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TITANS OFFENSE FINDS FOOTING IN CLEVELAND (9:12 p.m. ET)
Tennessee didn't leave Cleveland with a win. What Jeff Fisher saw out of his Titans might be as good as a victory.

The coach wanted improvement out of his Titans after a sloppy loss in Dallas. He got it from the first-team offense, which turned in its longest drive of the preseason, and from the first-team defense, which kept Cleveland out of the end zone and a 7-3 halftime lead before being subbed out in what turned into a 23-17 loss Saturday night to the Browns.

"We went in there trying to get quality reps for a team in a preseason game. We did, and we subbed. I was proud of the way the guys that did sub that faced their starters battled," Fisher said Sunday.

The offensive production was the most impressive, especially from a first-team unit that was missing starting receiver Nate Washington with an injured left hamstring, leaving rookie Kenny Britt to get his first NFL start.

The Titans opened with another three-and-out just as they did in Dallas.

But the first-team offense came back with a 12-play, 75-yard drive that was the unit's longest through four exhibitions, and Kerry Collins was nearly perfect. The 36-year-old quarterback was 6 of 7 for 60 yards on the drive with the one incompletion dropped by receiver Justin Gage. The receiver came back and finished the drive with a 6-yard touchdown catch.

Tennessee held the ball for more than 17 minutes in the first half after a 14-play, 70-yard drive. The Titans racked up 201 yards offense, and Collins left with 120.8 passer rating. Chris Johnson had as many yards rushing (27) as he had combined through the first three exhibitions and All Pro center Kevin Mawae played 27 snaps -- nearly twice what they had hoped.

Fisher also added on Sunday that Vince Young is his No. 2 quarterback, ahead of Patrick Ramsey, and has been all summer.

-- ESPN.com news services

FALCONS PARE DOWN ROSTER SUNDAY (8:32 p.m. ET)
The Atlanta Falcons have released defensive tackles Jason Jefferson and Tywain Myles and long snapper Robert Shiver.

Jefferson had nine tackles in 13 games last season.

The cuts got the Falcons down to the maximum of 75 players ahead of the NFL's deadline Tuesday.

-- The Associated Press

JETS CUT FOUR FROM ROSTER (8:19 p.m. ET)
The New York Jets have waived linebacker Craig Kobel, safety Nate Ness, quarterback Chris Pizzotti and wide receiver Huey Whittaker.

Kobel played in the Arena Football League last year. Ness was an undrafted free agent who had 107 tackles and seven interceptions in two seasons as a starter at Arizona.

Pizzotti was an undrafted free agent who was a two-time All-Ivy League quarterback at Harvard. Whittaker spent parts of the last three seasons in the AFL.

-- The Associated Press

SEAHAWKS CUT FOUR, REDUCE ROSTER TO 75 (7:32 p.m. ET)
The Seattle Seahawks have let go of four players ahead of the deadline to cut the roster to 75.

Seattle waived defensive tackle Kevin Brown, fullback Dan Curran, linebacker Shane Simmons and tight end John Tereshinski. The Seahawks made the moves Sunday, one day after their 14-10 preseason win at Kansas City.

Teams have until Tuesday to trim rosters to 75 players. The final cutdown to 53 players has to be done by Sept. 5.

-- The Associated Press

DEL RIO PLEASED WITH BACKUP QB BOUMAN (6:49 p.m. ET)
Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio says Jacksonville is happy with backup quarterback Todd Bouman.

On Sunday, Del Rio denied reports that the Jaguars are pursuing another quarterback as the team waived its third QB, Paul Smith.

The 37-year-old Bouman played briefly with the Jaguars in both 2007 and 2008 and was re-signed May 12 to compete with Cleo Lemon to back up David Garrard. Lemon was released June 17.

In three preseason games, Bouman has completed 27 of 58 passes for 309 yards, two touchdowns and one interception and has a passer rating of 67.4.

-- The Associated Press

NICKS OPENS EYES AS GIANTS WIDEOUTS STRUGGLE (6:16 p.m. ET)
The New York Giants finally may have found someone to replace Plaxico Burress as their deep threat -- Hakeem Nicks.

In a game where the Giants projected starting receivers dropped some big passes, the first-round draft pick from North Carolina caught six passes for 144 yards and touchdowns of 22 and 71 yards in the Giants' 27-25 loss to the Jets on Saturday night.

"He certainly was impressive, and he is a guy who is obviously going to make some tough catches, and he really has been doing that," coach Tom Coughlin said Sunday when asked if Nicks might have moved up the depth chart. "That has not been discussed, but he certainly has put himself in position where he will get prime consideration."

Coughlin said he would have no problem playing a rookie.

"The thing about it is, what you have to understand, it's what is earned," Coughlin said. "It is exactly what is earned and obviously last night he played well. He certainly has earned a right to be a factor."

-- The Associated Press

REDSKINS' MITCHELL LEAVING MARK AT CAMP (5:46 p.m. ET)
With a solid training camp, two preseason touchdown catches and just the right amount of feistiness, seventh-round draft pick Marko Mitchell is on the verge of playing his way onto the Washington Redskins roster.

If he knew how to tackle, he'd be a shoo-in.

Mitchell says he hasn't had to tackle anyone since his junior year of high school in Alabama, when a shortage of players forced him to play both ways. He's having to master the skill in a hurry -- because a rookie seeking to make an NFL roster as a No. 5 receiver needs to be able to play special teams.

Mitchell got in on one tackle on a kickoff Friday night against the New England Patriots, but he looked out of sorts covering a punt later in the game.

Special teams coach Danny Smith joked that the attempt was so poor that Mitchell "almost didn't get on the bus headed home."

"Thank God that was a preseason situation," Smith said. "We expect him to make that play, and I think he can make that play. I like him. I like his competitiveness. I like his work habits, and he and I will start getting together a lot more to see if we can bring him along a little faster."

If Smith is saying that, then Mitchell is certain to stick around, either on the practice squad or the 53-man roster.

-- The Associated Press

49ERS RELEASE FIVE PLAYERS (5:35 p.m. ET)
The San Francisco 49ers have waived five players in the first round of cutdowns.

The team released receivers Mark Bradford and Chris Francies, cornerbacks Carlos Thomas and Jahi Word-Daniels and kicker Alex Romero. Two of the Niners' deepest positions are at wideout and in the secondary.

Teams have until Tuesday to trim rosters to 75 players. The final cutdown to 53 players has to be done by Sept. 5.

-- The Associated Press