VETERANS HONORED: Before and during the game, several current and former members of the United States Armed Forces were honored as part of the Titans' and NFL's "Salute to Service" campaign surrounding the Veterans Day holiday. The festivities included a pregame swearing in of enlistees in the Tennessee Air National Guard, a flyover by four U.S. Navy F-18 Hornets at the end of the National Anthem, a halftime performance by the 101st Airborne Division Band, and an honorary game ball presentation to the 101st Airborne's commanding general.
STEVENS BACK IN STARTING LINEUP: Tight end Craig Stevens suffered a rib injury at Cleveland on Oct. 2. Since then, he was limited in games at Pittsburgh (10/9) and against Houston (10/23) and inactive against Indianapolis (10/30). Against the Bengals, he was back in the starting lineup once again.
JOHNSON'S GAINS SET UP FIELD GOAL: The Titans took a 3-0 lead on a 43-yard field goal by Rob Bironas. To help set up the score, running back Chris Johnson gained 20 yards on a rushing attempt and 21 yards on a reception.
TEN CONSECUTIVE FOR BIRONAS: Rob Bironas made his only field goal attempt of the game, a 43-yarder in the first quarter. It was the 10th consecutive made field goal by Bironas, who has not missed since Sept. 18 against the Baltimore Ravens. On the season, Bironas is nine-of-11 on field goals and is perfect on extra point attempts (16 of 16).
SMITH GETS SACK AGAINST FORMER TEAM: Titans defensive tackle Shaun Smith, who is in his eighth NFL season, played for the Bengals from 2004 through 2006 and again in 2009. Facing his former team, he notched his first sack of the season, a seven-yard takedown of quarterback Andy Dalton. Smith now has four career sacks.
TITANS CONVERT KEY FOURTH DOWN: Trailing 7-3 in the second quarter, the Titans faced a fourth-and-three at the Cincinnati 10-yard line. Matt Hasselbeck found wide receiver Lavelle Hawkins for a five-yard catch for a first down, leading to a Titans touchdown two plays later.
HASSELBECK-TO-WILLIAMS TOUCHDOWN: For the third time this season, Matt Hasselbeck and Damian Williams connected for a touchdown pass. In the second quarter against the Bengals, Williams caught an eight-yarder to give the Titans a 10-7 lead. It was also Williams' third career touchdown.
HAWKINS LEADS TEAM, SCORES FOR FIRST TIME: With eight seconds remaining in the first half, Matt Hasselbeck found Lavelle Hawkins for a 16-yard touchdown pass. It was the first career touchdown for Hawkins, who is in his fourth NFL season. Not only did Hawkins score for the first time, but his five receptions and 63 receiving yards both led the team.
HASSELBECK GOES OVER 2,000: Matt Hasselbeck finished the game with 24 completions, 272 yards and two touchdowns on 41 attempts (94.8 passer rating). With 2,014 passing yards through eight games, he became the franchise's first player in the 16-game-schedule era (1978-present) other than Warren Moon to reach 2,000 passing yards in the first eight games of a season. Moon accomplished the feat four times (1986, 1990, 1991 and 1992). Hasselbeck's total is the second-highest of his career through eight games, trailing only his 2,023 yards in 2007.
HASSELBECK'S TOUCHDOWNS THROUGH EIGHT GAMES: Matt Hasselbeck completed a pair of touchdown passes against the Bengals to give him 13 total touchdown passes in 2011. That ties his career high, previously set in 2007, for most touchdown passes through the first eight games of a season, and it ties for the franchise's fourth-highest touchdown total through eight games since 1978. The 13-year veteran now has 189 career touchdown passes.
KERN EXCELS: Brett Kern punted seven times for a 45.7-yard average, his season high through eight games and his highest average since Nov. 28, 2010 at Houston (46.9).
JOHNSON'S SEASON-HIGH AVERAGE: Running backChris Johnsoncarried the ball 14 times for 64 yards against the Bengals and set a season high with a 4.6-yard average. Johnson had a team-high 110 total yards in the game, which also included 46 receiving yards.
TITANS INACTIVES: The Titans' seven inactive players against the Bengals were quarterback Rusty Smith, safety Chris Hope, linebacker Colin McCarthy, center Kevin Matthews, tackle Byron Stingily, defensive tackle Zach Clayton and defensive end William Hayes. Hope (forearm) and McCarthy (hamstring) were on the injury report leading up to the contest.
