COACH JEFF FISHER and the Tennessee Titans have joined the Denver Broncos and their coach, Mike Shanahan. The Ravens and Brian Billick own them. If the Titans were 15-0 heading into a game with the 0-15 Ravens, bet on the Ravens.

Bank on it. Don't bet your house on it, but your neighbor's, to be safe.

In another freak game in this series, the Ravens ran their unbeaten streak to five games over Tennessee yesterday in a 13-12 victory.

The Titans had 402 yards of total offense compared with 199 for the Ravens. The Titans had almost an 8 1/2 -minute advantage in time of possession, 20 more offensive plays and twice as many third-down conversions. Yet, the Ravens won.

Again.

"It's frustrating playing this team, really, really frustrating," said Tennessee tight end Frank Wycheck, a former University of Maryland star. "I guess you could say they have had their way against us."

It's so bizarre now that it's amusing. Let's roll back the game film. In the playoff game in the 2000 season, the Ravens won largely because of a blocked field-goal try returned for a touchdown, an interception returned for a touchdown and a long pass that set up a field goal.

Last year on Monday Night Football, Titans quarterback Steve McNair's 1-yard game-winning quarterback sneak for a touchdown was nullified because Ravens outside linebacker Peter Boulware was called for illegal contact.

On the next play, defensive tackle Sam Adams and safety Corey Harris helped stop McNair on another quarterback sneak as time expired in the Ravens' 16-10 win.

There is always something.

Then came yesterday.

The Ravens were all set up for a loss. Tennessee had won five straight, and the Ravens had the highest-paid cheerleading squad in the history of the NFL on the sideline, with defensive end Michael McCrary, linebacker Ray Lewis, cornerback Chris McAlister and receiver Brandon Stokley out because of injuries.

And the Titans still lost.

Why?

Ravens safety Ed Reed blocked a punt and returned it 11 yards for a touchdown early in the first quarter, and Titans running back Eddie George couldn't hold onto a 4-yard touchdown pass about four minutes later.

His teammate, Derrick Mason, couldn't hold onto a 3-yard touchdown pass in the back of the end zone late in the fourth quarter, and Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair played just as miserably as his Ravens counterpart, Jeff Blake, by throwing three interceptions and losing a fumbled snap.

That was pretty much the game in a nutshell.

"We managed to lose this game just by any way you can today," Fisher said. "Special teams with our first block in a number of years for a touchdown. When you can't score touchdowns, it's hard to win. It was not our best effort."

Have the Titans been snake-bitten by the Ravens?

"We've lost five straight. I guess that answers your question," Fisher snapped.

Only if his players were as tough. That's another reason the Titans can't beat the Ravens. George is so soft. He hasn't been the same since Lewis smacked him around in the 2000 season. Did you see him chicken out on that screen pass when he was about to get hit by Boulware yesterday?

McNair also has nightmares about Lewis and the Ravens. It took him all of last season to recover after Lewis made like Diamond Dallas Page of WWE fame and drove him shoulder-first into the field during the 2000 playoff game. McNair didn't run a lot yesterday, and could have easily waltzed in on the pass George dropped for a possible touchdown.

Fisher could be a little more aggressive, too. Trailing 13-9 with 4:36 left and facing fourth-and-goal at the Ravens' 3, Fisher elected to go with kicker Joe Nedney, who converted on a 21-yard field goal. Fisher should have gone for the touchdown.

If the Titans score, they're up 16-13, and Blake has to pass the ball. End of game. Blake was as hot as Mr. Freeze. If Tennessee doesn't convert, that leaves the ball on the 3 and the Ravens' putt-putt offense has a long way to go.

Fisher has to take chances against the Ravens. Because if their lack of execution doesn't undermine the Titans, their hard luck against the Ravens will.

How else can you explain Blake's having a pass intended for Travis Taylor picked off by Andre Dyson and returned 28 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter, only to see it nullified because linebacker Keith Bulluck was called for roughing the passer? How else do you explain the two bad snaps between McNair and center Gennaro Dinapoli, one resulting in a Ravens field goal? Look at that ugly-looking 43-yard field goal by Matt Stover in the third quarter? How did that make it through the uprights?

If it wasn't for bad luck, the Titans would have no luck at all against the Ravens.

"I don't know what it is about Baltimore. I can't put my finger on it," Wycheck said. "They were playing without No. 52 [Lewis]. This one is on us. They didn't beat us; we beat ourselves."

The Ravens tried to give it away. Their offense is pathetic. Billick needs to burn the playbook. It's hard to point fingers, because you run out of hands. Taylor is inconsistent catching the ball. Fellow wide-out Ron Johnson is consistent. He can't catch at all. Blake needs to take ballet lessons and stop locking onto receivers. The offensive line? Never mind. We don't have the time.

After nearly four years, the Big Genius and the Little Genius, Billick and offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh, just can't get this offense together.

One should go. It won't be Billick, who made one horrendous call midway through the third quarter when Blake tried to pass to Todd Heap (which was intercepted) instead of running Jamal Lewis on a fourth-and-one at the Titans' 35.

The Ravens' playbook should consist of one play: Just give Lewis the damn ball.

But even that backfired when Lewis fumbled at the Titans' 13 with 10:14 left in the game.

No sweat.

Everyone knew the Titans weren't going to score. Too soft. Too much bad luck. The Ravens were the first team to beat them at their new home, not once, but twice. They beat them in the playoffs in 2000, and hit them upside the heads with their own 2-by-4's last year in the Lumber Bowl game.

Tennessee wants no part of the Ravens. Not now. Not ever. The Ravens own them.