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Tempers Flare For Titans, Rams

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The Associated Press

Published: August 7, 2008

Updated: 08/07/2008 12:56 am

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Coaches and seasons can change. Tension whenever the Tennessee Titans and St. Louis Rams get together doesn't.

These teams had some feisty joint practices back in 2000, months after St. Louis beat the Titans in the Super Bowl, and it didn't take long Wednesday morning for tempers to flare up as they gathered in training camp.

Rams receiver Reche Caldwell, a former Jefferson High and University of Florida standout, grabbed Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan in a bearhug and took him to the ground.

St. Louis coach Scott Linehan was watching his defense with rookie end Chris Long going against the Tennessee offense and Vince Young when he heard some of the grumblings two fields over between his offense and the Titans defense.

"We've got to limit that," Linehan said. "We can't get to where we lose our cool out here. It's that time of year. Guys aren't in very good moods out here. We've just got to make sure we continue to get better. It's good to see us compete and those things. We'll get rid of the extracurricular stuff. It wasn't anything big, a couple of little ones."

That included Pro Bowl defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch skirmishing with Rams left tackle Adam Goldberg. After being blocked to the ground on his rush, Vanden Bosch took a big swing at Goldberg.

The head coaches tried to calm things down. But on the next play, Titans end Sean Conover tangled with St. Louis tackle Mark LeVoir, with Vanden Bosch rushing in to help, without his helmet.

"We were anticipating it, and we need that as a football team," Rams receiver Torry Holt said. "After a while it kind of got excessive as far as the banging and guys trying us. We needed that. That's something we're trying to build on is our toughness and at the same time build on our mental toughness."

Wednesday's first practice is the only session in full pads. Taking those off could help ease the tension in several sessions before the teams open the exhibition season Saturday night.

The Rams are trying to build off a 3-13 season by working against Tennessee, a team that went 10-6 in the AFC South and made the playoffs in 2007. The Titans had the NFL's fifth-stingiest defense in yards allowed in 2007, so they offer a good early test for a Rams offense that was 24th a year ago, averaging 297.5 yards and without contract holdout Steven Jackson.

The Titans are pushing themselves defensively to improve as well, and All Pro tackle Albert Haynesworth, who stayed out of the frays, said it's easy for something to happen with Tennessee's aggressive style.

"You know this defense. We're a tough, rough defense. We don't back down from anybody, and that's how we've always played," Haynesworth said. "Ever since that day that Lance Schulters gave us that nickname the Tennessee Tyrants, that's what we've been trying to live up to."

LB Rivers Has First Day At Bengals Camp

GEORGETOWN, Ky. - Linebacker Keith Rivers joined the Cincinnati Bengals at training camp Wednesday after ending a 10-day holdout. The team's top pick promptly made a rookie mistake.

Rivers did the wrong exercise - jumping jacks - at the end of calisthenics, drawing a round of boos from teammates.

"It shows I haven't been here for a while," said Rivers, who participated in a mandatory minicamp in June. "I forgot how that rolls. Hopefully, next time I'll get that right."

Rivers, who signed a five-year contract Tuesday night, has some other catching up to do. He missed 12 practices, including the club's intra-squad scrimmage, besides meetings and film sessions.

"He looked like he did last time I saw him," Coach Marvin Lewis said. "We'll see how we go through the week and see whether we play him, or how much. Unless I can find something major, I expect him to play some."

Rivers, the ninth pick out of Southern Cal, ran drills with the second-team defense, playing behind third-year player Brandon Johnson.

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