Saturday, January 29, 2000
SUPER BOWL NOTEBOOK
Killens ready to cut Rams' returns
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
ATLANTA — Tennessee Titans special teams ace Terry Killens was on the field for one miracle during the playoffs, so containing St. Louis Rams Pro Bowl kick returner Tony Horne in Sunday's Super Bowl seems to be a more earthly endeavor.
“It's going to help because in our division we're used to seeing that kind of speed,” said Killens, who is from Kennedy Heights and is a graduate of Purcell Marian High School. “There's Reggie Barlow in Jacksonville, Tremain Mack in Cincinnati, Jermaine Lewis in Baltimore.”
Mack, the AFC Pro Bowl kick returner, stunned the Titans back on Nov.14 in the Bengals' 24-14 loss when he returned the opening kickoff of the second half 99 yards for a touchdown at Cinergy Field. Mack hit the middle, got tripped up and looked to be tackled before putting a hand on the ground and righting himself.
“We thought he was tackled, but he wasn't,” Killens said. “If we're disciplined and stay in our lanes, we should be able to contain their speed.”
Horne went 97 yards for a score in Cinergy back on Oct. 3, and went 101 against Atlanta two weeks later.
Killens is still shaking his head over the “Music City Miracle,” on Jan. 8, when Kevin Dyson took Frank Wycheck's lateral and went 75 yards up the sideline for the winning touchdown against Buffalo with 16 seconds left.
“I didn't want to think about (losing) when we went out there,” Killens said. “We were in the huddle saying we needed a touchdown. It's not over until the clock runs out of zeroes. And look in the NFL rule book. It only says a lateral can't be forward. It says nothing about it being straight.”
Killens never saw the kick land or Dyson catch the lateral. The idea was for the blockers to force their men to the inside and then form a wall up the sideline. When Killens heard the crowd cheering, he knew someone was coming up the side, so he went to the wall and hit the first guy he saw, which turned out to be the kicker.
“It was amazing being out there,” Killens said.
MAN OF THE YEAR: Middletown's Cris Carter was named the first recipient of the re-named Walter Payton Man of the Year Award Friday. Helping present the award were Payton's widow, mother and two children, as well as the Carter clan.
Carter, a seven-time Pro Bowl receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, heads the Christian Athletes for Spiritual Empowerment Program (CAUSE) as well as inner-city initiatives for children.
He minced no words when he accepted the trophy, decrying the recent high-profile off-field problems involving NFL players and calling on them to clean up their acts because children are watching.
TEMPERS FLARE: The Super Bowl practices moved indoors Friday and tempers heated up at Titans practice. In the final two-minute drill, wide receiver Derrick Mason and safety Blaine Bishop came to blows after an incomplete Neil O'Donnell pass. After several teammates broke it up, they tried to go at it again and were booted from the drill.
Mason complained that Bishop hit him in the helmet on the pass, but after coach Jeff Fisher spoke to them alone for several minutes, they hugged.
“It's over with,” Fisher said. “They compete. They're highly competitive. That happens over the course of the season. Did you see them walk off the field together? Those two are about as competitive guys as I've got.”
INJURY REPORT: Wide receiver Yancey Thigpen is waiting to get fitted for a splint that will take the pressure off his broken foot. He hasn't practiced and won't know until 31/2 hours before the game if he'll play. He wasn't ruled inactive Friday, although guard Zach Piller, linebacker Phil Glover, center Craig Page and free safety Marcus Robertson were.
Quarterback Steve McNair backed off some snaps Friday on the Astrourf because of his turf toe, but said he felt better than last week when he didn't practice on Friday.
The Rams' inactive players on Friday were defensive end Lionel Barnes, linebacker Troy Pelshak, running back Justin Watson and tackle Matt Willig.
Wide receiver Chris Thomas was kept active just in case wide receiver Torry Holt's injured shoulder and ribs flared up, but Holt will probably play.
Kicker Jeff Wilkens, battling tendinitis in his left kneecap, didn't kick Friday, but will on Sunday. Nick Lowery, is in Atlanta and brought his kicking shoes just in case.
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