CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Tennessee Titans’ strategy was simple — put on spy on Cam Newton and try to confuse him.

It worked to perfection.

Tennessee’s defense left the rookie shaking his head in disbelief after its 30-3 rout of the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

The Titans (5-4) sacked Newton five times, intercepted him once and took away Carolina’s downfield passing game. Carolina came in ranked fifth in the league on offense and first in plays of 20-plus yards, but the Titans limited Newton to 209 yards passing and held Steve Smith’s, the NFC’s leading receiver, to 33 yards.

Chris Johnson ran for a season-high 130 yards and scored a touchdown, most of his yards coming in the second half after the Tennessee defense had set the tone.

The Titans sacked Newton four times on first down and put the Panthers in several third-and-long situations.

“(Newton) holds the ball,” said defensive tackle Jurrell Casey. “If a quarterback is going to hold onto the ball like that, we’re going to get to him. We kept him in the pocket. He couldn’t do anything but sit there. Having the spy on him meant he couldn’t run, and our guys got to him.”

After the game, Newton still seemed confused over what the Titans did exactly to disrupt what had been a potent offense throughout the first half of the season. Newton said he couldn’t remember playing quarterback in a game in which his team didn’t score a touchdown.

“Never, ever, ever,” Newton said.

Newton’s longest completion was 19 yards, and the Panthers failed to pick up a first down on seven of their 13 possessions.

“This is embarrassing, man,” Newton repeated three times while shaking his head. “This is as poor of a performance as a team as I’ve ever seen. Poor performance by myself. There’s no pointing fingers without looking at yourself and asking yourself what you could have done better. I know I could have done a lot of things better. It’s a reality check, that’s what it is. “

The Panthers (2-7) came in averaging 415 yards and more than 23 points per game behind a big-play offense, but Tennessee’s defense completely took away their downfield passing game — and just about everything else.

At times Newton rolled out in the pocket and couldn’t find anyone to throw the ball to.

“The thing is, Cam has the ability to extend plays, then slingshot one down the field 50 or 60 yards,” said Titans safety Jonathan Babineaux. “We knew coming into the game they had some down-the-field threats, and we couldn’t let No. 1 get comfortable. We did a good job of harassing him and making sure he didn’t have time to get back on his feet and make accurate throws.”

The Titans finally got Johnson involved in the offense.

He came in with only 366 yards rushing, but had 174 yards from scrimmage and eclipsed 100 yards rushing for the first time since Oct. 2. Johnson had 104 yards rushing in the second half and scored his second touchdown of the season on a 1-yard run late in the fourth quarter.

Johnnson’s touchdown was set up by Matt Hasselbeck, who scampered 21 yards on a quarterback bootleg before getting knocked out of bounds at the Carolina 1 without much of an effort from the veteran to score.

As Johnson entered the media room, Hasselbeck walked out and yelled, “Fantasy points!”

“Matt told me I was on his fantasy team, and that he stepped out at the 1 to help me get in the end zone,” Johnson said with a laugh. “So everyone has to thank Matt and all the fantasy owners.”

Said Titans coach Mike Munchak: “We finally gave him carries. This was one of those games we have been waiting for.”

The Titans piled up 172 yards on the ground.

“We were on the same page as an offense, executing plays,” Johnson said. “Some of the plays we ran in the second half, we’d run in the first half and didn’t have a lot of success. There are those situations as an offensive line and as a running back to get more of those opportunities to run the same plays, and eventually, it will work out.”

The Panthers appeared to be sleepwalking early on after coming off a bye week.

After Carolina went three-and-out on its first possession, Marc Mariani returned Jason Baker’s punt 79 yards for a 7-0 lead. It was the third long punt return for a touchdown allowed by the Panthers this season and the 11th against Baker, the most of any active punter in the NFL.

Tennessee quickly made it 14-0 on its first possession when Damian Williams turned a short pass from Hasselbeck into a 43-yard scoring play after defensive backs Sherrod Martin and Darius Butler missed tackles. Williams finished with 107 yards receiving.

Hasselbeck was 15 of 27 for 219 yards with his only mistake, a third-quarter interception, leading to a Carolina field goal. Even then, the Tennessee defense held after the Panthers took over deep in Titans territory.

Five of Carolina’s eight first-half drives ended in three-and-outs and two others were halted by costly mistakes by tight end Greg Olsen.

Olsen fumbled in the red zone early on then dropped an easy 16-yard reception late in the first half that would have made for a short field goal attempt by Olindo Mare. Instead, Mare missed the ensuing 50-yard kick on the final play of the first half, and the Titans took a 17-0 lead into the locker room.

“We didn’t do anything right,” Olsen said. “There isn’t one thing that we can hang our hat on. It was just an overall pathetic effort by us.”

 

Published Sunday, October 23, 2011 12:18 AM

By TERESA M. WALKER
Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Texans and Tennessee Titans now have a new reason not to like each other.

The Titans, who left Houston in 1997, and the franchise that replaced the former Oilers have had an intense rivalry from the time the Texans started playing in the new AFC South back in 2002 with bragging rights on the line. With Peyton Manning still recovering from surgery, the Titans and Texans meet Sunday for the first time with the AFC South lead at stake.

“It always has a little something special, especially when it’s Houston,” Titans coach Mike Munchak said. “The fact that we are both sitting here with a chance to stay in first place makes it a lot more fun.”

The Titans (3-2) grabbed a half-game edge in the division resting through their bye week when Houston (3-3) lost its second straight game last week 29-14 to Baltimore. Texans linebacker Connor Barwin said there’s no hiding any secrets of what this game means.

“This is for the division right now. It’s a huge game, and we need to win a game, too,” Barwin said. “We can’t lose any more games, so no, I don’t think it’s a secret to anybody. I don’t think anybody around here thinks it’s not that important. I think we all understand what’s at stake.”

Tennessee at least has some experience as the only AFC South team other than Indianapolis to win this division with titles in 2002 and 2008.

The Texans still must prove they can reach the playoffs for the first time in their short history, and they’re busy regrouping from two consecutive losses combined while dealing with injuries. Andre Johnson likely will miss his third straight game with a hamstring injury, while Matt Schaub’s chest and right hip are sore. Fullback James Casey also could be out with his chest injury.

Schaub said the Texans remain confident they’ll get over the hump.

“If you aren’t confident in what you are doing, then you are not going to do it anyway,” Schaub said. “If you believe in yourself and your team that you are going to get it done, then you will. You just have to keep working at it, and good things will happen to you.”

Even without Johnson, the Texans still have Arian Foster, the NFL’s top rusher last season. Texans coach Gary Kubiak thinks Foster is coming around after a hamstring injury limited him early. Foster is a big reason Houston is averaging 126.2 yards rushing per game.

The Titans spent their bye week after a 38-17 loss at Pittsburgh studying their own run game. Chris Johnson has 250 yards rushing this season, and Tennessee is averaging 66.6 yards rushing, which is last in the NFL. Left tackle Michael Roos said they looked at every run play, which helped the Titans realize everyone has a share of the blame.

“It was on us as an offensive line at times different guys not doing their job and as a whole it is a whole offensive team thing,” Roos said. “Whether a tight end missed a block or Chris a bad read, but there were a lot of bad blocks by us. We weren’t playing up to par. We worked hard … to fix that.”

The Texans have seen enough of Johnson not to overlook him. Johnson ran for 130 yards in Nashville last December as the teams split the season series for a third straight year. Barwin said the Titans paid Johnson his $53 million extension for a reason.

“I’ve played him when he’s had nobody blocking for him, and he’s gone 80 yards,” Barwin said. “I remember my rookie year, he went 99 yards on a draw play, so the guy can make anybody look stupid and can take it all the way in a second, so I’m not really looking at three yards a carry right now.”

Houston will be playing its second game without linebacker Mario Williams, but the Texans are third in the NFL with 17 sacks. Tennessee has protected Matt Hasselbeck pretty well this season, and the veteran is ranked second in the AFC to Tom Brady with a 95.9 passer rating. Hasselbeck has been sacked seven times, and Munchak doesn’t want him taking a beating.

“When your quarterback is getting wacked and eventually it takes a toll on his throws and his confidence. They are doing a nice job up front …,” Munchak said.

The Titans also believe they learned a big lesson a year ago when they came off their bye and lost five straight games in finishing 6-10. Cornerback Cortland Finnegan said this is a different team with different circumstances starting a three-game homestand.

“We know we’re sort of in the driver’s seat if we can win at home against a really good football team,” Finnegan said.

——

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

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ALLEN PARK — When free agency opened up in 2010, Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz was waiting in Kyle Vanden Bosch’s driveway. As the former Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator, Schwartz knew the veteran was just the type of player he needed – a defensive end with a non-stop motor who would lead by example in the Detroit locker room.

The Lions have gotten everything they expected out of Vanden Bosch, who has four sacks and three forced fumbles in six games this season. Still, because of his consistent approach to the game, sometimes the coaching staff might not appreciate how much he brings to the table. Well, that will never happen again according to defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham.

“One thing I want to make clear this week, Kyle Vanden Bosch, I’m never going to take for granted,” Cunningham said.” I feel like lately I’ve been taking him for granted, but yesterday, sitting in a team defense meeting, I looked up and said, ‘You know, could we have done all this to turn the corner like we have without him?’ And every coach in the room said the same thing, ‘There’s no way Gun.’”

Cunningham doesn’t know why the Tennessee Titans ever let Vanden Bosch get away.

“Maybe Tennessee forgot that, maybe they took him for granted what’s he’s brought to us and brought along for these young players that are playing so hard,” Cunningham said.

Linebacker Stephen Tulloch, who also came to the Lions via free agency after the Titans failed to re-sign him, doesn’t understand why his former team doesn’t do more to retain their best players.

“Tennessee blew a lot,” Tulloch said. “I appreciate the opportunity I had there, but way they go about things is a little bit different. …Look across the board at Kyle Vanden Bosch, Jevon Kearse, Justin Hartwig, Jacob Bell, Antwan Odom – just a lot of guys that give so much to the organization. For an organization to let you walk and get somebody else that they’ve never seen before, only on film, it kind of rubs you the wrong.”

The Lions are more than happy to have both Tulloch and Vanden Bosch on their roster. Cunningham explained how the intensity is raised by guys like Vanden Bosch, even on the practice field.

“Yesterday, we practiced indoors and everything was going 100 miles per hour,” Cunningham said. “You have to stop the tape, it’s just unbelievable. If you watch those guys run, you go, ‘My God.’ I’ve been doing this a long time and I have to do a double-take. I can’t believe it.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Damian Williams is in his second NFL season with a new offensive co-ordinator and no off-season due to the lockout. He’s also the receiver who has the task of replacing Kenny Britt at wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans.

Nothing like a little pressure.

“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 co-ordinator 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 co-ordinator 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 defences 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 offence so he can help more in the offence.

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 practise Wednesday, but he ran on the side. LB Colin McCarthy (hamstring) also did not practise along with S Chris Hope (left forearm).

“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.

AP Photo/Amy Sancetta, File

FILE – This Oct. 2, 2011 file photo shows Tennessee Titans wide receiver Lavelle Hawkins (87) celebrating with wide receiver Damian Williams (17) after Williams caught a touchdown pass in the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, in Cleveland. Williams replaces Kenny Britt as a starting wide receiver.

Damian Williams is in his second NFL season with a new offensive coordinator and no offseason due to the lockout. He’s also the receiver who has the task of replacing Kenny Britt at wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans.
Nothing like a little pressure.
“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).

Points have been hard to come by this season when the
Tennessee Titans or Pittsburgh Steelers are lined up on the defensive side of
the ball, but the edge in this Week 5 showdown at Heinz Field could have
shifted to the visitors because of an injury to Steelers linebacker James
Harrison.

A left foot ailment to Ben Roethlisberger isn’t likely to help Pittsburgh’s
chances on Sunday either as it tries to prevent Tennessee and resurgent
quarterback Matt Hasselbeck from recording a fourth straight victory.

While the 3-1 Titans are tied with Houston atop the AFC South, the Steelers
are a game off the pace in the AFC North following a 17-10 defeat to the Texans
last weekend. Pittsburgh was looking for a third straight win after a humbling
28-point defeat to division-rival Baltimore in Week 1, but struggled on offense
and lost Harrison to an eye injury in the first half.

Though Harrison did play some in the second half, Steelers head coach Mike
Tomlin said on Tuesday that his star linebacker and former NFL Defensive Player
of the Year will be out for a few games because of a fractured orbital bone.

The news was better on Roethlisberger, who will likely be limited in practice
before playing on Sunday.

“[He] had his foot X-rayed, MRI’ed [and] thankfully nothing’s broken there,”
Tomlin stated. “It is a sprain and may limit him at the early portions [in
practice] of the week, but we do anticipate him being able to participate in
this football game. We’re going to let the week speak to us.”

Added Roethlisberger on Wednesday, “We will just take it day-by-day and kind
of see how it goes. If it’s just a pain tolerance thing, I’m going to be out
there. I can deal with pain, we just want to make sure that structurally it’s
sound and we give our team the best chance to win.”

The Steelers lost for only the third time in their last 11 regular-season road
games and are still in decent position after opening the season with three of
four games away from home. Pittsburgh recorded a 24-0 victory over Seattle on
Sept. 18 in its only other game at Heinz Field this season, and plays its next
two at home looking to make a run in the standings.

“We better have a sense of urgency,” said Tomlin. “I think anytime you are
coming off of a sub-standard performance when you lose, there needs to be a
sense of urgency in terms of how you bounce back. But we are not going to make
something out of this that it’s not. We understand that we are capable of
playing better. We expect to play better.”

Pittsburgh’s offense will need to improve as it faces the league’s top-scoring
defense in the Titans, who have not allowed more than 16 points in a game this
season. That has put Tennessee in position to win four in a row for the first
time since a five-game run from Nov. 1-29, 2009.

At 3-1, Tennessee is also off to its best start since beginning the 2008
campaign with 10 consecutive victories.

Hasselbeck has been key to the success. After joining the Titans this
offseason, the veteran has passed for 1,152 yards with eight touchdowns, the
best totals in both categories over a four-game start over his 13-year career.

He threw three first-half touchdown passes in last Sunday’s 31-13 victory over
Cleveland, finding three different receivers.

“He did a good job of reading the coverage and throwing to people that can
make plays,” Titans head coach Mike Munchak said of Hasselbeck. “He has been
doing that for all four weeks that he has played for us, so hopefully he can
continue to get better by working with the young receivers.”

Hasselbeck has struggled in the past against the Steelers, having thrown for
604 yards with two touchdowns, a pair of interceptions and taking 10 sacks in
three previous meetings.

The Titans snapped a six-game road slide dating back to last season with their
win at Cleveland and will open a three-game homestand after their Oct. 16 bye.

SERIES HISTORY

These one-time division rivals have faced one another 69 times previously
during the regular season, with Pittsburgh extending its lead in the series to
40-29 by virtue of a 19-11 win in Nashville during Week 2 of last season. The
Steelers also came through with a 13-10 overtime decision over Tennessee at
home in 2009 and have never lost to the Titans in three lifetime meetings at
Heinz Field. Tennessee’s last victory in Pittsburgh was a 23-20 triumph at
Three Rivers Stadium on Sept. 24, 2000, and the team last topped the Steelers
back in 2008, a 31-14 win at LP Field.

Pittsburgh also owns a 3-1 advantage over the Tennessee franchise in
postseason play. The Steelers defeated the Houston Oilers at home in both the
1978 and 1979 AFC Championship Games and were 26-23 overtime victors at the
Astrodome in a 1989 AFC First-Round Playoff. The Titans’ only positive result
in the playoff series was a 34-31 overtime verdict in a 2002 AFC Divisional
Playoff held in Nashville.

These teams squared off twice annually from 1970-2001, when both were then
members of the now-defunct AFC Central Division.

Tomlin is 2-1 all-time against the Titans as a head coach, while Munchak will
be opposing both the Steelers and Tomlin for the first time as a man in
charge.

WHEN THE TITANS HAVE THE BALL

Tennessee’s 18th-ranked offense (347.3 ypg) didn’t miss a beat without wide
receiver Kenny Britt (17 receptions, 3 TD), who suffered a season-ending knee
surgery in a Week 3 win over Denver. Hasselbeck spread the wealth without his
top option, hitting six different receivers. Tight end Jared Cook (7
receptions, 1 TD) caught two of the six balls thrown his way, one for an 80-
yard touchdown that was the longest by a Titans/Oilers tight end since Willie
Frazier on Nov. 6, 1964. Former Steeler Nate Washington (23 receptions, 1 TD)
added a pair of catches for 62 yards and both tight end Craig Stevens and
rookie wideout Damian Williams grabbed touchdown passes, with Williams posting
the first of his career. Giving Hasselbeck time has been key and the offensive
line, led by tackle Michael Roos and guard Jake Scott, did not allow a sack
for the second time in four games and has yielded just four all season. The
Titans still rank last in the league in rushing, but Chris Johnson (199
rushing yards) did go over 100 yards for the first time this season and will
have fullback Ahmard Hall back in front of him this week, as the latter returns
from a four-game suspension for using a substance on the league’s banned list.

The Titans will look to keep Johnson going this weekend against a Steelers
defense that ranks second overall in the league (277.0 ypg) and first against
the pass (157.5 ypg), but will feature a different look due to injuries. With
Harrison (23 tackles, 2 sacks) out and fellow outside linebacker Jason Worilds
also doubtful thanks to a left quad problem, Lawrence Timmons (25 tackles) will
slide over from the inside to replace Harrison on the right outside spot, while
veteran Larry Foote (13 tackles, 1 sack) will take over for Timmons in the
middle alongside James Farrior (18 tackles, 1 sack). Defensive end Aaron Smith
(8 tackles) could also miss the game because of a foot sprain, opening the
door for either Ziggy Hood or rookie Cameron Heyward to start as long as Brett
Keisel (5 tackles) can return as expected from a knee ailment that’s kept him
out of the last two games. Pittsburgh’s defense did limit Houston to 138 yards
passing — marking the third straight game it allowed less than 150 yards
through the air, but was touched for 180 yards on the ground, including 155 by
running back Arian Foster. The Steelers did not come up with a sack versus the
Texans and are still searching for their first interception of the season.
Safety Troy Polamalu (26 tackles, 1 sack) does have three picks in five games
versus the Titans.

WHEN THE STEELERS HAVE THE BALL

While the Steelers have not been forcing turnovers at a desired pace, they
have been generous in giving the ball away. Pittsburgh ranks last in the
league with a minus-10 turnover ratio, with Roethlisberger (1148 passing
yards, 3 TD, 5 INT) adding to that total with an interception versus the
Texans. Roethlisberger threw for 206 yards last weekend and was sacked five
times as well. With the quarterback hurting, Pittsburgh will try to offer more
protection and could have both guard Doug Legursky (shoulder) and left tackle
Jonathan Scott (ankle) back in the mix this weekend. Pittsburgh also added
depth by re-signing veteran tackle Max Starks after cutting him during the
preseason. Deep threat Mike Wallace (25 receptions, 2 TD) saw his string of six
straight games with at least 100 yards receiving — tied for second-longest in
league history — end after making four catches for a game-high 77 yards
against Houston, while wideout Antonio Brown (15 receptions) led the way last
week with five receptions for 67 yards. Running back Rashard Mendenhall (173
rushing yards, 2 TD) scored his sixth rushing touchdown in seven games, but was
limited to nine carries thanks to a hamstring injury. Fellow back Mewelde Moore
is also battling an ankle issue after carrying the ball four times for 34 yards
in the loss. If those two can’t go, Isaac Redman will likely handle the bulk of
the rushing duties.

Not only did the Titans limit the Browns to just 13 points despite yielding
416 yards of offense, but safety Jordan Babineaux (15 tackles, 1 INT) returned
an interception 97 yards for a score, the second pick-six of his career and
third-longest in club history. Babineaux was back on the field after Chris
Hope (10 tackles) returned from a shoulder injury only to suffer a broken
forearm that could sideline him for at least four weeks. Browns quarterback
Colt McCoy attacked the Tennessee secondary with 61 passes, completing 40 of
them, but was sacked by three different Titans and the team notched four sacks
in all. Rookie defensive tackle Karl Klug (6 tackles, 2 sacks), defensive end
Jason Jones, rookie linebacker Akeem Ayers (18 tackles, 1 sack) and defensive
end Derrick Morgan (8 tackles, 2 sacks) all had a sack each. Safety Michael
Griffin (17 tackles) also came up with a big play when he stuffed running back
Armond Smith on a 4th-and-1 near midfield during the second quarter, deflating
the Cleveland offense. With Cleveland going to the air so much, corners
Cortland Finnegan (20 tackles) and Jason McCourty (25 tackles, 1 sack, 2 INT)
were both busy, making 11 and 10 tackles, respectively, while outside
linebacker Will Witherspoon (20 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) made eight tackles and
had two passes defensed.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Yes, Hasselbeck has put together a great start, but the Steelers’ defense
still has plenty of playmakers in the secondary even without Harrison roaming
the field. That means that Johnson will have to show up for a second straight
week to take the pressure off the passing game.

For Pittsburgh, the offensive line will have to handle the Titans’ pass rush
with Roethlisberger battling a sprained foot. The returns of Legursky and Scott
should help and Starks can probably step right in and play if needed, but the
Steelers won’t stand a chance if Big Ben has to get mobile.

Prevent the big play. Wallace is a threat to bust a game-changing play at any
time, but the Titans have done an excellent job of limiting such moments.
Tennessee ranks first in the league with an average of just 4.4 yards allowed
per play.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

Left to settle into the ranks of NFL afterthought, Hasselbeck has instead
sparked the Titans to one of their best starts in recent memory despite the
talented Johnson’s slow start. The veteran quarterback showed last week that
he doesn’t need a No. 1 target to be successful, and his ability to spread the
ball out should keep the Steelers’ secondary on its heels. Pittsburgh has yet
to flash the talent that helped get the team to the Super Bowl a season ago,
and injuries to Harrison and Roethlisberger aren’t exactly what it needs right
now. This is probably the toughest of a three-game stretch that comes before
Pittsburgh’s big showdowns with the Patriots and Ravens later on in the season,
and the Steelers will likely have to wait one more week to turn things around.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Titans 16, Steelers 13

©2011 Sports Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

So much for that strong start by the Baltimore Ravens.

They followed up their impressive 35-7 victory over defending AFC champion Pittsburgh by hitting the road Sunday and losing 26-13 to the Tennessee Titans. A week after forcing a franchise-record seven turnovers, they came up with only one in a fluke bounce off a Tennessee lineman’s helmet and never sacked Matt Hasselbeck.

Baltimore coach John Harbaugh credited the Titans with beating the Ravens (1-1) every way a team can. He isn’t subscribing to the theory of a big letdown by his Ravens after an emotional victory over their rivals.

“We didn’t play as well. I don’t have any theory right now. Everybody’s going to have a theory, and none of them are going to be right. We didn’t make plays when we needed to make plays. We didn’t get off the field on third down. That’s really the bottom line,” Harbaugh said.

The Ravens have had one of the NFL’s stingiest defenses for years, but they struggled against the Titans offense after Terrell Suggs got the lone turnover on Tennessee’s second series. The Ravens gave it right back when Alterraun Verner picked off Joe Flacco’s pass, one of three turnovers by Baltimore.

“If we didn’t respond well to this, then I’ll be disappointed in the guys and in myself for letting that happen,” Flacco said. “I think we’re better than that.”

Titans receiver Kenny Britt appeared to have his way with Baltimore’s secondary, racking up 135 yards on nine receptions with a touchdown. All-Pro safety Ed Reed was called for a facemask penalty against Britt after the receiver caught a 16-yard pass from Hasselbeck in the first quarter, though Britt said Reed apologized immediately.

Britt put the Titans ahead 10-7 in the second quarter on a 4-yard touchdown catch. Before the play started, Ravens cornerback Dominique Foxworth backed off Britt to give himself a cushion, but the receiver ran right at Foxworth and turned around, screening the veteran for the easy score.

Nate Washington also hauled in seven catches for 99 yards as Tennessee (1-1) held the ball for more than 35 minutes and outgained Baltimore 432-229 in total offense.

The third quarter was particularly rough for the Ravens. They had the ball for less than five minutes and were outgained 147-43. Tennessee outscored Baltimore 10-0.

“They came out there and put points on the board and, once again, we didn’t get into any rhythm,” Flacco said. “We had a couple of third and longs and we couldn’t convert them.”

Baltimore had one last chance to get into the game in the fourth quarter, when Flacco drove the Ravens down to first-and-goal at the Titans 9. But Tennessee broke up two passes, the last by Cortland Finnegan, while the Ravens were called for delay of game. They had to settle for Billy Cundiff’s second field goal with 6:58 left to pull within 23-13.

Tennessee then ran out all but 31 seconds before Bironas kicked his fourth field goal to finish off the win.

The Titans set the tone from the opening kickoff, deferring to let Baltimore take the ball on offense. Tennessee forced the Ravens to go three-and-out on their first two possessions, with Verner’s INT ending the third. Playing field position helped the Titans push the Ravens to start two drives at their own 4 and held them to 25 yards in the first quarter.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Matt Hasselbeck’s teammates rave about how quickly the veteran quarterback works in practice, and now he and the Tennessee Titans have a glimpse of what their new offense might look like this season.

With Hasselbeck playing one series, the Titans moved quickly to the line of scrimmage and even flashed one play without a huddle in Saturday night’s 14-3 preseason opening victory over Minnesota. The offense looked crisp and up-tempo under new coordinator Chris Palmer.

“We think we’re just getting more plays offensively. It’s an advantage for the offense,” new coach Mike Munchak said Sunday. “If the defense is substituting, they have to get things done faster. All those little things, I think, factor in, but you get in that mode of playing hard, quick and fast, and we like that.”

How the Titans played is just what they’ve been practicing.

Munchak said they’ve finished drills quickly by a couple minutes here, four minutes there, sometimes wrapping up practice sessions as much as 15 minutes faster. The key change in this approach is how much more time the quarterback has at the line of scrimmage to survey the defense.

“It gives them a lot more time,” Munchak said. “We’ll double-call plays at times. It gives the quarterback much more time to make a decision in getting us in the right play so we’re not always in a hurry at the line of scrimmage.”

Hasselbeck was in for 10 plays to open the game, moving the Titans to the Vikings 16 before he fumbled the ball off fullback Ahmard Hall for a 30-yard loss. On one play, he hustled up to the line, quickly telling teammates which play he would call.

“This offense has a lot of ‘check with me’ type things where it could be a run left to run right to pass, so the quicker you get to the line of scrimmage the more time you have to make those decisions, the more pressure you put on the defense to hurry up and line up,” Hasselbeck said.

“That worked to our advantage for sure, especially in the running game,” he said.

And that was with running back Javon Ringer starting in place of Chris Johnson, who is in a contract holdout. Imagine how much faster the Titans might be once the man once timed at 4.24 seconds in the 40-yard dash is back on the field.

For now, Munchak isn’t lobbying the front office to finish a contract to get Johnson in. He said he’s busy enough now with coaching and is optimistic that a deal will be taken care of well before the Titans open Sept. 11 at Jacksonville.

Jake Locker also came in behind the first-team offensive line and finished the quarter strongly. He said he is comfortable with plays in which teammates check with him because it’s similar to what he ran in college at Washington with coach Steve Sarkisian.

The Titans combined to hold the ball for more than 10 minutes and outgain Minnesota 111-33 in total offense. It was a nice first look for a team that ranked 27th overall in total yards and last in the NFL in time of possession in 2010.

Tennessee has gone through so many changes since the end of last season. Quarterback Vince Young was released, the team parted with longtime coach Jeff Fisher, and quarterback Kerry Collins retired.

The Titans drafted Locker at No. 8 and signed Hasselbeck on July 27, hoping he can help team owner Bud Adams win now. Munchak liked what he saw out of Hasselbeck.

“For a guy that’s been in camp for nine days and learning a new offense, I mean he ran it like he’d been here a long time,” Munchak said.

Hasselbeck was 5 of 6 for 55 yards, and Locker was 7 of 10 for 89 yards with a 45-yard touchdown pass. As sharp as Hasselbeck was, Locker’s early success and ability to score after forgetting the snap count already has fans wondering if he’ll start this season.

Munchak said they’re taking it a week at a time.

“We’re assuming it’s going to be that way that Matt will be the starter when the season starts,” Munchak said.

Notes: Munchak said RT David Stewart hurt a hamstring and is day to day. Ringer was hit on the hip. … Munchak also responded to being presented by a game ball by Hasselbeck. The coach said he was surprised. “It’s something special not only to me but all of us. It’s our first win for all of us together. Fifteen to 20 days together, and we’re on the right track. I think that’s what it pretty much signifies.”

Vet QB is key in speeding up the ‘O’

By TERESA M. WALKER/AP Sports Writer

NASHVILLE — Matt Hasselbeck’s teammates rave about how quickly the veteran quarterback works in practice, and now he and the Tennessee Titans have a glimpse of what their new offense might look like this season.

With Hasselbeck playing one series, the Titans moved quickly to the line of scrimmage and even flashed one play without a huddle in Saturday night’s 14-3 preseason opening victory over Minnesota. The offense looked crisp and up-tempo under new coordinator Chris Palmer.

“We think we’re just getting more plays offensively. It’s an advantage for the offense,” new coach Mike Munchak said Sunday. “If the defense is substituting, they have to get things done faster. All those little things, I think, factor in, but you get in that mode of playing hard, quick and fast, and we like that.”

How the Titans played is just what they’ve been practicing.

Munchak said they’ve finished drills quickly by a couple minutes here, four minutes there, sometimes wrapping up practice sessions as much as 15 minutes faster. The key change in this approach is how much more time the quarterback has at the line of scrimmage to survey the defense.

“It gives them a lot more time,” Munchak said. “We’ll double-call plays at times. It gives the quarterback much more time to make a decision in getting us in the right play so we’re not always in a hurry at the line of scrimmage.”

Hasselbeck was in for 10 plays to open the game, moving the Titans to the Vikings 16 before he fumbled the ball off fullback Ahmard Hall for a 30-yard loss. On one play, he hustled up to the line, quickly telling teammates which play he would call.

“This offense has a lot of ‘check with me’ type things where it could be a run left to run right to pass, so the quicker you get to the line of scrimmage the more time you have to make those decisions, the more pressure you put on the defense to hurry up and line up,” Hasselbeck said.

“That worked to our advantage for sure, especially in the running game,” he said.

And that was with running back Javon Ringer starting in place of Chris Johnson, who is in a contract holdout. Imagine how much faster the Titans might be once the man once timed at 4.24 seconds in the 40-yard dash is back on the field.

For now, Munchak isn’t lobbying the front office to finish a contract to get Johnson in. He said he’s busy enough now with coaching and is optimistic that a deal will be taken care of well before the Titans open Sept. 11 at Jacksonville.

Jake Locker also came in behind the first-team offensive line and finished the quarter strongly. He said he is comfortable with plays in which teammates check with him because it’s similar to what he ran in college at Washington with coach Steve Sarkisian.

The Titans combined to hold the ball for more than 10 minutes and outgain Minnesota 111-33 in total offense. It was a nice first look for a team that ranked 27th overall in total yards and last in the NFL in time of possession in 2010.

Tennessee has gone through so many changes since the end of last season. Quarterback Vince Young was released, the team parted with longtime coach Jeff Fisher, and quarterback Kerry Collins retired.

The Titans drafted Locker at No. 8 and signed Hasselbeck on July 27, hoping he can help team owner Bud Adams win now. Munchak liked what he saw out of Hasselbeck.

“For a guy that’s been in camp for nine days and learning a new offense, I mean he ran it like he’d been here a long time,” Munchak said.

Hasselbeck was 5 of 6 for 55 yards, and Locker was 7 of 10 for 89 yards with a 45-yard touchdown pass. As sharp as Hasselbeck was, Locker’s early success and ability to score after forgetting the snap count already has fans wondering if he’ll start this season.

Munchak said they’re taking it a week at a time.

“We’re assuming it’s going to be that way that Matt will be the starter when the season starts,” Munchak said.

Notes: Munchak said RT David Stewart hurt a hamstring and is day to day. Ringer was hit on the hip. … Munchak also responded to being presented by a game ball by Hasselbeck. The coach said he was surprised. “It’s something special not only to me but all of us. It’s our first win for all of us together. Fifteen to 20 days together, and we’re on the right track. I think that’s what it pretty much signifies.”

Story created Aug 15, 2011 – 16:28:59 EDT.

Terms & Conditions The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsiblity of the authors. The Columbia Daily Herald does not review comments before their publication, nor do we guarantee their accuracy. By publishing a comment here you agree to abide by our comment policy. If you see a comment that violates our policy, please notify the web editor.

Locker tosses TD in debut

By The Associated Press

NASHVILLE — Jake Locker threw a 45-yard touchdown pass in his NFL debut, and the Tennessee Titans beat the Minnesota Vikings 14-3 Saturday night to make new coach Mike Munchak a winner in his preseason opener.

Matt Hasselbeck started for Tennessee, and the veteran signed to a three-year contract to mentor Locker and make the Titans competitive this season looked sharp in his lone series. He completed 5 of 6 passes for 55 yards in an opening drive marred by a botched handoff leading to a 30-yard loss.

Locker, the eighth pick overall from Washington, had his moment, too. He dropped the ball off the snap before picking it up, rolling to his right and throwing a perfect pass to Yamon Figurs for a TD. Locker played one series into the third quarter, and he was 7 of 10 for 89 yards with a passer rating of 130.8.

The Titans are billing this as the start of a new legacy under Munchak, the Hall of Fame offensive lineman and former assistant coach promoted in February after Tennessee parted with Jeff Fisher. A video was played during a timeout on the opening series to help make fans more familiar with Munchak.

And the Titans took a step toward the disciplined approach Munchak wants.

They looked much more crisp despite those bobbled snaps with the offense outgaining the Vikings 111-33 in the first quarter. The defense forced two turnovers in the second quarter and had four sacks overall.

This marked Donovan McNabb’s first start for Minnesota, and he probably should have quit after his first series when he completed four of his first five passes before having the sixth knocked down by rookie linebacker Akeem Ayers. McNabb came back for a second series before leaving the game 6 of 11 for 40 yards.

Vikings coach Leslie Frazier gave Adrian Peterson only one carry for 3 yards before pulling his star running back, and he scratched a pair of starters in cornerback Cedric Griffin and tight end Visante Shiancoe.

The Vikings also have a highly drafted rookie quarterback in Christian Ponder. Frazier put Joe Webb into the game once McNabb left, and Webb started the third quarter and drove the Vikings to a 37-yard field goal by Ryan Longwell. Webb had five carries for 33 yards, and was 4 of 8 on passes for 45 yards and an interception.

Ponder finally got on the field with 7:55 left, and the 12th pick overall was sacked three times — the last by former Florida State teammate Myron Rolle.

Hasselbeck completed his first four passes for 47 yards and had Tennessee down to the Minnesota 16 before the bobbled snap to Javon Ringer bounced away. Ringer started in place of holdout Chris Johnson. The play turned into a 30-yard loss before Ringer covered the ball.

The Titans also bogged down at the Vikings 21 on Locker’s opening drive before Rob Bironas missed a 38-yard field goal wide left.

Rookie Jurrell Casey ripped the ball away from Vikings running back Lorenzo Booker and recovered it in the second quarter to set up Locker’s TD pass a play after the turnover. Safety Jordan Babineaux, another free agent signee away from Seattle, intercepted Webb’s pass on the Vikings’ next offensive play.

Jamie Harper, a fourth-round pick out of Clemson, capped a four-play drive with a 2-yard TD run to put Tennessee up 14-0 at halftime.

Story created Aug 13, 2011 – 23:43:15 EDT.

Terms & Conditions The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsiblity of the authors. The Columbia Daily Herald does not review comments before their publication, nor do we guarantee their accuracy. By publishing a comment here you agree to abide by our comment policy. If you see a comment that violates our policy, please notify the web editor.