Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair brought three streaks into Ravens Stadium. He left with only one -- the worst one.
McNair's run of consecutive games in which he threw a touchdown pass ended at a franchise-record 23 in yesterday's 13-12 loss to the Ravens. The Titans' winning streak ended at five, and the Ravens' winning streak against Tennessee rose to five.
"You cry and you're happy about a streak, but the streak breaks and you lose," said McNair, who had connected for nine touchdowns during the Titans' victory run. "That's bad. That's something that was in the back of my mind."
McNair generally hasn't performed badly against the Ravens, completing 58 percent of his passes in 11 previous games. Yesterday, however, the eight-year veteran struggled.
On third-and-goal on Tennessee's second possession, he was intercepted by Bart Scott in the end zone. McNair (21-for-43, 283 yards) threw two more picks to James Trapp and Chad Williams. He also lost one of two fumbled snaps.
Known for his ability to rush for third-down conversions, McNair had only one of those and gained just 14 yards on four carries. Sacked just once, McNair often had plenty of time, but simply made bad decisions.
"When you go out and commit three interceptions, have two fumbled exchanges, that's unprofessional," McNair said. "I didn't make the plays when I had to, and that's my fault."
The Ravens defended McNair's passes well, either with crunching hits or well-timed deflections. They foiled McNair three times during the Titans' final possession: Adalius Thomas tipped up and away a pass intended for Frank Wycheck, and Gary Baxter knocked down a pass intended for Drew Bennett.
It was Baxter, yet again, who pressured Wycheck as the former Maryland player dived unsuccessfully for McNair's final underthrown ball. That play came on fourth-and-two at the Titans' 33 with 1:37 to play, giving possession to the Ravens, who ran out the clock.
"Some were batted away. Some of the catches are tougher than others, but on the one at the end, I should pull it in and I didn't," Wycheck said.
There were times when teammates dropped the ball literally and figuratively. Down 7-0 on the Titans' second possession, Eddie George lost one in the end zone. At the Ravens' 19 in the fourth quarter, a penalty negated McNair's 13-yard pass to Justin McCareins.
But mostly, McNair blew it.
He overthrew a wide-open Derrick Mason at the Ravens' 40 with no one between Mason and the end zone. And down 13-9 on the Titans' next-to-last possession, Mason was all alone in the back of the end zone but the pass was overthrown.
"Whether you say he threw bad passes or not, I don't blame Steve," said Mason, his top receiver. "We win as a team; we lose as a team."