Towel-gate talk overshadowing Titans' convincing victory

LenDale White has taken some criticism for stomping on the 'Terrible Towel.' Mike Strasinger for The City Paper

A day after the Tennessee Titans rolled over the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-14 to clinch home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs, the accomplishment has been overshadowed by Towel-gate.

Late in the game, Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck, tight end Bo Scaife and running back LenDale White stomped on Steelers Terrible Towels. Another photo showed defensive end Jevon Kearse blowing his nose on one of the yellow towels.

Earlier in the game, running back Chris Johnson had pulled out a white towel from his uniform and began swinging it after scoring the touchdown that put the Titans ahead for good at 17-14. That was done in retaliation for so many Steelers fans who invaded the crowd at LP Field and waved them throughout the contest.

The Titans improved to 13-2, equaling the most wins in a single season in franchise history, but thanks in part to the players’ sideline actions and the reaction by former Steelers coach and CBS studio analyst Bill Cowher, Towel-gate took over the headlines.

The Associated Press quoted Cowher Monday from his post-game comments, admonishing White and Bulluck for their on-camera actions.

"That looks like a pre-game talk the night before to me," Cowher said. "If (we'd) meet in the postseason, I know what I'm pulling out the night before the game."

He said of White, "You've got to learn ... I wouldn't do this, I wouldn't go there" and that Bulluck should know better than to do that, because "You are a veteran, Bulluck."

On the day after, Titans coach Jeff Fisher insisted that the towel is simply a piece of yellow cloth to his players, and certainly nothing hallowed like it is in Pittsburgh. Still, he indicated that excessive celebrating might have been unneeded.

“We’re not about those things, but I really think this: To our players, that’s just a towel. That’s all it is is a towel,” Fisher said. “They don’t understand the significance or the meaning of the towel itself to the organization, the Steelers history or the Steeler fans.

“So on one hand, I think they’re just playing with a towel. It’s not a shot at the organization, the staff or the fans. Our players have great respect for the Pittsburgh Steelers and what they’ve accomplished. Our players were talking about it in the locker room afterwards about what a good football team that was. This was just a couple of guys playing around with a towel. It was unnecessary in my opinion.”

After the game, Bulluck was unrepentant, but said he did not mean it as a slap to the Steelers organization.

“I really don’t care and it’s not disrespect to the Pittsburgh Steeler players or anything like that because there are a lot of great football players over there and coaches that I have a tremendous amount of respect for,” Bulluck said. “But that’s just our stand. Anybody that’s going to come through here in the playoffs, we plan to stomp them out. That has to be our stand.”

Steelers cornerback Deshea Townsend said it would be up to the Steelers to take care of business in any potential rematch that would come on Jan. 18 in the AFC Championship Game if both teams advance that far.

“Hopefully, if we do see them again we can right the wrong and not allow them to step on that towel,” Townsend said. “I am sure they are very emotional over there. I am sure it was good to win and show a little respect for our towel. We won’t forget it. I will say that.”

Fisher said he was unaware of the incident immediately after the game, and said it won’t be a big deal in any rematch.

“To be honest with you, I didn’t know it had taken place until I got in this morning. I wasn’t aware of it after the game,” Fisher said. “I didn’t pay much attention to it. If we’re fortunate enough to see Pittsburgh again, and that’s the motivation they need to play better, then that’s OK.”

As for Johnson, who was fined $10,000 after playing drums in the end zone after a touchdown in Kansas City, Fisher said he could potentially be fined again for pulling his towel out and waving after his 21-yard touchdown run.

“It potentially could be a problem, but it was his towel. It’s not like he took the towel out from the back of his pads and waved it, but the rule states that you can’t use the ball as a prop or props,” Fisher said. “If you’re doing something different with it than you ordinarily do, then it could be perceived as a penalty.”

Perhaps there will be a reward for Johnson, who received a set of drums after the Chiefs incident.

“When he pounded the drums, he got a free drum set. So maybe he’s trying to get something else. Maybe he’s out of paper towels at his house. Who knows?” Fisher said.

INJURIES: Fisher said center Kevin Mawae, who suffered an elbow injury in Sunday’s game, is still being evaluated.

He indicated that he elbow was not dislocated, and certainly not season-ending.

“We’re still doing some tests and evaluating him. I’m more concerned about whether he’ll play this week or not. It was not dislocated,” Fisher said.

If Mawae does not play, Leroy Harris, who finished up for him Sunday, will start. The decision then would be whether to put Harris at guard and slide Eugene Amano over to center.

“Leroy did fine. Leroy is more than capable of playing for us up front,” Fisher said. “If Kevin is in a situation where he’s questionable for the ballgame, then it would make sense that we give Leroy and opportunity. Now whether we would put Leroy at guard or center, that’s a decision we would have to make.”

STILL EVALUATING: Fisher said he is still evaluating how much to play his starters in the regular-season finale at Indianapolis, where neither the Titans nor Colts have anything on the line in terms of playoff seeding.

Just as Tennessee clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC Sunday, the Colts wrapped up the No. 5 seed and will face the Denver-San Diego winner on wild-card weekend.

“As far as our approach to playing different players, we’re not there yet. We’ll have to wait and see,” Fisher said. “Everybody is going to play. If they’re healthy, they’ll play. I can’t predict what coach [Tony] Dungy is going to do with his club. All we can do is go in there and play and try to win the ballgame.”

YOUNG TO PLAY: Fisher did say that starting quarterback Kerry Collins would give way to Vince Young at some point in the game against the Colts.

“I would say there is a pretty good chance Vince is going to get in the ballgame,” Fisher said. “How much I don’t know right now. But I think there’s a good chance he’ll get in the ballgame.”

Fisher wouldn’t say whether or not third-stringer Chris Simms, who has not seen regular season action since 2006 when he ruptured his spleen, would play.

CHRISTMAS OFF: The Titans will not practice on Thursday, giving players the day off with their families.