Titans Load Up in Tune-up

PITTSBURGH â€”  The Tennessee Titans are rolling into the playoffs the way the Indianapolis Colts and St. Louis Rams wish they were.

The Titans scored 17 points in barely a minute of the second quarter with Steve McNair and Eddie George already out, then wrapped up the franchise’s best season by beating Pittsburgh, 47-36, Sunday.

The Titans, who played as the Houston Oilers until 1997, are the first 13-3 team since divisional play began in 1970 to not win its division.

It will be the franchise’s first playoff game against Buffalo since the Bills rallied from a 35-3 deficit to beat the then-Houston Oilers, 41-38, in the 1992 season.

“Remember it? If I remember that pain, I would never play football again, so it’s out of sight, out of mind to me,� Titan guard Bruce Matthews said.

George, who gained 32 yards in eight carries before being taken out, predicted the Titans can go far in the playoffs--very far.

“We can’t get wrapped up in being 13-3, but we’re in the dance now and we have a very realistic chance to be in Atlanta,� George said. “We can play the entire month of January, but we have to be sure we’re not satisfied.�

Neil O’Donnell replaced McNair with the Titans ahead, 14-7, and threw two touchdown passes. Rookie Jevon Kearse and Denard Walker scored on two of the game’s three fumble return touchdowns. John Thornton also sacked Mike Tomczak for a safety as the Titan defense finished the season with 23 fumble recoveries and 16 interceptions.

Still, the Steelers (6-10) rebounded after falling behind, 31-7, scoring twice in 13 seconds late in the third quarter on Jerome Bettis’ one-yard run and rookie Joey Porter’s 46-yard fumble return.