McNair savors homecoming

Steve McNair had just directed the biggest comeback in Baltimore Ravens history when he embraced his former coach, Tennessee’s Jeff Fisher, at midfield and the two exchanged a few words.

One could perhaps assume that Fisher told McNair to make like rocker Tom Petty and “Don’t come around here no more.”

That’s what the Titans essentially told McNair a few months ago. But McNair, who played 11 seasons for Fisher as quarterback of the Titans and of their previous Houston Oilers incarnation, returned Sunday as a Raven.

And in his first game at Tennessee as a visitor, he completed 29 of 47 passes for 373 yards and three touchdowns, directing a comeback from a 19-point deficit in the Ravens’ 27-26 victory.

“It was a game that meant a lot,” McNair said. “I’m not going to sit here and tell you a lie and say, no it wasn’t. Being with the organization for 11 years and having the opportunity to come back and play against them, it was very intriguing.”

Last April, the Titans wanted McNair to restructure his contract. When he showed up at team headquarters for an off-season workout, he was told to leave and not return until the contract had been restructured.

He was due $9 million in 2006 with a salary cap number that would have eaten up nearly a quarter of the Titans’ space under the cap.

The NFL Players Assn. filed a grievance on behalf of McNair and an arbitrator ruled in McNair’s favor, saying the Titans must allow him to work out at the Titans’ headquarters.

A week later, he was traded to Baltimore.

“You could tell that this game meant just that little bit more to him than any other game thus far,” Baltimore receiver Derrick Mason said.

Before the game, McNair received a standing ovation from the Tennessee fans and the team honored his return with a video tribute that included highlights from the Titans’ run to the 2000 Super Bowl.

“It was pretty emotional before the game,” McNair said. “I thought the tribute was very nice by the organization, but I knew two seconds after that they were going to try to knock me out. I had to get back and focus quick.”

Not so fast

Pittsburgh running back Willie Parker is known as “Fast” Willie Parker, but perhaps a change should be considered.

Parker broke loose twice in the Steelers’ 38-31 victory over New Orleans, running once for 72 yards and another time for 76. But he didn’t score on either run as Saints defenders tracked him down before he reached the end zone.

“I didn’t even look back,” said Parker, who eventually finished both drives with touchdown runs. “I didn’t think anybody could catch me -- I learned something new today.”

Parker finished with 213 yards rushing -- five shy of the team record -- and was the first player to record two runs of 70 or more yards in a game since Barry Sanders had runs of 80 and 82 yards on Oct. 12, 1997.

The difference is that Sanders scored on both of those runs. Parker said his teammates might have mentioned that.

“They gave me a little grief in the shower,” he said.

Another Jaguar arrested

Jacksonville left tackle Khalif Barnes was benched and fined Sunday after his arrest on suspicion of drunk driving.

Barnes was driving his car faster than 100 mph and failed two breathalyzer tests early Saturday, a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office report said. He spent several hours in jail before being released on $500 bond.

According to the police report, Barnes was driving 101 mph in a 60-mph zone and had a blood alcohol level of 0.12%. The legal limit is 0.08%.

It was the third arrest in three months of Jaguars players.

Cornerback Brian Williams pleaded no contest to drunk driving in September. Last month, defensive end Bobby McCray was arrested on suspicion of reckless driving and possession of a controlled painkiller. Drug charges later were dropped.

Fallen soldier honored

Pat Tillman, who left the Arizona Cardinals to join the Army Rangers and died in Afghanistan in 2004, was added to the team’s “Ring of Honor” in a halftime ceremony Sunday.

Before the game, the Cardinals dedicated an area outside the stadium as “Pat Tillman Freedom Plaza.” It includes a 500-pound, eight-foot-tall bronze statue of Tillman.

Tillman started at safety for three seasons for Arizona and set a franchise record with 200 tackles in 2000. He turned down contract offers in 2002 to become an Army Ranger. He was killed by friendly fire while on duty in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004.

Streak remains elusive

Detroit receiver Roy Williams has boldly talked about the Lions putting together consecutive wins, although the lowly Lions haven’t done so in 26 months and have done it only twice since 2001.

A win over highly touted Atlanta last week bolstered confidence, but a 19-13 loss to San Francisco on Sunday brought Williams back to reality.

“Yes, it is a setback,” he said. “I think we came out a little flat. I don’t think we were into this ballgame. I don’t know if it’s because it was San Francisco, and not an Atlanta Falcons team.”

Injury report

Orlando Pace of the Rams, Tony Gonzalez of the Chiefs, Clinton Portis of the Redskins and Troy Polamalu of the Steelers were among the Pro Bowl players who were sidelined on a Sunday filled with injuries.

Pace, an offensive lineman, will miss the rest of the season after tearing his triceps during a 24-22 loss at Seattle. Gonzalez, Kansas City’s star tight end, left a 13-10 loss at Miami during the Chiefs’ final possession with a sprained left shoulder. Gonzalez’s left arm was in a sling after the game.

Portis, Washington’s running back, broke his right hand in the first half of a loss against the Eagles, and Coach Joe Gibbs suggested that surgery might be required.

Polamalu received a concussion during the first quarter of a win over New Orleans. He was examined by doctors on the sideline and remained out of the game.

In other injury news:

Houston quarterback David Carr left after the second play of the fourth quarter against Jacksonville with a bruised left shoulder.... Cincinnati receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh didn’t return after a hard hit by San Diego’s Marlon McCree knocked him to the ground and drew a pass interference penalty in the fourth quarter.... 49ers running back Frank Gore left the game, after the best performance of his career, with a concussion. Gore had 159 yards rushing in a 19-13 victory at Detroit, but left after stumbling to the sideline late in the third quarter after catching a pass.... Tennessee receiver David Givens hurt his left knee in the fourth quarter in the loss to Baltimore and had to be carted off the field. Fisher said after the game that Givens would have an MRI exam on his knee, but that the injury didn’t look good.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

peter.yoon@latimes.com