Young's Big Drive Lifts Titans Over Cards 20-17

Kenny Britt caught the pass and jumped to his feet — only to be stripped of the ball with time ticking away.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner warms up before an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009, in Nashville, Tenn. Warner did not suit up for the start of the game. (AP Photo/John Russell)

(AP)

No worries. On the next drive, Vince Young gave the rookie a chance for redemption, and he came through by leaping up to grab Young's 10-yard pass at the back of the end zone as time expired to cap the Tennessee Titans' stunning rally to a 20-17 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

"Emotions — there's really no words for it," Britt said. "Everybody is just so happy. You see people with the expressions that you didn't see around here for a long time. It just feels so special to be in the locker room with those fellas."

The catch capped an 18-play, 99-yard drive that used up the final 2 minutes, 37 seconds on the clock and kept the Titans on their historic rebound from an 0-6 start with their fifth straight win.

They did it with Young beating Matt Leinart in the first professional game between the first two quarterbacks taken in the 2006 draft. And it felt eerily reminiscent of the BCS national championship in January 2006 when Young beat Leinart with another late drive.

Young threw for a career-high 387 yards. He converted three fourth downs on the drive, two to Britt — including the TD catch.

"It was hard, but it really took a lot of patience and confidence," Young said.

Young has won nine straight starts, including the past five since he replaced Kerry Collins, and now is 23-11 as a starter. But this easily was his most impressive game since 2006 when he was the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year.

"He kept his poise, and he was confident," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said. "He just had that thing about him."

Leinart was making his first start since Oct. 7, 2007, because Kurt Warner had problems with his eyes. The Cardinals (7-4) sat Warner in case the problem is concussion-related, and Leinart threw for 220 yards. He drove the Cardinals to Tim Hightower's 6-yard TD run for a 17-13 lead in the fourth quarter.