Bucs had Titans GM in draft sweat

By ERNEST HOOPER

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 26, 2000

ATLANTA -- Titans defensive end Jevon Kearse has become one of the focal points of the defense, but general manager Floyd Reese said that on draft day he was shaking over the prospect of someone trading with Bucs general manager Rich McKay to get the former Gator.

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"We were sitting at 16, and I called Richie, who was at 15, and I said, "Richie, I will give you my seventh (pick) just to trade spots,' because I was scared to death somebody was going to trade with them and take Jevon.

"I said, "I know you want an offensive lineman.' He said, "No, I want a defensive lineman.' I thought, "Oh, God.' I said, "Who do you want?' He said, "(Anthony) McFarland.' I said, "Thank you very much, goodbye.' "

GREAT BEGINNING: It's difficult to say where the Titans might be if they had not erased a 10-point deficit and beat Cincinnati in the season opener.

"I thought that was huge," Titans fullback Lorenzo Neal said. "Once we got that win ... to see this team battle back and say, "We're going to get there.' I think that made us say we've got a good team.

"Then the next week, we went to Jacksonville and won in a hostile environment. From then on, we never looked back."

HOMEWORK: While the Rams arrived in Atlanta on Monday, assistant coaches stayed in St. Louis to work on the game plan and didn't arrive until Tuesday evening. Receiver Isaac Bruce endorsed the idea.

"It allows them to be in a more comfortable environment so that they can get some solid work in," he said. "I know how crazy it has been for us coming here in less than a day after winning the NFC Championship. So for them to be back in St. Louis getting some work done in the office, it could do nothing other than help."

DO YOU WANT TO GO PARTY?: Rams coach Dick Vermeil did not set a curfew for his team, but cornerback Todd Lyght said he wasn't surprised by the decision.

"We changed our policy this year," Lyght said. "We had no curfew, no hotels (the night) before games. Coach thought that we were responsible enough to stay at home.

"I think guys got better rest sleeping in their own beds and felt more comfortable waking up at home with their wife and spending time with their kids. Guys were much better rested, and it showed on Sunday."

It is largely believed that Vermeil's Eagles were tight when they lost to the Raiders in Super Bowl XV. Vermeil did not let the Eagles venture into New Orleans until two days before the game, sequestering them in a hotel outside the city and giving them an 11 p.m. curfew.

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