NASHVILLE — Jerry Gray finally is about to install his own defensive schemes with the Tennessee Titans.

Thanks to the NFL lockout last year, Gray had no offseason as the new defensive coordinator to make changes. So Gray said Thursday he just trimmed the fat out of what the Titans had used the year before and managed to squeeze out a unit that ranked eighth in the league in fewest points allowed.

Now he’s making sure to tailor his scheme to new players like end Kamerion Wimbley and returning players like linebacker Akeem Ayers. He also has plenty of competition to replace Cortland Finnegan at cornerback.

What exactly does he have in store? Gray’s not saying, though getting to the quarterback is a priority after a measly 28 sacks in 2011.

“We know we got things to work on,” Ayers said. “We know we didn’t do our best job at getting to the quarterback and everybody knows that. The guy, the d-linemen, linebackers who rush the quarterback we know that we’ve got to do better at that. So that’s just motivation to work harder this offseason.”

Gray and a few Titans spoke Thursday after their latest session in the offseason program. Nobody has seen just what Gray has in store for them yet because they are all working on their individual technique and conditioning still. The team’s first organized team session is the last week of May.

“Last year throughout the season certain things he would say that we couldn’t run just yet,” cornerback Jason McCourty said. “We had to get an offseason to really teach it so we can master it before we go out on Sundays and get a chance to run it. So I’m excited about that, just to see the different nuances he’s going to add to the defense and let guys use their athletic ability and make plays.”

Gray plans to add a lot, using some schemes he used in Buffalo and in Washington.

“So we’re kind of tailoring this defense to the players we have, not to what we had, which was under the gun, last year,” Gray said.

The Titans’ biggest offseason addition came with the signing of Wimbley. The 6-foot-4 Wimbley will play end for the Titans, and he has 42.5 career sacks. Gray compares Wimbley to Chris Clemons, who came to Seattle a couple years ago and had 12.5 sacks in helping the Seahawks just miss the NFC championship game.

They also expect Wimbley to help end Derrick Morgan, the 16th pick overall in 2010 who was busy recovering from a torn ACL this time last year.

“And Wimbley, your job is to get Morgan to get that double-team off for you, to get that chip off for you because if you don’t, they’ll chip him the whole year,” Gray said. “That’s what you do with a good football team. You can’t just think, ‘I’m going to be the best player and not help someone else get better.’”

Coach Mike Munchak also hired Keith Millard, the 1989 Defensive Player of the Year, as a pass rush specialist this offseason, and he’s been busy working with Ayers. The linebacker had plenty of big plays in college at UCLA, but he had only two sacks and seven quarterback pressures despite starting all 16 games as a rookie.

Ayers said Millard has been working on technique with him while studying the likes of Mario Williams and Dwight Freeney for tips on how to adjust his angle of attack, rush off the snap and using his hands better.

“I was doing a lot of things completely wrong,” Ayers said.

The Titans used five of their seven draft picks on defense, and Ayers said he likes the speed of fellow linebacker Zach Brown, the second-round pick out of North Carolina. The Titans also added tackle Mike Martin of Michigan and end Scott Solomon of Rice.

McCourty now finds himself as the veteran in the cornerback group with Finnegan now playing in St. Louis. Alterraun Verner, who has started 15 games in his first two seasons, leads the group vying to fill that open job. That pack includes Tommie Campbell, a seventh-round pick out of Division II California (Pa.), Ryan Mouton coming off a torn Achilles tendon, Chris Hawkins and fourth-round pick Coty Sensabaugh.

Gray called the 6-3 Campbell their second-best technique cornerback as of now who is busy working hard daily to improve. McCourty said the sky is the limit for Campbell.

“Tommie has attributes you just can’t teach,” McCourty said. “A guy like him at corner being able to press with his arm length and as far as he is, it’s going to be a sight to see when he gets out there.”

That’s just part of what Gray is waiting to see.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Matt Hasselbeck says he understands why the Tennessee Titans tried to sign Peyton Manning. The veteran quarterback plans to move on and take care of what he controls.

That includes building off his first season in Tennessee.

Hasselbeck made his first public comments since Manning chose Denver on a conference call Thursday from the NFL Players Association’s annual meeting.

Hasselbeck says any owner on any team can pursue a player in free agency and that he has a ton of respect for Manning as a quarterback.

Hasselbeck says he went through a similar change himself a year ago when Seattle moved on without him. The quarterback says he still would choose Tennessee and is excited he gets a chance to finish what the Titans have started.

AFC EAST
New England Patriots
	   Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
	   Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
New York Jets
	   Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
	   Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
Miami Dolphins
	   Home: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Oakland Raiders, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
	   Away: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
Buffalo Bills
	   Home: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
	   Away: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens
	   Home: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
	   Away: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Houston Texans, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
Pittsburgh Steelers
	   Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
	   Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
Cincinnati Bengals
	   Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
	   Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
Cleveland Browns
	   Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
	   Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans
	   Home: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
	   Away: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
Tennessee Titans
	   Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
	   Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, San Diego Chargers, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
Jacksonville Jaguars
	   Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
	   Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
Indianapolis Colts
	   Home: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
	   Away: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos
	   Home: Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	   Away: Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
San Diego Chargers
	   Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
	   Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Oakland Raiders
	   Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	   Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
Kansas City Chiefs
	   Home: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
	   Away: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	   -- -- -- =
NFC EAST
New York Giants
	   Home: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
	   Away: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
Philadelphia Eagles
	   Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
	   Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
Dallas Cowboys
	   Home: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
	   Away: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
Washington Redskins
	   Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
	   Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, St. Louis Rams, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
NFC NORTH
Green Bay Packers
	   Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
	   Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, New York Giants, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
Detroit Lions
	   Home: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
	   Away: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
Chicago Bears
	   Home: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
	   Away: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
Minnesota Vikings
	   Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
	   Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Washington Redskins, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
NFC SOUTH
New Orleans Saints
	   Home: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers
	   Away: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Green Bay Packers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders
Atlanta Falcons
	   Home: Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders
	   Away: Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers
Carolina Panthers
	   Home: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders
	   Away: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	   Home: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, St. Louis Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers
	   Away: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders
NFC WEST
San Francisco 49ers
	   Home: Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, New York Giants, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
	   Away: Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, New York Jets
Arizona Cardinals
	   Home: St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
	   Away: St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, New York Jets
Seattle Seahawks
	   Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, New York Jets
	   Away: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
St. Louis Rams
	   Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins, New England Patriots, New York Jets
	   Away: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins

The New Orleans Saints’ last three games have been high profile victories over the Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants and Detroit Lions. But this week’s road game against the Tennessee Titans has quietly turned into an equally tough test.

For one thing, the Saints have struggled on the road this year, posting a 3-3 record, and this will be their first road game in four weeks. For another, the Titans (7-5) have won three of their last four games, with dangerous tailback Chris Johnson finally getting hot over the last few weeks. And Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck certainly won’t be intimidated by the Saints defense after he picked them apart during last season’s playoffs as the quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks.

“It’s a combination of all those things,” Saints linebacker Scott Shanle said when asked which threat looms largest. “I think playing the last two games the way we’ve played, at home, in the environment, having our fans behind us, and now you’ve got to leave that atmosphere and go play on the road against a good team, against a really good running back, and they’ve been playing solid defense as well. So that’s just the challenge of getting away from home, where it’s felt comfortable, we’ve been playing well. Now we have to go back and see if we can do it away from home.”

Safety Malcolm Jenkins agreed that all of those factors will keep the Saints’ attention this week.

“Hasselbeck, we all know what he’s capable of, especially from last year. Chris Johnson is coming on real hot lately. And that team has been playing well in the last couple of weeks,” Jenkins said. “They’re a hot team and going into their house playing on the road, especially after the last four games have been emotional games, some real intense games. It will be a challenge for us to continue with that intensity, continue with that same focus to go on the road and try to get a win.”

Two of the Saints losses this season were outdoor games – at Tampa Bay and at Green Bay. But Jenkins said he’s not worried about this team coming out flat again this season.

“I think we’ll do a good job,” Jenkins said. “I know from the leadership on this team and from the coaches, we’ll do a good job of getting guys emotionally ready for this game. It’s too late in the season to really have one of those lulls as far as what we’re trying to accomplish and our focus. I think we know what’s on the line, we know what’s at stake, and we’ll continue to show up.”

TAMPA — There are no games in the NFL designated as Homecoming Games but Sunday’s game between the Tampa Bay Bucs and the Tennessee Titans will be like one.

Tampa Bay running back LeGarrette Blount and defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth will return to Nashville for the first time since leaving the Titans.

Tennessee also has a bit of a Tampa Bay connection with starting linebacker Barrett Ruud but his status for Sunday is uncertain because of a groin injury.

For Blount and Haynesworth, both got their start in Tennessee but are happy to be in Tampa Bay.

For Haynesworth, Tennessee was where he became a star.

A first-round pick by the Titans in 2002, Haynesworth stayed in Tennessee for seven seasons. He registered 454 tackles and 24 sacks during that span, including 144 tackles and 14.5 sacks his final two seasons with the Titans.

After spending two seasons with the Washington Redskins and half a season with the New England Patriots, Haynesworth is returning to Tennessee playing the best he has since he left the Titans.

Since coming to Tampa Bay, he has nine tackles and two quarterback pressures in two games.

“The things he’s doing for us, he does well,” said coach Raheem Morris. “We’ve got to get a better plan for him in some of our rush things and we will.”

The Titans picked up Blount as an undrafted free agent in 2010. With Chris Johnson the team’s main threat, the team was going to try to sneak Blount on the practice squad.

The Bucs, however, claimed the 6-foot, 247-pound Blount and the rest is history.

“I’m happy everything worked out the way it did,” said Blount, who rushed for 1,007 yards to lead all rookie running backs last year. “Fortunately, I came here and became the premiere starting running back so everything worked out for the best.”

If the Titans had forgotten about Blount, his 107-yard performance on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers would have raised a few eyebrows. If that didn’t, his 54-yard touchdown run in that contest grabbed their attention.

The run started simple enough. He took the handoff from quarterback Josh Freeman and headed toward the line of scrimmage.

That’s where the simple part ended.

Blount broke through a tackle at the line of scrimmage, bounced off a couple more Green Bay defenders, broke through some feeble attempts at his legs, and then fought off another would-be tackler for the score.

“Just 10 times on SportsCenter this week,” responded Tennessee quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, when asked if he saw Blount’s run. “There’s been a lot of talk with the fact that he was here. It’s been all positive.

“He’s doing a great job,” he said. “We saw him last year when Seattle played him. He made the highlight film also hurdling one of our guys※.You’re always looking for a guy to be a difference-maker or dominator in any area of the game but the running game is really important.”

That is why Blount is pleased at how things worked out.

“I was just excited I was going to get a chance to play,” he said. “I did everything I could to showcase my skills around the league in case I didn’t stay with Tennessee. Fortunately, I landed here and things have been going good for me.”

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 confident Cincinnati Bengals keep building momentum with every win. The Tennessee Titans have been so up and down with Chris Johnson and their running game that they’re just trying to find their way forward.

Something will give Sunday.

The Bengals (5-2) can win a fifth straight game for their longest streak since 1988 when they went to their second Super Bowl with coach Sam Wyche. This is the franchise that has been 6-2 only twice since then in 2005 and 2009, when they won the AFC North both times for their only two winning records in the past 20 years.

“We knew we were going to be a good team,” Cincinnati center Kyle Cook said. “If we could come together as a team and have good second halves and not make the same mistakes we had last year, we kind of knew we could be in this position or even better.”

Cincinnati is tied with Baltimore a half-game behind Pittsburgh in the AFC North thanks to winning four straight, including last week’s 34-12 victory at Seattle. But the Bengals beat teams in that streak currently with a combined 9-21 record, and the schedule only gets tougher after Sunday with games against Pittsburgh, at Baltimore, Cleveland, at Pittsburgh and Houston.

“We can’t be satisfied with where we are, and we know that,” said Bengals rookie quarterback Andy Dalton. “The last game we played wasn’t perfect. There’s a lot of room for improvement and a lot of room to get better. It’s about taking the mistakes that we made in the last game and getting better from it.”

The game also features the return of Adam “Pacman” Jones to Tennessee to play the team that drafted him sixth overall in 2005. But Jones hurt a hamstring returning a punt in Seattle, so he may only stand on the sideline.

The Titans (4-3) wrap up a three-game homestand and are coming off a 27-10 win over Indianapolis.

They also have a big win over Baltimore. Being outscored 79-24 in consecutive losses before beating the Colts has them still tweaking their defense against the run and looking to run for more than 68.9 yards per game – if only to stop all the questions about why Johnson can’t run anymore.

“The inconsistency is probably the part that we are most frustrated with, and we hope that part is behind us and that we come out and play a game,” Titans coach Mike Munchak said. “It’s going to be a big game for us. Last week, we thought was a huge game for us because we couldn’t afford to lose that game, and this one is even bigger because one to show that we can take the next step up now, and we can win a game against a team that is a very good football team.”

Running won’t be easy against Cincinnati. The Bengals rank second in the NFL, giving up 85.4 yards rushing per game. They also are allowing only 17.6 points per game, fourth-stingiest in the league.

“We know that, which makes it fun,” Munchak said. “It makes it exciting, and we will be ready for the challenge. We will see on Sunday how we do and we are looking forward to obviously, playing a lot better than we have.”

The Bengals have been winning even with a rookie quarterback passing to rookie top target A.J. Green. There’s also the running of Cedric Benson, who returns from his one-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan has been impressed with Dalton, who is completing 64.4 percent of his passes for 760 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions away from Cincinnati.

“He’s excellent at what he does. He gets the ball out fast,” Finnegan said. “He’s three-stepping, he can put the ball on a dime on the deep ball. A.J. Green’s dynamic. They’ve got a really good football team.”

Cincinnati is protecting Dalton well, too, allowing one sack in the past two games and 12 this season.

“I think a lot of people expect us to be a run-only type team with having a young quarterback and young receivers,” Cincinnati left tackle Andrew Whitworth said. “I think teams are doing a great job of crowding the box and making it tough to run the ball, but we can still do it and we just have to do it more effectively and more efficiently. But we’re on our way.”

The Bengals did give up a season-high 350 yards passing to Seattle, and Matt Hasselbeck is playing pretty well for Tennessee with an 89.2 passer rating. The Titans are 4-1 when Hasselbeck has a passer rating of 90 or higher, and he has thrown six TDs in his two previous games against Cincinnati.

“Matt has really solidified that position for them,” Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis said. “They’ve played very, very efficiently and well offensively in all of their wins.”

—

AP Sports Writer Joe Kay in Cincinnati contributed to this report.

—

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

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The confident Cincinnati Bengals keep building momentum with every win. The Tennessee Titans have been so up and down with Chris Johnson and their running game that they’re just trying to find their way forward.

Something will give Sunday.

The Bengals (5-2) can win a fifth straight game for their longest streak since 1988 when they went to their second Super Bowl with coach Sam Wyche. This is the franchise that has been 6-2 only twice since then in 2005 and 2009, when they won the AFC North both times for their only two winning records in the past 20 years.

“We knew we were going to be a good team,” Cincinnati centre Kyle Cook said. “If we could come together as a team and have good second halves and not make the same mistakes we had last year, we kind of knew we could be in this position or even better.”

Cincinnati is tied with Baltimore a half-game behind Pittsburgh in the AFC North thanks to winning four straight, including last week’s 34-12 victory at Seattle. But the Bengals beat teams in that streak currently with a combined 9-21 record, and the schedule only gets tougher after Sunday with games against Pittsburgh, at Baltimore, Cleveland, at Pittsburgh and Houston.

“We can’t be satisfied with where we are, and we know that,” said Bengals rookie quarterback Andy Dalton. “The last game we played wasn’t perfect. There’s a lot of room for improvement and a lot of room to get better. It’s about taking the mistakes that we made in the last game and getting better from it.”

The game also features the return of Adam “Pacman” Jones to Tennessee to play the team that drafted him sixth overall in 2005. But Jones hurt a hamstring returning a punt in Seattle, so he may only stand on the sideline.

The Titans (4-3) wrap up a three-game homestand and are coming off a 27-10 win over Indianapolis.

They also have a big win over Baltimore. Being outscored 79-24 in consecutive losses before beating the Colts has them still tweaking their defence against the run and looking to run for more than 68.9 yards per game — if only to stop all the questions about why Johnson can’t run anymore.

“The inconsistency is probably the part that we are most frustrated with, and we hope that part is behind us and that we come out and play a game,” Titans coach Mike Munchak said. “It’s going to be a big game for us. Last week, we thought was a huge game for us because we couldn’t afford to lose that game, and this one is even bigger because one to show that we can take the next step up now, and we can win a game against a team that is a very good football team.”

Running won’t be easy against Cincinnati. The Bengals rank second in the NFL, giving up 85.4 yards rushing per game. They also are allowing only 17.6 points per game, fourth-stingiest in the league.

“We know that, which makes it fun,” Munchak said. “It makes it exciting, and we will be ready for the challenge. We will see on Sunday how we do and we are looking forward to obviously, playing a lot better than we have.”

The Bengals have been winning even with a rookie quarterback passing to rookie top target A.J. Green. There’s also the running of Cedric Benson, who returns from his one-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan has been impressed with Dalton, who is completing 64.4 per cent of his passes for 760 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions away from Cincinnati.

“He’s excellent at what he does. He gets the ball out fast,” Finnegan said. “He’s three-stepping, he can put the ball on a dime on the deep ball. A.J. Green’s dynamic. They’ve got a really good football team.”

Cincinnati is protecting Dalton well, too, allowing one sack in the past two games and 12 this season.

“I think a lot of people expect us to be a run-only type team with having a young quarterback and young receivers,” Cincinnati left tackle Andrew Whitworth said. “I think teams are doing a great job of crowding the box and making it tough to run the ball, but we can still do it and we just have to do it more effectively and more efficiently. But we’re on our way.”

The Bengals did give up a season-high 350 yards passing to Seattle, and Matt Hasselbeck is playing pretty well for Tennessee with an 89.2 passer rating. The Titans are 4-1 when Hasselbeck has a passer rating of 90 or higher, and he has thrown six TDs in his two previous games against Cincinnati.

“Matt has really solidified that position for them,” Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis said. “They’ve played very, very efficiently and well offensively in all of their wins.”

___

AP Sports Writer Joe Kay in Cincinnati contributed to this report.

___

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

By TERESA M. WALKER,

Associated Press

Updated 10:14 PM Thursday, November 3, 2011

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The confident Cincinnati Bengals keep building momentum with every win. The Tennessee Titans have been so up and down with Chris Johnson and their running game that they’re just trying to find their way forward.

Something will give Sunday.

The Bengals (5-2) can win a fifth straight game for their longest streak since 1988 when they went to their second Super Bowl with coach Sam Wyche. This is the franchise that has been 6-2 only twice since then in 2005 and 2009, when they won the AFC North both times for their only two winning records in the past 20 years.

“We knew we were going to be a good team,” Cincinnati center Kyle Cook said. “If we could come together as a team and have good second halves and not make the same mistakes we had last year, we kind of knew we could be in this position or even better.”

Cincinnati is tied with Baltimore a half-game behind Pittsburgh in the AFC North thanks to winning four straight, including last week’s 34-12 victory at Seattle. But the Bengals beat teams in that streak currently with a combined 9-21 record, and the schedule only gets tougher after Sunday with games against Pittsburgh, at Baltimore, Cleveland, at Pittsburgh and Houston.

“We can’t be satisfied with where we are, and we know that,” said Bengals rookie quarterback Andy Dalton. “The last game we played wasn’t perfect. There’s a lot of room for improvement and a lot of room to get better. It’s about taking the mistakes that we made in the last game and getting better from it.”

The game also features the return of Adam “Pacman” Jones to Tennessee to play the team that drafted him sixth overall in 2005. But Jones hurt a hamstring returning a punt in Seattle, so he may only stand on the sideline.

The Titans (4-3) wrap up a three-game homestand and are coming off a 27-10 win over Indianapolis.

They also have a big win over Baltimore. Being outscored 79-24 in consecutive losses before beating the Colts has them still tweaking their defense against the run and looking to run for more than 68.9 yards per game — if only to stop all the questions about why Johnson can’t run anymore.

“The inconsistency is probably the part that we are most frustrated with, and we hope that part is behind us and that we come out and play a game,” Titans coach Mike Munchak said. “It’s going to be a big game for us. Last week, we thought was a huge game for us because we couldn’t afford to lose that game, and this one is even bigger because one to show that we can take the next step up now, and we can win a game against a team that is a very good football team.”

Running won’t be easy against Cincinnati. The Bengals rank second in the NFL, giving up 85.4 yards rushing per game. They also are allowing only 17.6 points per game, fourth-stingiest in the league.

“We know that, which makes it fun,” Munchak said. “It makes it exciting, and we will be ready for the challenge. We will see on Sunday how we do and we are looking forward to obviously, playing a lot better than we have.”

The Bengals have been winning even with a rookie quarterback passing to rookie top target A.J. Green. There’s also the running of Cedric Benson, who returns from his one-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan has been impressed with Dalton, who is completing 64.4 percent of his passes for 760 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions away from Cincinnati.

“He’s excellent at what he does. He gets the ball out fast,” Finnegan said. “He’s three-stepping, he can put the ball on a dime on the deep ball. A.J. Green’s dynamic. They’ve got a really good football team.”

Cincinnati is protecting Dalton well, too, allowing one sack in the past two games and 12 this season.

“I think a lot of people expect us to be a run-only type team with having a young quarterback and young receivers,” Cincinnati left tackle Andrew Whitworth said. “I think teams are doing a great job of crowding the box and making it tough to run the ball, but we can still do it and we just have to do it more effectively and more efficiently. But we’re on our way.”

The Bengals did give up a season-high 350 yards passing to Seattle, and Matt Hasselbeck is playing pretty well for Tennessee with an 89.2 passer rating. The Titans are 4-1 when Hasselbeck has a passer rating of 90 or higher, and he has thrown six TDs in his two previous games against Cincinnati.

“Matt has really solidified that position for them,” Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis said. “They’ve played very, very efficiently and well offensively in all of their wins.”

•u2002——

Associated Press Joe Kay in Cincinnati contributed to this report.

•u2002——

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

The Tennessee Titans could miss out on an opportunity to play a former Titans player for the second consecutive week when they play the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9 of the 2011-12 NFL season on November 6, 2011. The Indianapolis Colts placed Kerry Collins(notes) on injured reserve before the Titans pulled off a 27-10 victory against them on October 30.

Adam Jones(notes), formerly known as “Pacman Jones,” hadn’t played professional football since he suffered a neck injury in Week 6 of the 2010-11 season. Jones was placed on the physically-unable-to-perform list (PUP) for the first six weeks of this season.

Jones made his return in the Bengals’ game against the Seattle Seahawks on October 30. Unfortunately, Jones wouldn’t make it out of the first quarter. Jones tweaked a hamstring after a 63-yard punt return. He wouldn’t return and is now questionable for Week 9. Marvin Lewis does believe that he’ll be available.

The Bengals have basically earned their 5-2 record with Jones playing less than 15 minutes this season. They shouldn’t suffer too much if Jones was sidelined for any amount of games. The Bengals’ defense is ranked in the top nine against the run and pass. While Jones is a valuable return specialist, Brandon Tate(notes) proved his worth (or Seattle’s ineptness) with a 56-yard punt return that gave the Bengals a 27-12 lead. They eventually won 34-12.

But one can bet that Jones would be eager to face the team that drafted him in 2005. Jones scored five touchdowns as a member of the Titans. However, the Titans traded the oft-troubled defensive back to the Dallas Cowboys after persistent legal troubles would eventually sicken the front office and Middle Tennesseans.

How bad were Jones’ legal issues? The Cowboys didn’t want him. The Bengals would eventually give him what should be his final opportunity in the NFL unless he straightens out and can remain healthy. Jones had agreed to a two-year deal with the Bengals in May of 2010.

I was rather disappointed that Collins wasn’t available. I’d also be disappointed if Jones doesn’t play. This would be the first time that he’s faced the Titans. Living just outside of Nashville, I’m not sure there was anything more annoying than hearing about this guy getting into trouble like every month. I was ecstatic when he was banned for the entire 2007 season.

Maybe Jones can pay back the favor and not push any of the Titans’ receivers out-of-bounds when they’re running up the sideline.

More from Yahoo! Contributor Network

Tennessee Titans’ Chris Johnson Won’t Accept Blame for NFL’s Worst-ranked Run Offense: Local Fan’s Take

Dan Marino, Not Peyton Manning, Should Be NFL’s 2011-12 MVP: Packer Fan’s Take

Tennessee Titans’ Mike Munchak Doesn’t Think Personnel Changes Are Needed: Local Fan’s Take

Former Tennessee Titans’ Kerry Collins Placed on Injured Reserve: Local Fan’s Take

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It was difficult, as a fan of the Tennessee Titans, to narrow down the five greatest moments in team history. If you combine the histories of the Titans and their parent, the Houston Oilers, you would span over 50 years, back to 1960. Since I did not follow the Oilers before the move to Tennessee, I will limit my selections to after the transition to Tennessee. This is not out of disrespect for the Oiler history, but rather I don’t think I can do proper service to it having not actually witnessed those moments.

Football History
sxc.hu/supercolor

#5) Rob Bironas kicks eight field goals in one game

On October 21, 2007, Rob Bironas(notes) kicked an NFL-record eight field goals, including a game-winning 29-yarder, as the Titans defeat the Houston Texans 38-36 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, TX.

#4) Chris Johnson rushes for 2,006 yards in a single season

With a 134-yard rushing performance in the season finale at Seattle January 3, 2010, running back Chris Johnson becomes the sixth player in NFL history to reach 2,000 rushing yards in a season. Totaling 2,006 yards on 358 carries, he joined Eric Dickerson, Jamal Lewis(notes), Barry Sanders, Terrell Davis and O.J. Simpson as the only players to accomplish the feat.

#3) Joe Nedney Kicker-gate

On January 11, 2003, place kicker Joe Nedney(notes) missed a potential game-winning FG in overtime against the Pittsburg Steelers in the AFC Divisional Playoffs. Pittsburg was called for roughing the kicker thanks to a great acting job by Nedney. Thankfully the ref bought it and he then hit the next kick for the win, 34-31, to advance in the playoffs. The Steeler-nation erupted in anguish but hey, those are the breaks.

#2) The Longest Yard Super Bowl XXXIV

The Titans learned the importance of every yard on January 30, 2000 when Kevin Dyson fell one yard shy of tying the game and forcing an overtime shootout against the St. Louis Rams in their quest for the championship, 23-16. It is a play which still brings a tear to eye for Titans fans and that Super Bowl is still considered as one of the most exciting in history.

#1) Owning the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1999-2000 season

The Jacksonville Jaguars record in the ’99-’00 season was 13-3. Who was the one team they lost to that year three times in a row? The Tennessee Titans. This season holds a special place in my heart just because I know it make Jaguars fans so mad. They still foam at the mouth at its mention. That was to be the Year of Destiny for the Jaguars. They had their ticket punched for the Super Bowl. Too bad they had to play they Titans that year, twice during the season and once again in the AFC Championship game.

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LOS ANGELES – Tennessee Titans [team stats] quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has spent much more of his NFL career under the radar than under the microscope.

In many ways he has enjoyed that, going from Seattle to Nashville and joking that sometimes feels like being enrolled in the witness protection program. But with the way Hasselbeck is playing, he can’t hide much longer.

Through the first four games, he’s looked like the smartest free-agent acquisition of the season. His Titans are 3-1 heading into Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh, and he’s second in the AFC to New England’s Tom Brady [stats] with a 104.7 passer rating. Hasselbeck has eight touchdowns, three interceptions, and has been sacked just four times.

“I’m not trying to do anything crazy, I’m just being myself,” he said in a phone interview this week. “When Coach (Mike) Munchak brought me here, he was like, ’Listen, we don’t need you to try to do anything that you’ve never done. We need you to be what you’ve been in Seattle the last 10 years. We’ve got all the other pieces.’

“There are signs around the building that just say, ’Be a pro.’ That’s all they’re looking for. I’m down with that.”

And the Titans are decidedly up. They’re coming off consecutive victories over Baltimore, Denver and Cleveland and now look to be getting star running back Chris Johnson going – he had his first 100-yard game of the season last Sunday – although they have lost top receiver Kenny Britt to a knee injury.

From the perspective of the 36-year-old Hasselbeck, everything starts with the Tennessee offensive line, which for 16 years was coached by Munchak, a Hall of Fame lineman. The line is now coached by Bruce Matthews, also among the elite linemen in Canton, and assistant Al Valero, who was with Hasselbeck in Seattle last season.

Over the past four seasons in Seattle, Hasselbeck was sacked 113 times and missed 13 games because of various injuries. The Seahawks made a lot of changes along their offensive line during that span, including using No. 1 picks on tackles the past two years. This is one quarterback who understands the value of a cohesive unit up front, and he knows his head coach feels the same way.

“This guy gets it,” Hasselbeck said of Munchak. “He gets that you can have whoever you want at wide receiver, but if you don’t have a good offensive line that’s been together, if you don’t start there, then so what?”

It doesn’t hurt Hasselbeck’s cause that Tennessee’s defense has allowed a league-low 14.0 points per game.

“Coming to Tennessee was a fantastic move for him,” NBC’s Cris Collinsworth said of Hasselbeck. “In the middle of that Ravens game, I started seeing some of the flair and the fun and the sidearm throws that have always been his trademark as a quarterback, and I was like, ’Uh oh.’ If you have this guy and he’s healthy and he’s getting protected, and Chris Johnson when he gets back up to speed … they’re going to be something.”

Hasselbeck concedes it wasn’t easy to leave Seattle – he liked playing for Coach Pete Carroll – but said the Seahawks made it clear they planned to move on without him.

“They were super honest with me when the lockout ended,” Hasselbeck said. “They called me and said, ’Hey, listen, there’s no easy way to say this: We’re going to go in a different direction.’ It was basically, we’re breaking up with you. … It’s never easy to hear that, but I appreciated the honesty. I didn’t have to read it on the ticker.”

His assumption was he’d stay in the NFC West, maybe landing in either Arizona or San Francisco. Instead, it was Tennessee that pursued him most aggressively, saying he would be more than a short-term bridge to rookie quarterback Jake Locker; someone who could start multiple seasons.

“We thought he had a lot left in the tank from watching him in the playoffs last year,” Munchak said. “We didn’t bring him in here to retire quietly. We brought him here to do exactly what he’s been doing.”

The Tennessee Titans are starting to look pretty prescient for that big
contract they handed out this summer. Just not the one they gave to Chris
Johnson.

Matt Hasselbeck(notes) looks to duplicate a breakout performance with his new team
- hopefully with a little more help from his running game – as the Titans host
the injury-ravaged Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Throughout August, a contract extension for the holdout Johnson dominated
storylines coming out of Titans camp, overshadowing a move that perhaps was even
more critical for Tennessee’s short-term success: a new quarterback.

Having let Vince Young(notes) and Kerry Collins(notes) walk away following a season in
which it ranked 25th in passing yardage, the club signed Hasselbeck to a
three-year, $21 million deal immediately after the lockout. The longtime Seattle
signal-caller has quickly responded by adding some punch to the Titans’ usually
run-first attack.

He ranks sixth in the league with 621 passing yards after throwing for 358
in last Sunday’s 26-13 win over Baltimore.

“We knew that he could come in and be a leader, and if anyone could get
caught up on what we are doing in a short amount of time, it would be a guy like
him,” said coach Mike Munchak, who notched his first NFL victory. “Now two games
in, (we’re) just excited to see where he’s at. The guy finds windows to deliver
balls.”

Success has not come as easy on the ground, even if Munchak’s club is armed
with a $56 million running back. Johnson got only nine carries in a Week 1 loss
to Jacksonville as he worked his way back into game shape, but got a steady dose
of action last week – 24 carries – and was held to 53 yards.

Despite his struggles, the Titans (1-1) still dominated a rugged foe, and
Johnson was more than happy to let the game serve as a statement to future
opponents.

“A lot of teams come in thinking they can just load the box and if they stop
me, they can win. … It just showed we have other playmakers,” he said. “We
have other ways to beat you. Hopefully, they help out and let other teams around
the NFL know you just can’t stack the box and try to stop me and win.”

The Broncos (1-1) likely need the injuries to stop if they’re going to keep
winning.

Missing key starters Brandon Lloyd(notes), Champ Bailey(notes), Knowshon Moreno(notes), D.J.
Williams and Elvis Dumervil(notes), Denver clawed its way to a 24-22 win over
Cincinnati last Sunday. Things look more promising for Lloyd, Moreno, Williams
and Dumervil this week as they all returned to practice Wednesday.

Bailey’s status is still up in the air due to a balky hamstring. The All-Pro
cornerback’s absence could be particularly critical as the Denver secondary is
forced to deal with Kenny Britt(notes), who, along with Pittsburgh’s Mike Wallace(notes), has
the longest active streak in the league (five games) of 85 or more receiving
yards.

For that reason, the Broncos would do well to continue following the mantra
of linebacker Joe Mays(notes).

“The next man up is the best man up,” Mays said, “and whenever your number
is called you have to go out there and execute whatever the coach asks you to
do. Every single player on the team deserves to be here and you never know when
your number is called.”

The Broncos got standout performances from second-stringers Willis McGahee(notes)
(101 rushing yards) and Eric Decker(notes) (113 receiving) – one of just two wideouts
left standing by game’s end – but the team is eager to welcome back its leading
receiver, rusher, tackler and sack threat.

“I hope we don’t have to repeat yesterday’s depth chart,” Fox said Monday,
one day after the former Carolina coach got his 74th regular-season win and
first with Denver.

He’s looking forward to his matchup against the new Titans coach.

“I know Mike pretty well, I know a lot of guys on their staff,” Fox said.
“It’s a small fraternity of people and you kind of know their M.O. and they know
yours. It’s what makes the games fun.”

As Denver takes to the road for the first time this season, it will be
looking for the 400th win in franchise history.

One of them came in Nashville last Oct. 3, when Williams and company limited
Johnson to 53 yards on 19 carries en route to a 26-20 win. Conversely, Broncos
running backs were held to eight yards as Kyle Orton(notes) was forced to air it out
for 341 – 115 of them to Lloyd on a career-high 11 receptions.

But those were two different teams under two different coaches. On Sunday, a
new era continues for both as each coach tries to build off his first win with
his current team.

“Hopefully, it helps build confidence in our players in a lot of different
areas,” Munchak said after his inaugural win against the Ravens. “… And kind
of carries over into next week and the rest of the season.”

With a stifling defensive effort, the Baltimore Ravens made a statement
during their opening-weekend victory.

The Tennessee Titans are trying not to panic after failing to move the ball
with much consistency in Week 1.

Baltimore tries to open 2-0 for the third time in four seasons while
Tennessee hopes to regroup during Mike Munchak’s home coaching debut Sunday.

The Ravens, who were ousted in the playoffs last season by Pittsburgh,
opened 2011 with a bang, routing the Steelers 35-7 last Sunday.

“This is just a start,” said receiver Anquan Boldin(notes), who had four catches
for 74 yards and a touchdown. “We wanted to come out and make a statement, but
we think we can only get better from here.”

Baltimore recorded three interceptions and recovered four fumbles in a
performance that resembled that of the defensive unit which led the team during
its 2000 Super Bowl run. The Ravens also had four sacks – three from Terrell
Suggs(notes), who with 71 1/2 surpassed Peter Boulware for the most in franchise
history.

“Seems like every year he hits double-digits in sacks,” Ravens defensive end
Cory Redding(notes) said. “Dudes really have to look out for him. Quarterbacks really
have to find him on the field. They have to account for this guy, because if
they don’t he’s going to put the quarterback on his back.”

Tennessee quarterback Matt Hasselbeck(notes) knows all too well of Suggs’ defensive
prowess. Hasselbeck was sacked eight times in two games against Baltimore while
with Seattle, including twice by Suggs during a 44-41 Ravens overtime victory
Nov. 23, 2003.

In his first game with Tennessee, Hasselbeck completed 21 of 34 passes for
263 yards with two touchdowns and an interception last Sunday. However, Chris
Johnson, who joined the team roughly two weeks ago following a holdout, rushed
for just 24 yards on nine carries as the Titans fell 16-14 at Jacksonville.

“Don’t over-panic,” Munchak told the Titans’ official website. “We have a
very good opponent coming in. You have to believe in everything that you’ve
done. You don’t throw everything away after one game because certain things
didn’t work out the way you wanted.

“The NFL is a tricky thing because one week it changes so much. Football can
get very humbling real fast. It’s a brand new opportunity. We’ve got 15 more of
these and we still have an opportunity to do something special.”

On what was a quiet offensive day for the Titans, Kenny Britt(notes) shined,
hauling in five passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns.

While Britt will have to worry about going up against seven-time Pro Bowl
safety Ed Reed(notes), who is coming off the 12th multi-interception game of his
career, Ravens rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith(notes) is expected to miss a few weeks
with a high ankle sprain.

Tennessee, which surrendered an average of 133.0 rushing yards en route to
losing nine of 10 to close last season, surrendered 323 total yards during its
opener – 163 on the ground.

The Titans’ inability to stop the run could mean another big day for Ray
Rice(notes), who ran for 107 yards and caught four passes for another 42 against the
Steelers, scoring twice. Joe Flacco(notes) also impressed, throwing for 224 yards and
three TDs.

While Johnson struggled in the opener, he has averaged an NFL-best 114.2
rushing yards over the previous two seasons at home.

“He is what they call their home-run hitter,” Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis(notes)
said. “He is their offense, he’s their heartbeat. And if you look at what they
did last weekend … you’ve got to know that he’s definitely going to touch the
football a lot this week. And we’re prepared for it.

“It should be a great test for us. But when you talk about just skill and
talent, he is a special, special talent.”

Tennessee and Baltimore have split 16 meetings, with the Titans taking the
last matchup 13-10 on Oct. 5, 2008.