Titans Shut Out Cowboys

ByABC News
December 26, 2000, 10:15 AM

N A S H V I L L E, Tenn., Dec. 26 -- The Tennessee Titans didn’t slap high-fives with fans as they left the field. Most didn’t even bother to show off their T-shirts and hats commemorating their first AFC Central title since 1993.

But then the Titans never worried about not making the playoffs.

The Titans secured the AFC’s top seed, a bye week and home-fieldadvantage throughout the playoffs Monday night by beating theDallas Cowboys 31-0 in a game where their defense shined by forcingfour turnovers to finish as the NFL’s best.

“We talked about hitting a peak at the end of the year,”Titans end Kenny Holmes said. “I think we’re starting to peakright now. Hopefully, we’re just getting better every day.”

Defense Stars in Game

The Titans already feature the NFL’s best record at 13-3 andpossibly the toughest home-field advantage in the league atAdelphia Coliseum where they are 16-1 the past two seasons.

“We like our chances at home,” receiver Yancey Thigpen said.“We have a great record at home, and I think the guys really aregoing to work hard to take advantage of it.”

The Titans put on a show in the third quarter, this time withtheir defense.

They led only 7-0 after a first half in which they turned theball over four times, but they made up for it in less than 13minutes.

Linebacker Randall Godfrey forced two fumbles and recovered athird, end Henry Ford fell on a ball and ran 30 yards before divingin for a touchdown, and rookie linebacker Keith Bulluck walked intothe end zone with an 8-yard interception return.

Al Del Greco tacked on a 21-yard field goal that left the Titansup 31-0 with 2:36 left in the third quarter.

“The momentum swung, the crowd got into the game more, and itwas a very merry Christmas in Tennessee,” Bulluck said.

Cowboys Coach Salutes Titans

Granted, Dallas featured Anthony Wright at quarterback in onlyhis second NFL start with Troy Aikman watching on the sidelines.But they had Emmitt Smith in the game with a chance to pass BarrySanders for No. 2 on the career rushing list if he rushed for 124yards.