Strategery
During the Tennessee Titans’ 27-12 victory yesterday over the Saints, Titans head coach Jeff Fisher threw a screaming, spittle-flying, tantrum fit at running back Robert Holcombe.

It was mere strategery.

Holcombe was the best supporting actor to Fisher's fake tantrum in the second quarter.

The Titans, planning to run a trick play, were forced to call a timeout because they didn't get wide receiver Drew Bennett into the huddle fast enough. The play was going to be a double pass, with Steve McNair throwing to Bennett and Bennett then throwing to Derrick Mason.

As soon as the Titans called the timeout, a yelling Fisher walked onto the field and started in on Holcombe. He told Holcombe he was going to keep yelling at him for no reason and kept it up all the way back to the bench.

''I thought (the Saints) were looking at me and were curious why we took the timeout,'' Fisher said. ''I wanted to deflect attention to the running back position rather than the receiver position.''

Fisher's performance was so convincing that Holcombe was worried his mother, who was in the stands, might think her son actually had made a mistake. ...

The Titans inserted Eddie George during the timeout, then ran the intended play. Bennett caught a pass from McNair and then tossed a 14-yard pass to Mason for a first down. Three plays later Gary Anderson kicked a 43-yard field goal to give the Titans a 13-2 lead.

''As long as everything works out they can use me as a scapegoat anytime they want to,'' Holcombe said. ''At first I didn't know what was going on, I didn't know why he was calling me out … I just know that I was part of the skit.''