Sports Desk
From the Scene’s desk at McCabe Pub
Titan tidbits: Frank Wycheck, who snatched 10 catches for 123 yards Saturday, needs two catches to become only the fourth tight end in NFL history to log 500 receptions, joining Shannon Sharpe, Ozzie Newsome and Kellen Winslow. The Titans’ defense has now played 22 consecutive home games without allowing a 100-yard rusher—the NFL’s longest active streak. Since 1995, the Titans hold the league’s best road record, 37-27 (.578). In turn, Oakland has the NFL’s sixth best home record since 1999— posting a 24-9 record during the four-year span. The Tennessee Titans have netted an impressive 7-2 mark against teams with winning records this season, which ties them with the Oakland Raiders for having the best record among the 12 teams who advanced to postseason play. Since 1998, Eddie George ranks third among all NFL backs in all-purpose yardage with 7,860—trailing only Marshall Faulk (10,409) and Curtis Martin (8,107). As a franchise, Oakland has played a total of 40 playoff games, second only to Dallas (53). ♦ If the playoffs have taught us anything, it’s that special teams play is the great X-factor. That said, keep a close eye on Oakland’s Sebastain Janikowski, who drilled 26 of 33 (78.8) field goal attempts in 2002, including a 54-yarder. In three years as a pro, Janikowski has never missed an extra point (138-138) and averages 66.6 yards per kickoff, including 22 touchbacks in 2002. ♦ The stat of the week belongs to the Nashville Predators. Before falling 2-0 to Chicago Sunday night, the Preds were 3-0-1 in their last four contests. Nashville faces Calgary Thursday, Edmonton Saturday, then returns home for three games, beginning Jan. 21 against Vancouver. ♦ The win of the week belongs to the Vanderbilt’s women’s tennis team. The Lady Commodores improved their 2003 record to 2-0 by defeating Michigan St. and Louisville Sunday at the Brownlee O. Currey Tennis Center, sweeping both contests 9-0. Sarah Riske and Aleke Tsoubanos, the No. 1 doubles team in the country according to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, cruised 8-2 and 8-1 in their two matches. Tsoubanos also dominated in singles, losing only five games in four sets.
—Brian Blackwell
