NASHVILLE, TENN. Titans turn back Browns' late bid to save 10-6 win

Cleveland nearly rallied to win behind quarterback Josh Booty in the waning seconds.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Steve McNair and the Tennessee Titans couldn't have started their preseason much better, and Kelly Holcomb may have nudged ahead of Tim Couch in the latest round of Cleveland's quarterback competition.
Eddie George ran for a touchdown and Joe Nedney kicked a 22-yard field goal as the Titans held off the Browns, 10-6, Saturday night in the exhibition opener for both teams.
The Browns nearly rallied to win behind Josh Booty, who found Marc Soumah in the end zone in the final minute. But officials ruled the pass incomplete even though a replay showed Soumah may have gotten his hands under the ball.
McNair and the Titans opened the game with a 15-play, 72-yard drive capped by George's 1-yard TD run. McNair was nearly perfect on the drive, completing 6-of-9 passes and even showed mid-season form as he shook off Cleveland end Kenard Lang.
Both McNair and George left after two series with McNair 7-of-10 for 61 yards, and George rushing seven times for 24 yards.
"I think we came out looking really sharp," McNair said. "Overall, we played pretty well. We did well on the first drive. Unfortunately, we stumbled on the second drive. Those kinds of things happen."
Couch not impressive
Couch, the top pick in the 1999 draft, didn't look very good as he played the first three series. The Browns moved the ball only 9 yards in the first quarter, going three-and-out on the first two series. Couch even fell once coming out from center, although he avoided a sack by scrambling out of bounds.
He rebounded by completing his next four passes before Andre King dropped one that hit his hands, and Phil Dawson kicked a 26-yard field goal. Couch left the game 4-for-8 for 17 yards.
Cleveland coach Butch Davis has promised to make this competition for the starting job as equal as possible. Holcomb came in with 7:28 remaining in the second against the Titans' second-team defense with a pair of rookies at the safety positions.
Holcomb found King on the right sideline for a 20-yard completion with four seconds remaining to set up Dawson's second field goal, a 51 yarder to pull Cleveland within 7-6 at the end of the half. Holcomb was 7-of-11 for 71 yards.
Booty is intercepted
Booty didn't fare much better either for the Browns. Brad Kassell, who is trying to become the Titans' starting middle linebacker, intercepted Booty's pass intended for C.J. Jones with 4:45 to go in the third.
The Titans had to play the entire game with rookie Donnie Nickey at free safety in place of Lance Schulters. Schulters had an emergency root canal Monday and has been bothered by it the past two days. Nickey played well, hitting Couch hard on a blitz in the first quarter.
The exhibition also featured Justin Hartwig's debut at center for the Titans with veteran Tom Ackerman out after arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. He was late on one snap, but none went awry.
Titans CB Andre Woolfolk, their top draft pick in April, dislocated his left big toe in the second quarter. X-rays did not show a fracture. ... The Browns lost their exhibition opener for the first time since returning to the NFL in 1999. They are just 1-8 on the road in the preseason in that time.