Tennessee sparks its season in a 48-27 waltz on Monday night.
By wire services
Published October 13, 2004
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Titans finally looked like the Super Bowl contender they thought they would be against the Packers.
Or did they?
Titans coach Jeff Fisher says not so fast.
"Nobody believes even after (Monday) night that we're back," he said Tuesday, hours after the Titans' 48-27 victory over Green Bay.
"We won a game that was very important to us and classified by many as a must-win. We won it. Now you have to continue to get better in that process and have to correct the mistakes," he said.
Sure, the Titans looked very impressive in snapping a three-game losing streak and avoiding a 1-4 start for the second time in three seasons. They scored on five of their first six possessions, forced six turnovers and held the ball for 38 minutes.
Even Fisher admits quarterback Steve McNair is healthier than the 2003 co-MVP has been in a year, which may be the biggest reason why the Titans matched their production in any of their first four games by scoring 17 points less than 9 minutes into the game.
Moving Kevin Carter back to end from tackle for the first time this season sparked the Titans on defense, resulting in a unit ranked last in the NFL for average yards per rush allowing only 35 total yards rushing.
But Fisher said the Titans, with 11 rookies and three new players, still have plenty of room for improvement.
"We won a game. We lost three. We won a game. To me, that's not consistent," Fisher said.
Beating the Packers means the Titans don't have to hear about 2002 and comparisons to their 1-4 start before rallying to reach the AFC championship game. The questions should ease about an offense that hadn't scored more than 17 points.
The Titans piled up 396 of their 456 yards by halftime, and six of their 15 drives ended in touchdowns with two others getting field goals. Chris Brown ran for 103 of his 148 yards by halftime, and McNair had his best performance of the season.
"We haven't executed like we should in the last two or three ballgames, so we wanted to come out and execute and not come out and get just three points," McNair said.
Titans receiver Tyrone Calico will have surgery Thursday to repair torn cartilage in his left knee and might need to have his anterior cruciate ligament fixed.
"That being the case, we'll lose him for the year," coach Jeff Fisher said Tuesday.
