 |
| Tennessee Titans running back LenDale White rushes six-yard for a touchdown against the Detroit Lions in the second quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2008, in Detroit. |
DETROIT (AP) -- Chris Johnson was untouched on a short run to the outside and a long gain up the middle.
The two plays were symbolic of the canyon-like gap between the once-beaten Tennessee Titans and the winless Detroit Lions.
Johnson ran for two touchdowns in the first quarter, LenDale White scored twice in the second and Tennessee coasted to a 47-10 win over Detroit on Thursday.
Johnson finished with 125 yards rushing and White added 106 on the ground as Tennessee met its goal of re-establishing the running game.
The Titans (11-1) bounced back from their first defeat of the season, surging to a 28-3 lead in the opening minute of the second, and have their best 12-game record in franchise history.
With a 34-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, Vince Young played for the first time since spraining his left knee in the opener, mentioning suicide to his therapist and losing his job to Kerry Collins.
The Lions (0-12) moved a step closer to becoming the NFL's first 0-16 team, losing by a franchise-worst 37 points and giving up a franchise-record 47 points in their 69th game on Thanksgiving.
Six teams have lost at least their first 12 games since Tampa Bay finished 0-14 in 1976 and the Lions have done it twice. They started 0-12 in 2001 before beating the Minnesota Vikings, who visit Detroit on Dec. 7.
It was a rare nationally televised game for both teams and it didn't take long for the nation to witness why Tennessee is terrific and Detroit is awful.
Wide receiver Shaun McDonald fumbled on Detroit's second play from scrimmage and Tennessee needed just two snaps to take the lead. Collins threw a 28-yard pass to Brandon Jones and Johnson had so much room on a 6-yard run to the left that pulling guard Eugene Amano didn't have anybody to block.
Johnson took a handoff up the middle on the fourth play of Tennessee's next drive, ran through a huge hole and sprinted past helpless safety Dwight Smith to make it 14-3.
Backup defensive tackle Dave Ball got in on the fun by returning an interception 15 yards for a score, capping it by leaping over the goal line and flapping his arms like a turkey.
The Lions continued to hurt themselves on the ensuing possession, getting called for delay of game after calling a timeout and Nick Harris booted a 13-yard punt.
White added TD runs of 6 and 2 yards to make it 35-3 late in the first half.
Collins made a rare mistake, fumbling as he dropped back to pass and Daunte Culpepper found Michael Gaines from the 2 right before halftime for Detroit's only touchdown. Collins was 11-of-18 for 127 yards.
Rob Bironas kicked two field goals in the third quarter and two more in the fourth.
Young set up the fourth field goal, tossing a short pass to fullback Ahmard Hall and watching him outrace defenders as if he was an Olympic sprinter for a 54-yard gain.
Culpepper was 13-of-26 for 134 yards with a TD and an interception.
Drew Henson replaced him late in the fourth quarter, playing for the first time since his appearance with the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving in 2004 and becoming Detroit's fifth quarterback to take a snap during its miserable season.
