NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Bengals and Tennessee stood in roughly the same place after the 1997 season.

        The Oilers were a combined 16-16 in 1996 and '97, their first year in Tennessee. The Bengals were 15-17. Both teams were rebounding from losing seasons that were rewarded, nonetheless, with high draft choices.

        The Bengals drilled Tennessee 41-14 in the 14th game of 1997 to split the season series.

        Then their paths diverged.

        Tennessee, in the midst of a multi-city odyssey — Houston to Memphis to Nashville — had another .500 season in 1998. The Bengals dropped to 3-13.

        The reason? The Bengals had let their best quarterback, veteran Boomer Esiason, retire. Tennessee had nurtured its best quarterback, Steve McNair, limiting his playing time his first two seasons and sticking with him through his growing pains once he became the starter.

        “They're a team that really came from having average records, below average and put together the team bit by bit, piece by piece, and it didn't happen overnight,” Bengals coach Dick LeBeau said of Tennessee.

        “I like our players here. We just need one more year to be where Tennessee is.”

        The Titans, flush with a new stadium, new name and new uniforms, were the surprise of the NFL in 1999. They went 13-3 and won three playoff games before losing one of the best Super Bowls ever played.

        But it was more than the first-round selection of Pro Bowl rookie defensive end Jevon Kearse that pushed the Titans over the top. The Bengals, by the way, passed on Kearse to take quarterback Akili Smith with the third overall pick in 1999. That's the same year the Bengals passed up a chance to get well by declining New Orleans' nine-for-one trade offer in draft picks.

        The Titans were built by consistently good drafts that yielded stars in the first round and solid, depth-building players in later rounds. They also were effective when entering the free agent market.

        “We've had a plan,” Titans coach Steve Fisher said. “I think our plan virtually went unnoticed because of the difficulties we had for a number of years, but we recognized the importance of having depth at key positions. We've had to call upon that depth on a number of occasions this year.”

        Here's how the Titans went from a .500 team to having the NFL's best record the past two seasons.

        The Titans are the only NFL team to have their past eight first-rounders on the 53-man roster. Since 1993, the first round has produced six starters: offensive tackle Brad Hopkins, McNair, running back Eddie George, defensive end Kenny Holmes, wide receiver Kevin Dyson and Kearse.

        The Bengals' past eight first-round picks are a mixed bag. In Cincinnati, it's been either boom or bust. Defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson, running back Ki-Jana Carter and linebacker/defensive end Reinard Wilson were failed picks. The jury's still out on Smith.

        Left tackle Willie Anderson ('96) and linebacker Takeo Spikes ('98) are Pro Bowlers in waiting. Receiver Peter Warrick is a budding star.

        In the second round of the '98 draft, the Bengals took cornerback Artrell Hawkins, who hasn't intercepted a pass in two years and is now a special teams player. Later in the round, Tennessee took Samari Rolle, who's tied for the NFL lead with seven interceptions.

        But Tennessee didn't waste late-round picks. Starting guards Benji Olson and Kevin Long were taken in the fifth- and seventh-rounds in 1998. Pro Bowl strong safety Blaine Bishop was an eighth-rounder. Free safety Marcus Robertson ('91) and wide receiver/kick returner Derrick Mason ('97) were fourth-rounders.

        Rounds 3-7 in the past six Cincinnati drafts have produced only four current starters — cornerback Robert Bean (fifth, 2000), linebacker Steve Foley and guard Mike Goff (third, '98) and tackle Rod Jones (seventh, '96).

        Tennessee also has had more success with free agents.

        The Titans' most important signing of the offseason, middle linebacker Randall Godfrey, leads the team with 136 tackles and has two interceptions and forced two fumbles.

        The Bengals' biggest catches — defensive linemen Vaughn Booker and Tom Barndt, $11 million each — missed a combined six games and have no sacks and just 25 tackles. Booker will miss the rest of the season after having a cyst removed from his knee, and Barndt has been slowed by a pulled pectoral muscle in training camp.

        Then there's a winning attitude, which wills teams such as the Titans to victory in close games. Tennessee has won four games this season by three or fewer points.

        Three of the Bengals' losses this year are by 15 or fewer points, and in several games, one or two plays have gone against them and doomed them.

        “There is an expectation level,” Fisher said. “You have to be able to play through the ebbs and flows of a game and not be distracted by a big play by your opponent or by the fact you might fall behind.”

        Said quarterback Steve McNair, “The years we went 8-8, we lost a lot of close games, and we learned from that.”

        In 1998, Cincinnati lost four games by seven points each. Last season, the Bengals lost three times by 10 of fewer points, including the opener at Tennessee which the Titans rallied to win 36-35.

        The Bengals apparently have learned little.

        “Just the confidence of winning one or two of them” is what's missing in Cincinnati, Bengals right tackle Anderson said. “We're all in the NFL. We all know how to play football. Their confidence presents itself in the fourth quarter.”

        LeBeau has taken notice of Tennessee's ability to win close games.

        “When it comes down to crunch time, Tennessee wins,” he said. “That's the mark of a team that is there. That is really the direction we hope to go.”

Bengals hope to emulate Titans Titans win while Bengals build Titans mission? Stop Dillon Who's got the edge? By the numbers Players to watch

DAUGHERTY: Reds can't compete anymore
Reds may offer SS for P
Reds move Espinoza to 2B
Baseball meeting roundup
Bigger strike zone hot topic
Princeton 58, Xavier 52
Frey's fortunes tied to Muskies'
Crosstown Shootout preview
Crosstown Shootout week schedule
SULLIVAN: UC football still tough sell
Monday will show what Bearcats learned
Crosstown Shootout preview
Crosstown Shootout week schedule
Olympics here a longshot
A look at the competition for the U.S. bid
Bond Hill uncertain about hosting Olympic Village
PULFER: Taxpayers want the truth
Miami 73, Notre Dame 64
Small college basketball roundup
Channel 9 launches weekly hoops show
Stuff victorious in opener
Boiman takes rocky road with Notre Dame
Five Questions with Rocky Boiman
High school insider
Cincinnati boys basketball games
Cincinnati girls basketball games
N.Ky. boys basketball games
N.Ky. girls basketball games
Boys basketball schedule
Girls basketball schedule
Indiana boys basketball scores
Indiana girls basketball scores
Kentucky boys basketball scores
Kentucky girls basketball scores
Ohio boys basketball scores
Ohio girls basketball scores
Cincinnati high school results
Cyclones 7, Cleveland 4
Miami signs top golf prospects
Two NKU players named soccer All-Americans

• Return to Bengals front page...