Titans win on final play
By TERESA M. WALKER
Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — On rubbery legs, Titans coach Jeff Fisher summed up what everyone just saw.
"You guys don't mind if I sit down and do this do you? OK. WOW! What a great finish!" Fisher said as he slumped behind the podium. "We've had some finishes around here, but I can't remember one like that."
Vince Young outdueled Matt Leinart again with yet another spectacular winning drive. He hit a leaping Kenny Britt for a 10-yard touchdown as time expired, and the Tennessee Titans rallied to beat the Arizona Cardinals, 20-17, yesterday for their fifth straight victory.
Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt compared the disappointment to losing the Super Bowl in February.
"It's as close to that as possible because we knew today that it would be difficult against this team, and our team rallied and pulled together. When you're six seconds away from winning it, it makes it even tougher," Whisenhunt said.
Young won his ninth straight start by driving the Titans (5-6) 99 yards on 18 plays in the final 2:37. He converted three fourth downs on the drive, two to Britt. He threw for a career-high 387 yards in beating Leinart in their first meeting as professionals and first since the BCS national championship in January 2006.
"We're in the NFL now. ... As the Tennessee Titans, I feel we fought to the finish," Young said.
Arizona (7-4) saw its three-game winning streak end. Leinart made his first start since Oct. 7, 2007 as the Cardinals sat Kurt Warner with what Whisenhunt called sensitivity in the quarterback's eyes. Leinart threw for 220 yards.