Final
Titans-Chargers Preview
Oct 29, 2010 - 8:37 PM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Senior WriterThe Tennessee Titans used an amazing fourth quarter to bounce back from a nine-point deficit last weekend and claim first place in the AFC South.
As is becoming their custom, the San Diego Chargers' latest frantic comeback attempt fell just short.
Two teams headed in opposite directions meet Sunday at Qualcomm Stadium, where the bumbling Chargers try to avoid a fourth straight loss against a Titans team seeking a fourth consecutive win - and its first victory over San Diego in nearly two decades.
The notoriously slow-starting Chargers (2-5) have had their level of concern ratcheted up considerably the past two weeks. San Diego fell behind 17-0 before a late rally fell short in a 20-17 loss at St. Louis on Oct. 17. They then dug themselves another 17-point hole Sunday against New England, a deficit fueled by four first-half turnovers.
The Chargers scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to cut into a 23-6 deficit, but Kris Brown's 50-yard field-goal attempt clanged off the right upright in the final minute to seal a 23-20 defeat.
"Until we take care of the football, there will be a lot of conversation about we're not very good, we're not very talented and we're not very well coached," coach Norv Turner said. "We start taking care of the football, I think we'll give ourselves a chance to win."
San Diego has an AFC-high 18 turnovers, and its defense hasn't forced one in the last three games. That has tempered the effect of an offense that leads the league with 422.7 yards per game, with Philip Rivers (NFL-high 2,344 yards) on pace to shatter Dan Marino's single-season passing record of 5,084.
The Chargers may not want him to break Marino's mark. San Diego has trailed by double digits in all five losses, forcing Rivers to throw on nearly every down.
"We're worried about beating Tennessee," Rivers said. "It's as simple as that. ... We're just trying to win a game and do the things necessary that give you the best chance to win a game."
Rivers and the Chargers face a Titans team that leads the league with 12 interceptions and has 11 takeaways during a three-game winning streak. Rivers also likely won't have one of his top targets, Malcom Floyd (hamstring), for a second straight week.
Tennessee (5-2), meanwhile, has both of its quarterbacks banged up. Vince Young missed most of a 30-3 win at Jacksonville on Oct. 18 with knee and ankle sprains, then sat out Sunday versus Philadelphia.
However, Young went through a full week of practice and it appears he could be back on the field Sunday.
"I think everything came together for us this week," coach Jeff Fisher said. "I think there is a good chance Vince will start."
Kerry Collins was solid in relief against the Jaguars, but had only 62 yards passing in the first half against the Eagles as Tennessee trailed 13-7. The deficit reached nine early in the fourth quarter, but Collins got the offense going.
He threw for 163 of his 276 yards in the final 15 minutes, including two touchdown passes to Kenny Britt as the Titans scored the final 27 points in a 37-19 win.
Tennessee is the league's second-highest scoring team at 28.4 points per game despite being 24th in total offense at 302.1 yards a contest.
"We're just coming into our own now," fullback Ahmard Hall said. "Hopefully, we can keep it going week in and week out."
Even if Young doesn't start or needs to be relieved, Collins is far from 100 percent himself. The 16-year veteran played with a torn tendon in the middle finger of his throwing hand sustained against Jacksonville, an injury that won't require surgery.
Another big game from Britt, who has caught a TD in five consecutive games, would help. The second-year wideout's 225 yards against the Eagles were the most by an NFL receiver this season, and he didn't even play until the second quarter due to Fisher's disciplinary action stemming from Britt's role in a bar fight Friday night.
Fisher said Britt will face only "in-house" discipline and won't miss any more playing time.
With both quarterbacks banged up, the Titans will certainly look to Chris Johnson to carry a heavy load. Johnson was held to 66 yards on 24 carries Sunday, the first time he's rushed for less than 100 yards in a win.
He ran for 142 yards and a score Dec. 25 against the visiting Chargers, who intercepted Young twice and got two TD passes from Rivers in a 42-17 win.
That was the franchise's seventh straight loss to San Diego since the Houston Oilers won 27-0 in 1992.
- NFL
FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
TENNESSEE 5 14 0 6 25
SAN DIEGO 7 7 10 9 33 FINAL
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: TEN - SAFETY, 1:29
SDG - TD, MIKE TOLBERT 1 YD RUN (KRIS
BROWN KICK), 10:27. SANDIEGO
7-2
TEN - FG, ROB BIRONAS 21 YD, 14:43.
SANDIEGO 7-5
2ND QUARTER: TEN - TD, CRAIG STEVENS
Oct 31 7:19 PM - NFL
TENNESSEE 25
SAN DIEGO 33 0:00 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Oct 31 7:19 PM
TD SDG DARREN SPROLES 13 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (TWO-POINT RUN CONVERSION FAILED)
Titans 25, Chargers 33 4th - 6:51Oct 31 6:50 PM
TD SDG DARREN SPROLES 13 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (TWO-POINT RUN CONVERSION FAILED)
Titans 25, Chargers 33 4th - 6:51Oct 31 6:50 PM
TD SDG DARREN SPROLES 13 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (TWO-POINT RUN CONVERSION FAILED)
Titans 25, Chargers 33 4th - 6:51Oct 31 6:49 PM
TD SDG DARREN SPROLES 13 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (TWO-POINT RUN CONVERSION FAILED)
Titans 25, Chargers 33 4th - 6:51Oct 31 6:49 PM
TD TEN NATE WASHINGTON 71 YD PASS FROM VINCE YOUNG (TWO-POINT PASS CONVERSION FAILED)
Titans 25, Chargers 27 4th - 11:43Oct 31 6:34 PM- NFL
TD TEN
NATE WASHINGTON 71 YD PASS FROM VINCE YOUNG
(TWO-POINT PASS CONVERSION FAILED)
TENNESSEE 25
SAN DIEGO 27 11:43 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Titans 25, Chargers 27 4th - 11:43Oct 31 6:34 PM - NFL
FG SDG
KRIS BROWN 36 YD
TENNESSEE 19
SAN DIEGO 27 12:01 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Titans 19, Chargers 27 4th - 12:05Oct 31 6:30 PM - NFL
TENNESSEE 19
SAN DIEGO 24 0:00 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Oct 31 6:24 PM
TD SDG ANTONIO GATES 48 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (KRIS BROWN KICK)
Titans 19, Chargers 24 3rd - 4:20Oct 31 6:16 PM
TD SDG ANTONIO GATES 48 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (KRIS BROWN KICK)
Titans 19, Chargers 24 3rd - 4:20Oct 31 6:16 PM
TD SDG ANTONIO GATES 48 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (KRIS BROWN KICK)
Titans 19, Chargers 24 3rd - 4:20Oct 31 6:16 PM
TD SDG ANTONIO GATES 48 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (KRIS BROWN KICK)
Titans 19, Chargers 24 3rd - 4:20Oct 31 6:14 PM
TD SDG ANTONIO GATES 48 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (KRIS BROWN KICK)
Titans 19, Chargers 24 3rd - 4:20Oct 31 6:14 PM
TD SDG ANTONIO GATES 48 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (KRIS BROWN KICK)
Titans 19, Chargers 24 3rd - 4:20Oct 31 6:14 PM- NFL
FG SDG
KRIS BROWN 34 YD
TENNESSEE 19
SAN DIEGO 17 7:45 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Titans 19, Chargers 17 3rd - 7:49Oct 31 6:01 PM - NFL
TENNESSEE 19
SAN DIEGO 14 0:00 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Oct 31 5:33 PM
TD TEN CRAIG STEVENS 1 YD PASS FROM VINCE YOUNG (ROB BIRONAS KICK)
Titans 12, Chargers 7 2nd - 8:08Oct 31 5:05 PM
TD TEN CRAIG STEVENS 1 YD PASS FROM VINCE YOUNG (ROB BIRONAS KICK)
Titans 12, Chargers 7 2nd - 8:08Oct 31 5:05 PM
TD TEN CRAIG STEVENS 1 YD PASS FROM VINCE YOUNG (ROB BIRONAS KICK)
Titans 12, Chargers 7 2nd - 8:08Oct 31 5:05 PM
TD TEN CRAIG STEVENS 1 YD PASS FROM VINCE YOUNG (ROB BIRONAS KICK)
Titans 12, Chargers 7 2nd - 8:08Oct 31 5:02 PM
TD TEN CRAIG STEVENS 1 YD PASS FROM VINCE YOUNG (ROB BIRONAS KICK)
Titans 12, Chargers 7 2nd - 8:08Oct 31 5:02 PM
TD TEN CRAIG STEVENS 1 YD PASS FROM VINCE YOUNG (ROB BIRONAS KICK)
Titans 12, Chargers 7 2nd - 8:08Oct 31 5:02 PM- NFL
TENNESSEE 5
SAN DIEGO 7 0:00 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Oct 31 4:47 PM - NFL
FG TEN
ROB BIRONAS 21 YD
TENNESSEE 5
SAN DIEGO 7 0:17 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Titans 5, Chargers 7 1st - 0:19Oct 31 4:45 PM - NFL
FG TEN
ROB BIRONAS 21 YD
TENNESSEE 3
SAN DIEGO 9 0:17 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Titans 3, Chargers 9 1st - 0:19Oct 31 4:44 PM - NFL
SAFETY SDG
TENNESSEE 0
SAN DIEGO 2 13:31 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Titans 0, Chargers 2 1st - 13:37Oct 31 4:09 PM
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