off Caleb Hanie’s pass late in the third quarter and ran up the left sideline untouched to put Tennessee ahead to stay.

“They executed better than we did at parts of that game than we did,” Munchak said. “We eventually made enough plays to win the game.”

The Titans had dominated the stats a week ago only to lose to St. Louis on a last-second field goal. This time, Campbell came up with the interception, though he didn’t know how to celebrate.

“I knew I had to do something,” Campbell said. “It was all just fun and games. I was just hyped. I probably smacked 50 people in the end zone.’

Chicago protected its quarterbacks well, allowing a lone sack when Hanie was taken down inside the final minute in a mark of improvement for the team that reached the NFC championship game last season.

Bears coach Lovie Smith called the game an improvement over Monday night’s 41-13 loss to the New York Giants. He liked how the offense moved the ball but not the turnovers or the inability to finish drives.

“It’s one thing to get yards, but they don’t determine the winner based on yards,” Smith said. “It’s about points and we have to get points.”

Chicago’s Jay Cutler played one series into the third quarter and was 13 of 21 for 170 yards with his one interception coming on the opening drive. Matt Forte ran 17 times for 74 yards and a touchdown, but Marion Barber hurt his calf early and did not return. Tight end Desmond Clark was carted off the field in the fourth quarter with a knee injury after being hit by Anthony Smith.

The Titans played with receiver Kenny Britt scratched for a third straight game as he recovers from a sore right hamstring, and Chris Johnson still holding out for a new contract. His backup, Javon Ringer, missed his second consecutive game because of a sore hip, and those absences really showed in the offense this time.

Munchak even was booed for the first time when he chose to punt facing fourth-and-1 at his own 34 in the third quarter and trailing 14-10.

“We just weren’t playing smart, making some bad decisions,” Munchak said.

Matt Hasselbeck had been nearly perfect since signing with Tennessee, completing 12 of his first 15 passes over the first two exhibitions. Against the Bears, he was 12 of 22 for 134 yards as he played one series into the third quarter as well. Hasselbeck was the victim of a couple drops, but he completed 5 of 6 passes in driving the Titans 80 yards at the end of the first half.

Hasselbeck said he’s never really had Britt or Johnson so far.

“So I don’t know how to miss them. I just think we weren’t real crisp. We didn’t’ play tonight like we practiced,” Hasselbeck said.

Rookie Jamie Harper got his second straight start and scored his third TD this preseason on a 9-yard run to cap the drive.

It was Cutler’s first game as a pro in the city where he was the Southeastern Conference player of the year in 2005 playing for Vanderbilt.

“Well, we got better again,” Cutler said. “We left some points out there, you hate to see that but our offensive line played better, the receivers played better and Matt ran the ball. So, we’re getting there. We’re not quite ready for the opener but we’re getting there.”

Tennessee had a chance to turn safety Michael Griffin’s pick of Cutler’s tipped pass into points but had to settle for a 51-yard field-goal attempt that Rob Bironas pushed wide right.

The Bears came right back. Cutler drove them down the field over 12 plays with Forte scoring from 3 yards out for a 7-0 lead. Robbie Gould also kicked a 45-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead but clanked a 29-yarder off the left upright in the second quarter.

The Bears kept moving the ball easily against a Titans defense that had allowed only 20 points combined through the first two exhibitions. Tennessee has a new coordinator in Jerry Gray with a unit revamped to put more size on the field. Forte ripped through the Titans almost at will.

Notes: Titans rookie P Chad Cunningham may have had the play of the night. His punt in the fourth quarter was blocked, and he picked it up off the bounce and ran for a first down. … The Bears scratched LB Lance Briggs, WR Sam Hurd and DT Anthony Adams while waiving as injured rookie CB Mike Holmes before the game.

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