Jones named AFC special teams player of week
On Wednesday, Jones was named as the AFC special teams player of the week for his first career touchdown. He took a punt 52 yards for the Titans’ lone touchdown last weekend in their 13-10 win over Houston.
“For the most part, I’d rather win, have a good game instead of getting player of the week,” Jones said. “I’ll get it. I’m getting better every week, and hopefully I can get a couple more.”
He currently leads the NFL with a 12.9-yard punt return average and is fifth in the league on kickoffs with an average of 26.5 yards per return. Only one other rookie has finished in the top five in both categories in the last 20 years. That was Tyrone Hughes for New Orleans in 1993.
Jones has a chance to become the 11th player to finish in the top five in both categories. All but one of the previous 10 went to the Pro Bowl in that season, including Derrick Mason for Tennessee in 2000.
But what happens if teams start punting out of bounds to avoid Jones?
“I’m going to let the game come to me. Earlier I was trying to hurry and rush myself in the games. I’ve learned. It’s almost like college now … I’ll get it. They’ll kick it to me one time,” he said.
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SEE YOU AGAIN:@ Sunday’s game with Seattle gives Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow the chance to coach against someone he worked with at Brigham Young. Seattle coach Mike Holmgren was quarterbacks coach at BYU from 1982-1985 while Chow was co-offensive coordinator.
Chow said they have talked periodically over the years since and maintained a friendship.
“I think it was after he left BYU, when he had a chance to be an assistant with the 49ers, that he really grew as a football coach. He was bright, enthusiastic and he was fun. He had a great sense of humor and obviously knew his football,” Chow said.
Holmgren said that he had had talks with Chow over the past few years about becoming a head coach in college or trying to move to the NFL ranks. Holmgren said he always encouraged Chow to do that.
“I think he is a brilliant guy. I thought he’d like professional football. He finally pulled the trigger last year. He is a wonderful coach,” Holmgren said.
Holmgren also has no doubts that Chow will succeed in the NFL. Currently, the Titans are tied for 15th in the NFL in total offense but are struggling at 4-9.
“If you have injuries to deal with and if you are in a ‘rebuilding’ stage or whatever, it is just harder,” Holmgren said. “There is not a doubt in my mind that he is going to enjoy professional football, and he’ll get their offense going absolutely in the right direction.”
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FIRST SEAHAWKS GAME:@ Titans linebacker Peter Sirmon grew up in the state of Washington but had to come to Tennessee for the chance to see the Seahawks in person.
“We’d always watch them on TV, but I’ve never been to a Seahawks game before. This will be a first,” Sirmon said.
The reason? His hometown of Walla Walla is on the Oregon border, 274 miles and more than five hours by car away from Seattle. For perspective, that’s only 106 miles shorter than the trip from Memphis to Knoxville.
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EXTRA POINTS:@ This will be the first game between these franchises since Nov. 28, 1998 ? both have since changed uniforms and stadiums. Seattle leads the series 8-5 and has won four straight ? all against Titans coach Jeff Fisher. … Steve McNair needs 183 yards passing to reach 3,000 for the fourth time in the past five seasons. … Seattle’s visit means only Arizona, Carolina, Minnesota, the New York Jets and San Diego have yet to visit The Coliseum.