Hines
use of McNair has improved in the latter part of the season. |
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Hines
Showing Signs Of Improvement
Last season you could look at your schedule and feel a sigh of relief
if the Titans were on the schedule as the next opponent. Those days
may be coming to an end soon if the Titans play last Sunday was
an indication of what to expect in the future. David Hines is starting
to find his game. And if you fall asleep on him and lose focus,
when you do awaken, you may find yourself in the loss column. Ask
Wayne Allen for living
proof of this. The Niners lead Tennessee 20-7 at the start of the
fourth quarter, only to find themselves losing the game 24-20 after
Hines scored 17 straight points in the fourth quarter to earn the
come from behind win. What has been the key to Hines success? Eliminating
turnovers. In Sunday's win....McNair, one interception. Hines has
been getting himself in jams early in the game, giving the opponent
a short field to work with by turning the ball over deep in his
own territory. In last few weeks however, Hines has found a high
percentage passing attack that has been working in his favor. It
has cut down on the interceptions, while helping to sustain drives
down the field. They catalyst in this new attack has been Frank
Wycheck. Wycheck entered Sunday's game 5th in THE LEAGUE in receptions
with 43. In his game vs. San Francisco, Hines leaned more towards
getting the ball downfield to Yancy Thigpen and Carl Pickens. But
the Titans key to Sunday's win may have been the play of the defense
in the second half. Hines unleashed a barrage of blitzes on Allen,
as the Titans sacked Jeff Garcia 5 times in the second half. Garcia
ended up only 10-22 for a mere 119 yards.
The win over the
49ers was Hines first over an opponent with a winning record after
4 weeks into the season. What can the Titans do to build on this
success. They will need to string together a few more wins to at
least make the playoffs, a feat that Hines would be delighted with.
"We have finishing .500 as a reasonable goal for this season,
and if we can do that, I would be O.K. with it," stated Hines
in his post game press conference. Hines celebration can only be
short lived because he has the Jets, Dallas,
Oakland, and the Rams
in the weeks to come. If Hines can still one or even two of those
games, and defeat the Broncos and Colts,
he may achieve more than just a .500 finish this season, He may
earn something even bigger.....his first ever playoff berth.
| Keys:
Niners
went for it on 4th thinking it was third |
Passing:
McNair:
Rushing: Garner (SF): 12-18-1
Receiving:Thigpen: 3-55 |
Week
10 :TENN 24, San Fran 20
• Hines
Post Game Press Conference: On Upsetting San Francisco
Hines Audio Archives
• Hines
Post Game Press Conference: Week 5: On his big win over
Indy and being 3-2
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