McNair Sorely Needed

You say you want a revolution?

Atlanta’s Michael Vick might be the talk of the NFL, but Tennessee’s Steve McNair is still one of the most dangerous double-threat quarterbacks in the game.

“Michael Vick is the next Steve McNair, not the other way around,” fullback Greg Comella said. “Michael hopes to one day have the experience and poise that Steve has.”

McNair showcased his skills Monday against New England, running for a pair of touchdowns to lead the Titans to a 24-7 victory in their only prime-time game of the season.

Tennessee (9-5) has won eight of nine since stumbling to a 1-4 start and is tied with Indianapolis for first place in the AFC South. The Patriots (8-6), who had won five of six, had a chance to catch first-place Miami in the AFC East but took a step backward in a conference that has yet to award a postseason berth.

A troubling Patriot trend: They are 7-0 against teams that are .500 or worse, and 1-6 against teams with winning records. They close the regular season with home games against the New York Jets and Miami.

The Titans not only outgained New England, 365 yards to 176, but built a commanding edge in time of possession, 41:30 to 18:30.

“They were a better football team,” Patriot Coach Bill Belichick said. “We just weren’t good enough.”

Tennessee took a 14-0 lead after two quarters, briefly let the Patriots back into the game with a Tom Brady touchdown run, then pulled away again when safety Rich Coady intercepted a deflected pass and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown with 9:58 left in the third quarter.

Joe Nedney’s 28-yard field goal in the fourth quarter gave the Titans a comfortable cushion, and they wore down the clock with the running of Eddie George and Robert Holcombe.

The game marked the return of Tennessee defensive end Jevon Kearse, who has been sidelined since the opener because of a broken bone in his left foot. He recorded a tackle and a pass defensed, and helped apply the pressure to Brady, who was sacked three times.

Even though McNair hasn’t practiced for three weeks because of nagging rib and toe injuries, he showed why he has quietly emerged as a most-valuable-player candidate and the offensive centerpiece of the Titans. The team that once belonged to George now rests squarely in the hands of McNair, who didn’t show a hint of trepidation in running for a pair of second-quarter touchdowns.

“I had to count on scrambling and making plays with my legs, and that’s what I did,” McNair said.

On his first touchdown, he twisted out of a near-sack by safety Tebucky Jones, broke up the middle and finished the 11-yard run by smacking through cornerbacks Terrell Buckley and Ty Law at the goal line. Later, he plunged in from the one.

McNair might have thrown for a touchdown too, but Justin McCareins dropped a beautifully placed 44-yard pass at the goal line in the fourth quarter.

McNair completed 11 of 24 passes for 136 yards, and rushed six times for 49 yards. It wasn’t a dominating performance, but it was a reminder to all that he’s still going strong. George, who has struggled with multiple injuries the last two seasons, recorded his third 100-yard game of the season with 101 in 31 carries.

According to the Boston Globe, McNair ranked 10th last week among AFC quarterbacks in fan voting for the Pro Bowl, trailing Drew Bledsoe, Rich Gannon, Brady, Peyton Manning, Tommy Maddox, Brian Griese, Trent Green, Drew Brees and Chad Pennington. Fan ballots count one-third toward Pro Bowl selection, with the other two-thirds comprising votes by players and coaches.

“Just because Steve isn’t breaking the records like Gannon, he doesn’t have the instant fame like the quarterback in Indianapolis [Manning],” receiver Derrick Mason said. “[McNair’s] father wasn’t one of the great quarterbacks in the NFL. What Steve does for this team, I don’t think any other quarterback does for his team. What he does and he comes out and battles, no matter what’s wrong with him. He’s a quarterback in a linebacker’s body.”

Regardless, that linebacker’s body was moving around pretty gingerly after the game.

“Where do you hurt?” someone asked McNair.

“All over, man,” he said. “All over.”

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AFC Wild Card

*--* Tennessee moves into first place in AFC South with victory. Besides four division winners, top two teams qualify for playoffs: 1. Indianapolis 9-5 2. Denver 8-6 3. San Diego 8-6 4. New England 8-6 5. Baltimore 7-7 6. Kansas City 7-7 7. Cleveland 7-7 8. N.Y. Jets 7-7 9. Buffalo 7-7

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