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Titans send hapless Lions to 12th successive loss

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-11-28 11:12

DETROIT - The Tennessee Titans handed the Detroit Lions a 47-10 Thanksgiving Day thrashing on Thursday to send the toothless hosts to their 12th successive defeat of the season.

Tennessee Titans fan Terry Pappas wears a turkey hat as he watches the warm-up before the start of the Thanksgiving Day NFL football game against the Detroit Lions in Detroit, Michigan, November 27, 2008. [Agencies]

After watching their bid for a perfect season end with last week's loss to the New York Jets, the ruthless Titans handed the Lions their heaviest defeat of the year after storming to a 35-10 halftime lead.

"They were focused, you could tell good things were going to happen," Titans coach Jeff Fisher told reporters. "We're back on the right track.

"That one got away from us last week. But it's clear behind us now."

Chris Johnson and LenDale White each scored two first half touchdowns while Dave Ball intercepted a Daunte Culpepper pass and returned it 15 yards for another, sending some of the 60,112 capacity crowd of to the Ford Field exits before the interval.

The Lions, now 0-12, are closing in on the unwanted record of becoming the first NFL team to complete a season without a victory from 16 regular season games.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the last team to go an entire NFL campaign without a victory when they lost all 14 games of their debut season in 1976.

"It's tough for a rookie losing all these games," said Lions first year defensive end Cliff Avril. "I don't even know what it feels like winning an NFL game yet."

EARLY ADVANTAGE

Avril and the Lions were on the back foot before the game was five minutes old after Johnson romped to six and 58-yard touchdowns.

White added a pair of touchdown runs in the second quarter, scampering six yards for his first and diving over from the two on another to cap 91-yard scoring drive to push the Titans 35-3 in front.

Jason Hanson nailed a 53-yard field goal in the first quarter and Culpepper hit Michael Gaines with a two-yard touchdown pass in the second to record Detroit's only scores.

Four Rob Bironas field goals completed the rout in the final two quarters to send the hosts off the field to a chorus of boos from the few remaining fans.

Detroit coach Rod Marinelli refused to say he was embarrassed by his team's performance and dismissed speculation he could be fired.

"We got beat, we got handled in all areas, coaches, players, offence, defence, special teams," said Marinelli. "They are a very good team and we did not answer the challenge.

"I feel like I just have to keep fighting and going. I have great belief in myself and I always will. We have a couple of days to get healthy and go right back to work."