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Titans blitz Browns to win AFC South

Dec 8, 2008 - 12:55 AM By Chip Cirillo PA SportsTicker Corresponding Writer

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Smash, Dash and Bash led the Tennessee Titans to their first AFC South Division title since 2002.

Running backs LenDale White, Chris Johnson and Ahmard Hall each made big contributions in the Titans' 28-9 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

Johnson, a rookie nicknamed "Dash" for his blazing speed, rushed for 136 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries. The former East Carolina star broke the 1,000-yard mark with a 15-yard run in the second quarter.

"It was real big to come in here and keep getting victories and winning (the division) because the more wins we get, the closer to our goal we get and that's the Super Bowl," said Johnson, who is one of the AFC's top rushers.

White, nicknamed "Smash" for his powerful running style between the tackles, rushed for 99 yards and one touchdown on 24 carries with one fumble. He ranks near the top of the NFL with 14 touchdowns this season.

"For me to be playing alongside (Johnson) is awesome," White said. "I hope I can be doing this for the next 10 years. The Smash and Dash combo is very deadly and I can see it taking over a lot more games here in the future."

Hall, a blocking back nicknamed "Bash," scored the Titans' first touchdown on a 28-yard pass from Kerry Collins on 4th-and-1 to give Tennessee (12-1) a 7-6 lead early in the second quarter.

"We came up with 'Bash,' but they printed a whole bunch of (Smash and Dash) shirts and I'm not on the shirt," Hall said. "But I just play my role. I'm happy to see those guys have the success they're having and with me being a fullback, they know fullbacks from blocking. They say, 'Well, who's blocking for them?' and it's me so I'm going to get my recognition that way."

Tennessee also got production from its passing game. Kerry Collins completed 14-of-23 for 155 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions as the Titans piled up 390 yards in total offense.

"It wasn't our cleanest game," Collins said. "I think a lot of credit has to go to our defense. We put them in some tough situations with the turnovers and hurt ourselves with some penalties."

Tennessee was penalized 13 times for 131 yards, but the defense held the Browns (4-9) to three field goals by Phil Dawson. The Titans outrushed Cleveland, 235-35, and the Browns only converted 4-of-16 third downs.

"Defensively, we played pretty solid," Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck said. "Our goal was to stop Jamal (Lewis). I think we did a great job of doing that and stopping their running game altogether."

Lewis, a former University of Tennessee star who played in nearby Knoxville, was held to seven yards on seven carries.

Ken Dorsey, a third-stringer who made his first start of the season after injuries sidelined Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn, completed 22-of-43 passes for 150 yards with one interception.

"I think at times I was a little too quick and at times I wasn't efficient enough," Dorsey said. "And there were times I felt good about what I was doing. That's the ups and downs that go into a game right there."

White scored on a 3-yard run late in the first half to cap a 93-yard, 10-play drive as the Titans took a 14-6 lead into halftime.

Free safety Michael Griffin intercepted a Dorsey pass and returned it 36 yards to the Cleveland 11-yard line, setting up Tennessee's next TD. Two plays later, Collins found Justin Gage in the right corner of the end zone for a 9-yard pass that increased the Titans' lead to 21-6 with 11:56 left in the third quarter.

"We overcame a lot of things during the ballgame: the slow start, the turnovers," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said. "We had way too many penalties, but yet we found a way to effect sudden change defensively and after three turnovers we gave up six points."

Cleveland got the ball in Tennessee territory on all three turnovers, but it was held to a pair of field goals.

"We came down and got some turnovers and had some opportunities to try to get a little bit done," Browns coach Rome Crennel said. "We weren't able to get enough done against them. Those guys inside make it tough to get a run inside and then when you try to run it outside, their speed gets to your outside."

Dawson's third field goal, a 39-yarder, narrowed the gap to 21-9 early in the fourth quarter before Chris Carr's 44-yard punt return to the Cleveland 25 set up the final TD. Johnson went off guard on a 25-yard run on the next play.

Tennessee and Cleveland both went 10-6 last year, but the teams are headed in opposite directions. The Browns have lost five of their last six while the Titans have won 15 of their last 16 regular-season games.

"This year has been rough," said Cleveland linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, who made two interceptions. "We just haven't been able to make that one play or those few plays that we need to get over that hump. I wish I had a magic wand to wave and fix all of the problems, but I don't."