TENNESSEE TITANS 'Acting' comment not funny to Fisher
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Jeff Fisher doesn't think a joke by one of his players will taint the Tennessee Titans' overtime victory over Pittsburgh.
But for anyone who still thinks kicker Joe Nedney faked a dive, Fisher is ready to put that notion to rest.
"He was hit, and he went down," Fisher said Monday. "He didn't act out the part of a kicker being hit or not hit trying to draw attention to draw a flag. I think he regrets what he said, but I honestly believe that he was just joking around."
The wise-crack
Nedney cracked after the Titans' 34-31 victory Saturday night that he might consider acting when his career is over. Officials flagged Pittsburgh cornerback Dewayne Washington for running into Nedney and knocking him to the ground after he hooked a 31-yard field goal wide right.
"Look at the play, look at the foul, look at the contact and then take into consideration that he was joking," Fisher said. "You can go back and look at every one of Joe's kicks in his career, and he's never been in a situation like that."
The seven-year veteran wishes he wasn't there now.
Nedney fulfilled his dream of winning a playoff game with a field goal -- in overtime no less. But his attempt at comedy has resulted in a deluge of criticism that has kept him busy apologizing.
"For the integrity of the game, I probably shouldn't have said that," Nedney said. "The situation and the scenario was so crazy. I don't know if you want to call it a momentary lapse of reason or a little temporary insanity. I spit it out, and there's nothing I can do about it."
He wants to focus on the Oakland Raiders, the Titans' opponent Sunday in the AFC championship. He played three games for the Raiders in 1999, then was used briefly as an insurance policy for Sebastian Janikowski before being released in 2000.