W. all knew it was going to happen, we just didn’t know when. The
Tennessee Titans have finally lost their first game of the season.

After last week’s come-from-behind win against the Jacksonville
Jaguars, the Titans’ critics had been silenced, but who knew that the silence
would last only one week. The Titans area pretty mediocre team who had |
somehow managed to win 10 straight games; albeit they didn’t make it look
easy, especially with the overtime win against the Green Bay Packers two

weeks ago and then the lackluster first half that they had against the Jaguars _

last Sunday.

The Tennessee Titans are off of Cloud Nine and are back on Planet Earth,

but this loss means a lot more than just 10-1 and an end to an undefeated
season. Let’s face it; if the New England Patriots didn’t go undefeated last
year, there would have been a pretty solid chance that the Titans would have
lost. I mean, did you see that Pats team from last year? Tom Brady, a first-
ballot hall-of-famer, threw 50 touchdowns in the regular season! Randy Moss
caught 23 touchdowns in that same regular season! Both were NFL records.
Plus, that same Patriots team annihilated other teams en route to going 16-0
in the regular season, 2-0 in the playoffs, but finally they lost last minute to
the New York Giants in the Superbowl. So yeah, if they couldn’t do it, I don’t
know if any team ever will—especially not these Titans.

But like I said, this loss means a lot more than just 10-1. It’s more than
just one loss, because if you take a look at the style they lost in, this becomes
quite clear. Predictions for Tennessee’s first loss range from 20-17, or 27-24;
no one would estimate a loss by more than a touchdown. So, I’m guessing
when people saw that Tennessee lost 34-13, they had to be shocked. I was.

A friend asked me last week if the Titans would cover the three point spread
against the Jaguars and I told him they would. I also told him it would be
their last week of going undefeated; I ended up being right twice. I relish this
loss because personally, I’m a huge fan of the Patriots; so, if a team ever goes
undefeated in the NFL, it better be New England.

The game didn’t really become one-sided until the second half, as the
first quarter ended with a 7-0 lead for the Jets off of a Brett Favre touchdown
pass to running back Thomas Jones. After a big overtime win against the
Patriots last week, the Jets came into this game having won four straight and
leading the AFC East behind new quarterback Brett Favre. An uneventful
second quarter consisted of a field goal by each team; therefore, the Titans
were looking at a seven-point deficit headed into the second half—nothing
that they couldn’t overcome. This week was a bit different from last week,
though; instead of coming out firing on all cylinders, the Titans didn’t do
anything but give up 10 more points to the Jets on a Jay Feely field-goal and
a Brett Favre TD pass to Laveranues Coles. Headed into the fourth quarter,
the Titans were down 20-3, and looking really bad. Two and a half minutes
into the fourth, the Titans kicked a field-goal to come within two scores as
they made it 20-6, but less than two minutes later Leon Washington’s 61-
yard run deflated any momentum that the Titans may have had. The Titans
responded quickly with a TD two minutes later, but that would be it, as Leon
Washington scored another TD for good measure and the Jets sealed a 34-13
victory over the Titans.

Oh well... on a positive note, Matt Cassel threw for 415 yards, as the
Pats crushed the Dolphins 48-28. Go Pats!

16

 

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WATERFRONT LOUNGE

250 Columbia SE 604.517.2966 www.brooklyn.ca

 

‘$5.50 Double Highbalis
$13. 00 Pitchers of Brooklyn Lager

eon
Ss.
STUDENT
NIGHT!

Friday:

$3.50 Vodka Cranberries —

$4.50 Crown Royal

$10.95 70z Sirloin Steak

ad w/ Caeser Salad, Garlic toast,
o JZ & Prawns _

‘THURSDAY, : ‘ -
Bs | Saturday: :
= RIDAY & $5.50 Double Long Islands
J Tommy !

e

wi Caeser Salad, Garlic —
cot VAT. & Prawns
Parly Witt: \TUNE TWISTER)
Daily $3 Shot Special!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LL Continued Pg 17 3g

 

“

 

Garth

McLennan
sports editor

     
 

Ne

Don't panic!

y Pee was thrown into crisis mode on November 22" against the Pittsburgh Penguins
when team captain and superstar goaltender Roberto Luongo went down with a groin strain.

Since then, Luongo has been listed as “week-to-week” and backup goalie Curtis Sanford has
had to fill in.

While it is tempting-for the more die-hard Canucks fans to jump off the Pattullo right now,
the team isn’t doomed to another out-of-the-playoffs finish just yet. So far, Sanford, 29, has
performed admirably. For example, he was a key figure in Vancouver’s recent 3-2 overtime
victory over the powerhouse Detroit Red Wings.

Luongo’s injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Canucks. They are looking
the strongest they’ve been all season right now and are among the leaders in the Northwest