Quarterback Steve McNair said he and the Titans were proud of their second-half effort. (Morry Gash - Associated Press)

By Leonard Shapiro
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, Jan. 31; Page D11

ATLANTA, Jan. 30 – The Tennessee Titans and Kevin Dyson fell one yard short of one more miracle and Super Bowl heaven tonight in an incredible finish that left the Titans shrugging their shoulders and vowing to return next year.

Dyson's 75-yard kickoff return on a last-second lateral – "The Music City Miracle," it has been called – allowed the Titans to advance past the first round of the playoffs against Buffalo. Tonight, he was stopped one yard short of the St. Louis Rams' goal line on the game's final play. Dyson, held by Rams linebacker Mike Jones, tried to stretch the ball over the goal line to no avail, and the Rams prevailed, 23-16.

"We worked on it in practice," Dyson said. "It happened just like we thought it would. I thought I was gonna get in there. All I saw was yellow paint. Then he got a grip on me. I thought he'd break free, but he got me on the foot and he wrapped me up. He made a great play."

Dyson clearly was down, and he knew it. He lay on the ground for several seconds after the play was whistled dead, and when someone asked him what he was thinking at the time, he said, "Man, to come this far and be a half-yard short, it's just a sick feeling."

Most of the Titans had the same feeling, but they also were proud of their second-half effort and a rousing comeback engineered by quarterback Steve McNair and running back Eddie George, with Dyson also playing a major role.

"The [final] play was for Dyson," McNair said. "The linebacker made a great play. It was one on one, and it was a matter of breaking the tackle. This is a game of emotion, and they made a stand.

"You feel like a guy is that wide open, we can get it into the end zone. I just tried to put the ball in his hands and let him make a play. I thought he was going to score. When you get it into his hands, you do expect him to score. He just came up a little short."

McNair was brilliant in defeat tonight, leading his team back from a 16-0 deficit and driving them from his 12-yard line to that final first-and-goal play from the 10 with six seconds remaining. It was Dyson who had made the play to get the Titans to the 10 with a critical 16-yard reception, and the Titans called their final timeout to run what they call a "sliver" pattern for Dyson, a quick slant over the middle.

None of his teammates faulted Dyson's effort on the play after catching the ball at the Rams 4-yard line.

"It's tough," said George, superb over the last two quarters as the Titans seemingly took control of the game and appeared ready to send it into overtime. "It just came down to one play. This team has nothing to hang its head about. When we were down 16-0, I still felt we were going to win the game. It just came up a yard short.

"I couldn't begin to tell you how I feel right now. It's shocking that it's over. It's going to be tough to deal with, but it's something I can grow on, something I can learn from. I'm not going to get down. It's something we have to build on, win or lose for this organization."

Tennessee Coach Jeff Fisher said he never was concerned about having enough time to score after the Rams burned the Titans for a 73-yard touchdown play to take a 23-16 lead with 1 minute 54 seconds remaining.

"We had plenty of time," Fisher said. "Steve has done a great job in a two-minute situation and he did that today. I mean, we came up inches short, but it certainly wasn't because of lack of execution or lack of effort on his part.

"Steve had a great year. He lead this team to the Super Bowl along with the rest of his teammates. I believe you saw the real Steve McNair tonight. He did what we asked him to do. He left everything out on the field. This is what I told him. I told him, 'We will be back. Don't ever forget this moment because we will be back.' He's got the heart of a champion. I'm proud to coach that team."

Linebacker Barron Wortham also praised his teammates for their effort.

"Guys just kept scratching and fighting. These guys are warriors. I'm so proud of them, I'm speechless. It's tough to lose that way. To have a game come down to a matter of inches, that's hard to take. But our guys gave everything they've got. It was an amazing thing to see."