[CJBallar01]

Tennessee Titans still say they are better than Jets after loss
BY OHM YOUNGMISUK
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Monday, November 24th 2008, 9:26 AM

NASHVILLE - After they had been stunningly manhandled in almost every facet of the game, the Titans' two defensive leaders said it's clear who the best team in the AFC is.

According to Albert Haynesworth and Keith Bulluck, the Titans, not the Jets, are still the standard in the conference.


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Apparently not even a 34-13 whipping on their home turf can change their minds about that.

"I'm not going to sit here and keep complimenting them at all," Bulluck said after repeatedly crediting the Jets for being the better team Sunday. "Defensively we didn't answer the bell and that's it. Not to discredit them (but) I don't think that team is better than us. They were today, definitely by far. They put a lot of points up and held us to very few. They are definitely one of the top teams in the AFC."

According to Haynesworth, the Jets aren't the top dog in the AFC yet.

"I think we are," said Haynesworth, who had 1-1/2 sacks and a forced fumble but was otherwise held in check. "We just didn't have a good game. They played really good ball. We didn't show up. We didn't play nowhere near as good as we can."

That would be an understatement. The Titans went into this game ranked in the top 10 of 12 different defensive categories. They had surrendered an average of 13.1 points - best in the league - and 281.8 yards per game.

But from the first drive of the game, Tennessee's monster defense found itself chasing the Jets and was kept guessing virtually all afternoon.

Besides scoring 34 points, the Jets hammered the Titans for 409 total yards, 192 coming on the ground alone. That's almost 100 yards more than what teams had averaged against the Titans all season (95.1).

Tennessee's bruising running game managed a measly 45 yards as the Titans were forced to throw after falling behind 20-3 with 3:02 left in the third.

And even though Kerry Collins had managed to rise to the occasion earlier this season when defenses focused in on the running game, the Titans' quarterback couldn't overcome several dropped passes by his receivers. Collins' receivers had dropped five balls by the first drive of the second quarter.

By the time Collins found the end zone for the team's only touchdown, that to fullback Ahmard Hall, the Titans were down 27-13 with 9:43 remaining.

Their 10-game winning streak was history, snapped by the AFC's hottest team - the Jets.

Haynesworth said he fully expects to see the Jets again in the playoffs. Bulluck hopes to see the Jets again in Nashville when much more is at stake.

"We got embarrassed at home," Bulluck said. "(But) we are going to do our damndest to make sure anything playoff-wise in the AFC is coming through Tennessee. Football is a mentality. A game like this toughens an already tough team."

[reg83ny]

This is not the end of this. Come playoff time, Titans Vs Jets part deux will a bloodbath. I see the hate coming from the titans. If they were better, they weren't Sunday. Sour grapes

[Inpain372]

This is not the end of this. Come playoff time, Titans Vs Jets part deux will a bloodbath. I see the hate coming from the titans. If they were better, they weren't Sunday. Sour grapes

I agree. I didn't hear anything insulting being said by the Titans. The players fully admitted they got their butts whooped. In all honsety, our guys played great, and none of the Titans' strengths (defense, big play drives on offense, etc.) ever came in to play. It was a wellocached and well-executed game against the Titans on Sunday. Come playoff time, who knows? The results might be different. I hope not, however.

[gmany3k]

I agree with the last poster here but did anyone see any adjustment by Fisher to change what Mangini did to fishers team ? Secondly the Titans beat us in one category they did more to lose the game then we did.

[CrazyHorseDave]

Did anybody hear those 'clASSy' Tenn fans at the end of the game during the Leon Washington TD drive .. booing and chanting 'Ref You Suck'?

wow .. they lost by 21 points and they are blaming the ref? pretty sad

I'll never forget a few years back in the NHL playoffs The Devils swept the rangers and after the game every fan was still in thier seats in MSG and gave thier team a standing ovation .. even as a Devils fan I was impressed with the class those fans showed that night .. this was the kind of reception I would have expected Titans fans to show following thier teams VERY impressive 10 game run .. instead the boo and blame the ref .. I dont ever again want to hear how Jets fans are the worst fans ever ..

as for the players .. what they say doenst really matter .. they are supposed to believe in themselves .. but obviously the score showed who was the better team yesterday .. in every facet of the game!! That would be the 1st place New York Jets!

[matt x]

I agree that players always think they should have won or will win next time. However when an opponent comes into your house and takes you behind the woodshed for a good old fashioned ass-kicking it is better to keep your fat mouth shut. The Jets looked like they were ready to induce more pain. The Titans are lucky the game was only 60 minutes long!

[matt x]

Oh Yeah and Jeff Fisher looke like an idiot screaming at the Refs after an obvious call. Earth To Jeff.............

[The Reverend]

The 'W' speaks for itself. In a game that lopsided, you can't make excuses.

[Jetsfan115]

they didn't sya anythign bad. its possible for teams to lose to worse teams hence any given sunday. were way better then the 3 teams we lost to. thats llife. maybe they'll get a shot to try and see if there right in the playoffs