Bironas Kicks Titans Past Packers in Overtime

Getting to 8-0 took the Tennessee Titans a little longer than expected Sunday, and that can all be attributed to kicker Rod Bironas. Bironas clanked his 49-yard field goal try off the upright at the end of regulation, but got redemption in overtime as he hit the game-winning 41-yard field goal to lift the Titans past the Green Bay Packers 19-16.

"I was hoping for exactly what happened," Bironas said. "We'd win the toss and get another shot at it. I don't miss many, so I definitely wanted another shot at it to put us in the lead and go home with the victory, 8-0."

Tennessee did in fact win the toss, then fed the ball to rookie running back Chris Johnson to get into range for Bironas. On a key third-and-six play from the Titans' 26 yard line in overtime, quarterback Kerry Collins hit a wide open Johnson for 16 yards and a first down. Johnson accounted for 45 yards (out of 55) on the final drive.

"To go right back out, I don't think it could have set up better for us," Collins said. "Chris [Johnson] looked tough to stop in that last quarter, and that carried right into overtime."

The Titans started the scoring by converting two Bironas field goals from within 35 yards. Green Bay (4-4) responded with a field goal of their own before Packers receiver Donald Driver scored the game's first touchdown on a five-yard pass from quarterback Aaron Rodgers to make it 10-6.

Tennessee fired right back, giving the ball to their flash-'n'-smash duo of Johnson and LenDale White. White rumbled for a 54-yard run on the next Titans possession, and Johnson finished off the drive with a six-yard touchdown two plays later.

The Titans and Packers would trade field goals after the break before Packers kicker Mason Crosby tied the game at 16 with just over five minutes left in the fourth. Green Bay had its chances after that, but couldn't advance the ball past the Titans' 41 yard line on their final drive and punted back to Tennessee with under two minutes remaining. 

"That was a huge stop at that point in the game," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said of his defense's stop late in the game. "They [Packers] had a drive going there at the end, but our defense made the stop when they had to."

It first appeared as if the Titans were going to play for overtime, but after converting on their first third down, Collins began attacking the Green Bay secondary. Collins completed 4-of-5 passes for 55 yards on the final drive, and set up Bironas with a makeable field goal with only four seconds left.

Bironas said his foot caught the ground on the attempt, and the ball clanked loudly off the right upright to send the game into overtime. Packers coach Mike McCarthy liked his team's chances at that point.

"We felt good about it," Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said. "We liked the position we were in and even kicking it off to them when we lost the coin toss we expected the defense to stop them. It didn't work out that way."

The Packers were unable to stop Johnson in overtime, and on third-and-one from the Packers' 24, Bironas kicked the game winner that was good from the second it left his All-Pro foot.

"When you win eight games, you're going to on occasion need to win some like this, and that is just what we did," Fisher said. "We hung in there."

Rodgers statisically played well, but two turnovers from the Packers' first-year starter hurt Green Bay. The first turnover, a fumble caused by Tennessee's Jacob Ford, set up a Titans field goal. The second, an interception by Chris Hope, took potential points off the board for the Packers.

Rodgers was the first to admit costly mistakes. "There are no moral victories," Rodgers said. "We wanted to get to 5-3. We felt like we had a good game plan and we were very aggressive. I just didn't throw the ball as well as I wanted to. I'm very disappointed about the way I played, but our resolve is strong and I'll come back next week and be ready to play in a big game against the Vikings."

Notes: Packers tackle Chad Clifton left the game in the first half and did not return. First reports say Clifton had a reaction to a medication he was taking...Driver had a season high seven catches for 136 yards and a touchdown...The Titans have won 11 straight regular season games, tying a franchise-record...The Titans have won five straight against the NFC, while the Packers lost their first game in six previous games against AFC foes.