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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Tennessee Titans picked the perfect
time to put together a ball-control offense.
|  | | Titans tight end Frank Wycheck, right, eludes Giants linebacker Ryan Phillips for a 14-yard catch. |
Steve McNair threw three touchdown passes and Eddie George ran
for another TD as the Titans beat the New York Giants 28-14 Sunday,
setting an NFL record with their 10th straight victory to christen
the new stadium.
The Titans (3-1) won their third straight game by controlling
the ball against the Giants (3-2), who went into the game ranked
second in the NFL in time of possession.
"The last couple of weeks, everyone was getting ulcers,"
fullback Lorenzo Neal said, referring to their three previous close
games. "No one said it was going to be easy, but it's good that we
established some stuff and sent a message."
The Titans played keepaway as they held the ball for nearly 43
of the game's 60 minutes, rolled up 436 yards total offense and
forced four turnovers.
They never trailed as they scored touchdowns on three of their
first four drives, and none of the drives covered fewer than 80
yards. The best was a 19-play, 98-yard march that ate up nearly 10
minutes of the first half.
"Our offense pounded those cats," Titans end Kenny Holmes
said. "I wouldn't want to be on that side of the ball. I can't say
enough about our offensive line. I'm proud of those guys."
It was role reversal for the Giants, who started the season so
well by holding onto the ball for more than 34 minutes a game.
This time, they barely had the ball half that time, and they
never got the NFL's best rushing attack rolling. The unit that had
averaged 163.8 yards had just 1 yard at halftime and finished with
24 of their 215 yards on the ground.
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TOM DONAHOE'S BREAKDOWN |
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The Giants never had a chance in this game. The Titans came out and hit them with a hammer from the very beginning.
This was Tennessee's best performance of the year. Steve McNair is back form his injury and he was very sharp. And Eddie George finally put up the type of numbers everybody has come to expect from him.
The Giants' biggest problem was that they couldn't get the Titans offense off the field. Coming into the game, the Giants were the best rushing team in football but had only one yard rushing at halftime (24 for the game). That shows the domination of Tennessee.
One of the eye-popping stats was time of possession: The Titans had the football for over 42 minutes. When you can do that, you make it difficult for the opposition.
Giants QB Kerry Collins (three interceptions) was not sharp for the second week in a row. Giants fans may wonder "Who are the real Giants?" Is it the team that went 3-0 to start the season, or the team that has lost its last two? The real Giants are probably somewhere in between. As the season goes along, the Giants will help us figure out the answer.
One thing is clear: It appears the Giants play much better when they have the lead and can control the clock and the football -- which they were obviously not able to do in this game.
Tom Donahoe, ESPN.com's NFL analyst, was formerly the Steelers' director of football operations.
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"I don't know if I even broke a sweat out there in the first
half," Giants tackle Lomas Brown said.
Coach Jim Fassel called the loss disappointing because the
Giants couldn't get the Titans offense off the field.
"We're going to make up our minds right now where we're going.
We started out with a lot of confidence. The last two games we
haven't played that way," Fassel said. "They beat us across the
board."
McNair picked up where he left off last week in rallying the
Titans to a victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers and hit his first
eight passes Sunday, giving him 11 straight completions. McNair
drove the Titans down the field on the opening possession and hit
Frank Wycheck with a 14-yard TD for a 7-0 lead.
New York had its best chance to slow down the Titans at the end
of the first quarter when Ron Dixon downed a punt at the Tennessee
2. But the Titans methodically moved down the field, converting six
third downs, and George ran 7 yards for a TD and a 14-0 lead.
McNair put the Titans up 21-0 at halftime when he found Derrick
Mason for a 29-yard TD, and his 3-yarder to Wycheck in the fourth
quarter put the Titans up 28-7.
He was 24-for-35 for 293 yards, and George had his first 100-yard
rushing game this season as he finished with 35 carries for 125
yards.
"It's a pretty effective offense the way they do it," Giants
cornerback Jason Sehorn said. "It's not in any way, shape or form
finesse."
The Titans even ended a drought as the NFL's only team without
an interception just before halftime when Dainon Sidney picked off
Kerry Collins' pass. They finished with three interceptions.
About the only thing that didn't go the Titans' way was when Al
Del Greco bounced an attempted 46-yard field goal off an upright as
the first half ended.
The Giants finally scored with 5:25 left in the third quarter
when Collins found Ike Hilliard for a 14-yard TD pass with 5:25
left. He added a 1-yard TD to Dan Campbell midway through the
fourth quarter.
Tennessee broke the record of nine straight victories to open a
stadium set by the Dallas Cowboys at Texas Stadium in 1971-72.
Game notes
Mason finished with a career-high 103 yards receiving off
six catches. ... George had the 24th 100-yard rushing game of his
career. The Titans are 19-7 when George rushes for a TD. ... Titans
receiver Carl Pickens left the game in the third quarter with a
sprained left hamstring. Titans left tackle Brad Hopkins sprained
his right ankle in the first half and did not return. He left the
stadium wearing a walking boot on his foot. ... Sidney's
interception was the fourth of his career. ... Fassel is 0-2
against the Titans. The Giants, who won the first five games in
this series, are 0-2 since the Titans moved to Tennessee.
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ALSO SEE
NFL Scoreboard
NY Giants Clubhouse
Tennessee Clubhouse
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