NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The NFL's youngest team is struggling with some growing pains.
The Tennessee Titans started the season by looking horrible on the road, then dominated in their home opener for a 1-1 start. Now the challenge for coach Jeff Fisher is helping a team filled with 23 first and second-year players how to find a happy median and still remain competitive.
"It is being young and inexperienced," Fisher said Monday.
"As much work as we put into calming down for the opener, I think they were still a little anxious and a little emotional. We just didn't settle. I thought we were very, very focused (Sunday). Focused and emotional, and the crowd was terrific. Just a good all-around effort by everybody."
That helped the Titans beat the Baltimore Ravens 25-10 in a dominating performance that couldn't have been more different from their 34-7 loss at Pittsburgh.
Linebacker Keith Bulluck was just one of several Titans who said they were emotionally higher than against Pittsburgh and that defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz had pointed out in their first meeting that he saw only two guys excited on the first snap in Pittsburgh.
That wasn't a problem against the Ravens as the Titans forced them three-and-out on six of their first seven possessions and without a first down in the first half. The defense allowed 182 net yards to Baltimore and a Ravens-franchise low 14 yards rushing.
"That's what football's all about. It's supposed to be fun and exciting, and if you don't enjoy your job, then you don't really need to be out there doing it," Bulluck said.
Veteran Kyle Vanden Bosch, who spent his first four seasons with Arizona, said the Titans definitely came out with more emotional intensity.
"I can't really give a reason why we weren't fired up as much for the first game, but we came out with an attitude and really took offense to the things people were saying about us," Vanden Bosch said.
Bulluck, experienced in his sixth season, cautioned that no one should get too high off the Ravens victory since it is only the second game in a long season. The Titans visit St. Louis (1-1) on Sunday, and Bulluck expects a big challenge.
"They have an explosive offense. Where this offense was a little more 1-2, they have a 1-2-3-4 punch," Bulluck said of the Rams. "We'll be all right, we just have to keep working to get better."
By contrast, the Titans offense has the veterans led by Steve McNair. The offense has scored only one touchdown in each of the first two games, although place-kicker Rob Bironas was perfect on three field goals.
"I'm not as concerned as they should be in Baltimore," Fisher said about his offense. "We had one three-and-out in the first half and three or four in the second (half). They had 11. That is a credit to our defense."
Fisher and the Titans "managed" the game to avoid turning over the ball to a Ravens defense filled with Pro Bowlers like linebacker Ray Lewis and safety Ed Reed and help win the game. He was happy that not much attention was paid to Steve McNair, who was 19-of-36 for 195 yards and a touchdown.
"Considering the uncertainty that we had regarding their defense going into this game, I thought he played a very, very good game," Fisher said.
