Titans build back their confidence on defence by racking up sacks, turnovers

NASHVILLE - Now this is the way the Tennessee Titans prefer to play defence.

Sure, they're still giving up lots of yards. But the Titans finally have gotten back to their defensive formula of sacking quarterbacks and forcing turnovers. They have eight sacks and six turnovers in the past two games - both wins.

It's a big reason why they ended their 0-6 start to this season.

"As you can see, everyone's playing with confidence," linebacker Keith Bulluck said. "I think once you begin making plays instead of plays being made against you, it changes a lot. We're starting to get some breaks, starting to make some real football plays, some things we were expected to do from Week 1. But better late than never."

Coach Jeff Fisher credits the return of cornerback Cortland Finnegan from an injured hamstring and nickel back Vincent Fuller from a broken arm.

Both Finnegan and Fuller missed three games, including the 59-0 rout at New England on Oct. 18. Nick Harper has missed three straight with his own broken arm, but Rod Hood, a veteran signed Oct. 15, has eased that loss with two picks in two games.

"That allows us to do more," Fisher said. "Once they come back then, if in fact we need to pressure a little more we can. They have a little better understanding. Rod's played, he can cover, he can challenge receivers. So, it really starts there."

Indeed it does. The Titans had a minus-10 turnover ratio through the first six games, and now they are plus-six in their two wins. Finnegan has intercepted a pass in each of the past two games and returned one for a touchdown in last week's 34-27 win in San Francisco as part of 24 points scored off turnovers.

Coincidentally, the Titans had only 11 sacks in the skid including two games where they didn't take a quarterback down even once. They have matched their season-high with four sacks in each of the past two games.

"We're just trying to basically put as much pressure on the quarterback as possible," defensive tackle Tony Brown said Thursday.

A key player in pressuring the quarterback has been second-year end William Hayes who is coming off his best game yet. The fourth-round pick in 2008 out of Winston-Salem State had eight tackles, 1 1/2 sacks, three quarterback pressures and caused a fumble.

"It's good to see him come on," Fisher said. "He's a talented player both against the pass as well as the run."

The Titans gave up 358 yards to the 49ers and rank next to last in the NFL, allowing 390.3 yards per game. They remain last defending the pass with 278.4 yards given up each game.

But the recent production and heightened aggressiveness makes prepping for Tennessee a challenge, according to Bills quarterback Trent Edwards. Sunday's visit to Tennessee will be his first start since Oct. 18 when he was knocked out of a game with a concussion.

He said it's almost like facing two different styles of defence because the Titans sat back in their coverage the first six weeks only to close up the middle, pressure and play plenty of man coverage the past two games.

"And you've got to prepare for both, that's what the hard part is. A defence like that that gives you so much you've got to be able to have the answers if they do give you the different look," Edwards said.

It's a big change from last season when the Titans ranked in the top 10 in key defensive categories, including second in fewest points allowed. But this is Chuck Cecil's first season as co-ordinator, and they did lose two-time Pro Bowl tackle Albert Haynesworth in free agency.

Four of their defensive linemen are in their third season or less in experience.

"Everyone's working well together, gelling," Brown said. "We're going to be fine."