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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Titans’ ‘Pacman’ finds bill hard to swallow

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Not even the original Pacman was as gluttonous as Tennessee’s defense.

Following the franchise’s rookie tradition, Titans cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones took the members of his unit to dinner recently at a Nashville steakhouse. The bill: $14,240.15, with almost $8,000 of the cost in liquor.

“I thought it was going to be like $3,000. I was like ‘Wow,’ ” said Jones, who relived the moment by rolling his eyes and throwing his head back. “I think (the defense) kind of knew, though, because everybody was, like, smirking when the dude brought the tab out.”

The Titans knew Jones could afford the meal after he landed $3.57 million in signing bonus as the sixth overall pick in the draft.

Around the league

One of the NFL’s most memorable scramblers emulated a rising legend last week when Doug Flutie was New England’s scout-team quarterback as the Patriots prepared to face Atlanta’s Mike Vick. “I just do what comes naturally to me, and that’s take a look at one or two guys, bolt out of there and make the defense react,” said Flutie (42), almost 18 years older than Vick (25).

“By allowing 10 points last week in a rout of Tennessee, Indianapolis fell just short of matching the NFL record set by the 1962 Green Bay Packers for holding opponents to single digits in scoring the first four games of the season.

“As evidenced by his strong play the past two weeks, Oakland’s Warren Sapp is a much better player at defensive tackle in a 4-3 system than an end in a 3-4, which is where he played in 2004 and finished with just 2.5 sacks. “It was the hardest year of my life, a humbling thing for me,” said Sapp, who already has a sack and interception on a much-improved Raiders defense. “The 3-4 took my strength away.”

“Despite landing a one-year, $1.8 million contract, wide receiver Peerless Price might be regretting his decision to snub the Dolphins and other suitors to sign with Dallas. Price was inactive the past two games and has lost 1 yard on his only catch.