By JIM WYATT
The Tennessean

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee Titans rookie John Simon vividly remembers where he was and who he was with the Monday night last year when Steve McNair was turned away on the goal line against Baltimore.

Simon was crowded around a television set with the rest of his Louisiana Tech teammates. It's what they always did on Monday night.

"To have a play stopped at the 1-yard line on the last play with no time left," Simon said. "What more could you ask for?"

How about an eraser?

The Titans would not only like to wipe away that game at the Coliseum, but their implosion at Pittsburgh last year as well. It was also on "Monday Night Football."

"They say you are only as good as your last game," Titans cornerback Donald Mitchell said. "Well, our last game on Monday night wasn't too good. Our last two games on Monday night weren't too good.

"We need to prove to people what this team is all about. We need to change the perception some people might have about us."

The Titans (8-5) return to the national spotlight Monday night against the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.

"Some of the greatest games have been played on Monday night, and to have an all-star performance then speaks volumes about yourself and your team," Titans running back Eddie George said. "People live for 'Monday Night Football,' and all eyes will be on us from coast to coast. It is an opportunity to show the nation what we are made of."

But the game provides much more than a chance to make amends for last season's Monday night meltdowns. It's also crucial in Tennessee's fight to stay atop the AFC South with the Indianapolis Colts, who rallied from a 16-0 halftime deficit Sunday to beat the Cleveland Browns 28-23. The Colts are now 9-5 in the AFC South. The Titans hold the tiebreaker between the two teams, but need to win Monday night to stay ahead in the race for the division title.

The Patriots (8-5) are also in a dogfight in the AFC East with the Miami Dolphins, who defeated the Oakland Raiders 23-17 Sunday. The Dolphins are now 9-5.

Only two weekends remain in the NFL regular season after Monday night's game.

"I think everybody likes to play when everybody is watching, that is probably just natural from any competitive standpoint," Patriots Coach Bill Belichick said. "This time of year every game is a big game, every game is important, so I think everybody wants to do well this time of year because so much is riding on it.

"You put them both together and you probably get about as good and competitive a situation as you could have."

The Titans believe they took a hit to the public's perception of them with the Monday night losses - 34-7 at Pittsburgh and 16-10 to the Baltimore Ravens. Although they won a nationally televised night game at Oakland last December, by then they were on the verge of being eliminated from playoff contention. They lost their last two games and finished the season 7-9.

It was about then, the Titans said this week, that America suddenly forgot about the success Tennessee had in 1999 and 2000.

When the results of the fan balloting for the Pro Bowl were released this week, the Titans saw it as another slap in the face.

Quarterback Steve McNair, one of the league's hottest players the past few weeks, was 10th, and many other Titans were way down the list at their respective positions. The Pro Bowl teams will be announced later this week after voting from players and coaches is completed.

"We might not get the credit we deserve, but we can change all that by winning, not just (Monday night) but the rest of the season," Titans cornerback Samari Rolle said. "All we have to do is keep winning."

The Titans and Patriots have done just that since midseason. The Titans have won seven of their past eight games after starting 1-4. The Patriots have won five of their last six.

McNair, despite playing with sore ribs and turf toe, has been the biggest reason for the turnaround. In the past two games, he's 49-of-66 for 671 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.

The Titans are also expected to get a defensive boost Monday night with the return of three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Jevon Kearse, who hasn't played since the first drive of the season opener because of a foot injury. Kearse practiced all week and should be on the field, though on a limited basis.

The Patriots also have kicked it into high gear behind quarterback Tom Brady's right arm. The reigning Super Bowl MVP has already thrown for 3,246 yards and 26 touchdowns.

"It is not early in the season where people are just watching for the entertainment, but other teams are going to be watching because it is going to affect what is going to happen to them the rest of the year," Titans linebacker Peter Sirmon said. "That is going to make it even more important.

"You'll have more NFL players watching, fans will be watching and looking at all the different playoff scenarios. So there is a buzz to it around the whole country. Hopefully, we can give them a good game to watch."

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