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Give it away now Titans top Browns 24-10 despite seven turnovers
Updated: Sunday November 19, 2000 6:15 PM
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The turnovers came so quickly and so often the Tennessee Titans could only chuckle. "We almost had to laugh, because it was silly things that were happening to keep us from scoring points," said Eddie George, who rushed for 134 yards and scored a career-high three touchdowns Sunday. The Titans survived seven turnovers in pulling out a 24-10 victory against the Cleveland Browns. Steve McNair called the turnovers a fluke, but the Titans also realized they were lucky to be playing the Browns. "Any other team in the league, we would've lost," Titans safety Marcus Robertson said. "I don't want to be associated with another one like this." It was the most turnovers by a winning team since 1987, when Buffalo survived seven turnovers in beating the New York Giants 6-3 on Oct. 18, but that game featured replacement players. The Pittsburgh Steelers turned the ball over seven times in a 17-12 victory against Tampa Bay on Oct. 30, 1983. The Titans (9-2) wanted an easy game after their last two were decided by a total of three points. But McNair was intercepted three times and fumbled twice after being sacked. Tennessee, with only 16 turnovers through the first 10 games, gave the ball to the Browns (3-9) on seven of its first nine possessions. "Nobody panicked, nobody was really frustrated," Titans head coach Jeff Fisher said. "You can't really put your finger on it, a play here and a play there. We moved the ball really well in the first half, and we just kept turning the ball over." The saving grace? George, as usual -- and the Browns, who have the NFL's worst offense. George bruised his ribs in the second quarter and still carried 36 times for his fourth 100-yard rushing game this season. He now is just 1 yard shy of becoming the fifth player in NFL history to rush for at least 1,000 yards in each of his first five seasons. The Browns couldn't do anything no matter how many times Tennessee gave them the ball. Cleveland went three-and-out off the first two turnovers and picked up only one first down off the third. The visitors finished with just 125 yards total offense compared to 392 for the Titans, who controlled the clock for more than 38 minutes. It took Cleveland's defense to get the Browns on the board. Percy Ellsworth made a little team history as he picked off McNair's throw and went 33 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead in the third quarter. It was the first such return since the Browns' revival last season. "When you get seven turnovers, you should win the game," Browns cornerback Corey Fuller said. "Seven turnovers and a loss means nothing." Browns head coach Chris Palmer blamed a batch of injuries for the offensive struggles. Already playing without five starters and having lost two left guards to injury, they lost starting right guard Everett Lindsay to ejection for unnecessary roughness. "I'm proud of the way the guys played," Palmer said. "I don't think anyone gave us a chance when we came in here." Center Dave Wohlabaugh left with a sprained ankle, tight end Aaron Shea missed the second half with a bruised thigh and receiver David Patten left late with a bruised shoulder. Tennessee finally got it together on the next possession, with McNair leading the way. He hit Derrick Mason on a 28-yard pass play, and he later scrambled 23 yards to the Cleveland 4. George ran up the middle to tie the game on the next play. Cleveland went up 10-7 off a 38-yard field goal by Phil Dawson after Keith McKenzie sacked McNair, knocking the ball loose. But that would be it. The Titans then took control, moving 45 yards in nine plays, capped by George's second TD, a 1-yarder. Al Del Greco, who missed a key extra point last week in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens, added a 22-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. George capped a 14-play drive that ran 6:44 off the clock with his third TD, a 1-yarder, for the final margin. It was a scoreless first half after the Titans turned the ball over five times, including three times inside the Cleveland 20. Both their first and final possessions of the first half ended after tight ends fumbled following catches. Frank Wycheck lost the ball at the Cleveland 7 and Erron Kinney at the 17 just before halftime. Notes: The seven turnovers weren't a team record. The then-Houston Oilers had 10 in a 24-13 loss to Oakland in September 1963. ... George now has topped 100 yards 27 times. The Titans are 21-1 when George carries 27 or more times in a game. ... Cleveland, which had given up just 19 sacks through the first 11 games, allowed four sacks. ... Titans receiver Yancey Thigpen sprained a shoulder, and left tackle Brad Hopkins dislocated his left thumb. Cornerback Samari Rolle had a concussion.
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