NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Jeff Fisher pushed back practice Thursday by five hours to swap up the schedule, let his Tennessee Titans sleep in a bit and give them a bit of a preview for their Sunday night kickoff with Indianapolis.
Veteran center Kevin Mawae says it may be just the kind of change the Titans need.
"Anytime things aren't going right, you've got to shake things up a little bit just to see how guys react and whether it's a position change or just a time schedule change," he said. "Something as simple as a time schedule change puts guys on their toes and makes them really get out of that complacency mode, and that's a good thing."
Fisher also switched his practice times Wednesday and Friday, but both were a matter of minutes compared to Thursday's schedule. He pushed this session back five hours, putting the Titans on the field in the late afternoon and finishing up under the lights at 7 p.m.
"We have a lot of young guys, and we've got an evening game," Fisher said. "We thought we'd push things back a little bit to give them a chance to rest up."
This isn't the first time Fisher has made some changes to his weekly practice schedule. But the Titans are off to an 0-4 start that is their worst since opening 0-5 in 2006. He noted he made changes when the team was winning, as he did last year about this time when he promoted Stephen Tulloch to starting middle linebacker.
Aside from the winless start, the Titans will be playing only their second home game this season Sunday night in a nationally televised prime-time event against Indianapolis.
The Colts (4-0) are used to these night games. This will be their third prime-time road game this season.
Linebacker Keith Bulluck thinks it's a good thing to be under the lights.
"You have to perform under the lights. If you don't perform under the lights, you stand a chance of being embarrassed under the lights. We're coming home to our fans," Bulluck said.
SACKLESS: Of all the frustrated Titans, none may be more upset than defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch. He didn't get to enjoy the 2008 season because of a groin injury that limited him to 10 games and 4{ sacks.
Well, four games into the 2009 season, Vanden Bosch has yet to take a quarterback to the ground.
"It's frustrating," he said. "I believe in the stuff I'm doing, and I believe I'm going to have success. It hasn't happened to this point. The only thing I know how to do is keep working. I don't know if I can practice harder. I don't think I can play harder. I've just got to keep doing and believing in what I'm doing."
Vanden Bosch is a two-time Pro Bowler in his ninth NFL season. He led Tennessee in sacks in each of his first three seasons here. It's nothing lingering from the injury that eventually required surgery last December.
"I'm healthy. I feel as good as I've ever felt," he said.
TURN OFF THE RADIO: Replacing Kerry Collins with backup Vince Young has been the hot topic on Nashville talk radio since the Titans dropped their fourth straight game to open this season. Not that Collins has been listening.
"I swear to you I do not turn it on. I haven't listened to talk radio in I can't tell you how long. I just learned over the years that I just ignore that stuff. You know I'm not stupid. I'm know what's being said," Collins.
Coach Jeff Fisher has been insistent on sticking with the veteran who helped the Titans go 13-3 last season over Young. Collins, whose career record is 82-93 as a starter, appreciates that support.
"I appreciate the fact that he's going to bat for me publicly, and a lot of coaches wouldn't do that so I do appreciate that. It makes me want to do that much better for him. I feel like I still have the support of my teammates, and I'm going to try to do everything I can to win, just like I know they are."
PEYTON'S TAKE: Peyton Manning is among the Tennessee alumnae keeping a close eye on what's happening with the Volunteers, and the Indianapolis quarterback said he doesn't think anybody's real happy they are 2-3.
"But they're fighting hard every week. It's been a change just like what we've kind of gone through here with the Colts with the coaching change. That's just kind of the way things are sometimes," Manning said.
He still talks with coach Phillip Fulmer, who was fired last year before finishing out the season. Manning remains close to Fulmer but he has gotten to know new Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin and his staff.
"They seem to be working real hard. Like I said, SEC is tough. It's like the NFL, it's a grind every single weekend. I'm pulling hard for them," Manning said.
Asked if he thinks Fulmer will get back into coaching, Manning said he hopes Fulmer does.
"I certainly hope he has a chance to," Manning said.
ROSTER MOVE: The Titans worked out four players Thursday and signed running back Lance Ball of Maryland to the practice squad. They also looked at fullback Jedidiah Collins of Washington State along with running backs Herbert Donaldson of Western Illinois and Florida Moore's Kestahn Moore.
