NASHVILLE – Mike Munchak got his first victory as an NFL head coach Sunday, and also his first Gatorade shower.
That might seem like an incredibly premature event for Week 2 of the NFL season. But for the Tennessee Titans it symbolized a collective sigh of relief for a franchise that came out of its opener reeling, and on paper appeared headed for another bitter thumping at the hands of its most menacing rival, the Baltimore Ravens.
Amid that sea of negativity, Munchak earned his sideline bath not only with a gutsy call that helped spur Tennessee to a 26-13 victory at LP Field, but also with a history lesson that focused on the long view instead of recent failings.
BOX SCORE: Titans 26, Ravens 13
Tennessee quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, as a Titans newcomer this season, was one of the rapt listeners Saturday night as Munchak recounted how Baltimore has been the Titans' biggest stumbling block since the team came to Tennessee.
Twice Baltimore had derailed 13-3 Titans teams in the playoffs, in 2000 and 2008, and both times in games at Nashville.
"I talked a lot about our tradition, and how these guys are the ones who were in the way of it for so long," Munchak said.
Munchak, an assistant under Jeff Fisher for those games, emphasized that confrontations with the Ravens always seemed to have ugly, distressing beginnings.
"It meant a lot to me, being that I'm new," said Hasselbeck, who then went out and experienced what Munchak had forecast, having a batted pass turn into an interception early.
The ugliness intensified when Rob Bironas muffed a 34-yard field goal try.
But, Hasselbeck said, "I don't think anybody flinched. I don't think anybody panicked, because it was exactly like he said."
Tied 10-10 at the half, Tennessee came alive with its opening drive in the third quarter. On a fourth-and-1 at Baltimore's 10-yard line, a situation where Fisher-coached Titans teams often took the conservative path, Munchak told offensive coordinator Chris Palmerto take a shot.
Javon Ringer— and not 2,000-yard man Chris Johnson— got the call on a misdirection pitchout and darted in for the go-ahead touchdown and a lead that Tennessee never relinquished.
"I thought that was a perfect opportunity to do it," Munchak said. "To come away with a three would have felt like a defeat."
The set the second-half tone for Tennessee dictating the pace, and building nearly a 12-minute advantage in time of possession.
"We didn't really keep ourselves on the field for a very long time," Ravens quarterbackJoe Flacco said. "We were never really able to get to them, wear them out a little bit and break them. You have got to credit those guys for preventing that."
Johnson finished the day with only 53 yards on 24 rushes, a 2.2 average that would have spelled doom for most of Tennessee's run-oriented teams. But that was hardly a relevant stat to the outcome, as Hasselbeck cut loose for 358 yards on 30-for-42 accuracy.
In the 2006-2010 stretch where they split quarterbacking duties for Tennessee, Vince Young and Kerry Collins had a combined total of only three 300-yard passing games.
"In the past, we could have lost that game five different ways by not making those passes and not making those catches," Munchak said.
Kenny Britt's nine receptions accounted for 135 of those yards, much of which came while being covered by Baltimore's all-world safety, Ed Reed.
"We just need to get our running game going and then I don't think anybody can stop us," said Britt of an offense that showed virtually no hint of being explosive in the Week 1 loss at Jacksonville.
Tennessee's 432 total yards were the Titans' most ever against the Ravens, who had arrived in Nashville seeming as imposing as ever, coming off a 35-7 mauling of Pittsburgh.
Said Munchak: "What a difference a week makes, huh?"
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