By TERESA M. WALKER
AP Sports Writer
NASHVILLE, Tenn.(AP) -- The moment every Titans fan expected
finally happened, and they couldn't wait to see how Vince Young
reacted.
Young had just been intercepted for the first time since
returning as Tennessee's starting quarterback. He walked to the
bench. No pouting, no helmet slam. Instead, Young just grabbed a
cap and took a seat on the bench before bouncing back with his
third straight victory.
So far, it sure looks like all that time as a backup resulted in
a more mature - and winning - quarterback.
"I grew up a little bit," Young said.
The 2006 Offensive Rookie of the Year has posted a passer rating
of 90.4 or better in three straight games for the first time in
his short career, and he is running effectively.
Coincidence or not, the Titans (3-6) are showing signs of life
after the 0-6 start prompted owner Bud Adams to insist that
coach Jeff Fisher start the quarterback Adams had watched
through high school and college in Texas.
Nearly 14 months have passed since Young lost his job following
the 2008 season opener, the game in which Young had to be coaxed
back onto the field, upset over being booed for a second
interception. A few plays later, he sprained his knee.
That was the start of a dramatic week in which Young skipped a
scheduled exam, and Fisher wound up calling police to help find
Young when the quarterback sped off in his Mercedes with a gun
in the car. Young called the incident the result of a worried
mother. But veteran Kerry Collins remained the starter as the
Titans started 10-0.
Since then, Young's sideline behavior has been a hot topic in
Nashville.
Fans speculated he stayed busy listening to his iPod when he
monitored play calls through an earpiece; measured the distance
between Young and Collins when talking with offensive
coordinator Mike Heimerdinger; and even where he sat during
games.
Through it all, Fisher insisted Young was the Titans' franchise
quarterback and that the No. 3 overall pick in 2006 was busy
learning.
"He's making the decisions and changing the plays on the line of
scrimmage and doing what we expect the quarterback to do,"
Fisher said of Young. "The position's hard enough to play, and
he's playing it well right now. We just have to keep it going."
Some of Young's teammates didn't sound enthusiastic when he
returned as the starter, pointing out the big difference between
practice and games. Young sounds as if he understands his
challenge.
"I put my teammates first, and I'm behind everything else. I
want to keep working and impressing them and earning their
confidence and respect from them guys," he said.
Numbers help.
Young is 21-11 in his four NFL seasons, and he can win his
eighth straight game as a starter Monday night when the Titans
visit his hometown, Houston. In his three starts, he is 44 of 62
for 469 yards with two touchdowns and the lone interception. He
has been sacked just once and has run 22 times for 73 yards and
another TD.
Houston cornerback Dunta Robinson said the Titans have eased
Young back into the offense, especially with Chris Johnson
leading the NFL in rushing.
"When you've got a running game that is clicking and working the
way that running game is, you shouldn't have to ask any
quarterback to do too much," Robinson said. "He's coming in and
he's managing the game pretty well. He's making the throws he's
supposed to make, and they're handing the ball off to Chris
Johnson, and he's making the difference."
Collins had Johnson, too, but Young's mobility allows him to
move around and buy time. Young said he is working hard with
Heimerdinger, and the result has been a variety of quarterback
draws, scrambles, throwing on the run and even the option.
Young also has organized his private life to focus on work. He
used to come in from practice and find his cell phone demanding
his attention. This is the quarterback who had a brief reality
show his rookie season, talked of how he stayed busy playing
Santa, and dived into charity work with his own foundation.
"Now I have all of that structure-wise right. I don't have to
worry about that. All I have to do is play football now," Young
said.
He also had to deal with the murder of his mentor, Steve McNair,
in July. Young said at the funeral he would be there for
McNair's sons as the NFL veteran had been there for Young.
Trenton and Tyler McNair watched as Young led the 41-17 win last
weekend over the Bills.
"My confidence level is a tremendous high," Young said.
"As I have been sitting back and watching and learning the game
of football as a quarterback the things you need to do. That is
all I have been doing, just being ready and the preparation is
the biggest key right now."
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