EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsINDIANAPOLIS -- The relief on Jeffery Simmons' face was clear when he stepped to the podium after the Tennessee Titans' 26-20 victory gave the team its first win of the season.He joked about it being the first time this season he didn't have to speak at his locker after a game. Titans coach Robert Saleh called Simmons the best defensive tackle in football and said it was Simmons' play and halftime actions that inspired the team to Saleh's first win as the Titans coach."I want to give a special shout-out to Jeffery Simmons," Saleh said after the game. "I thought he was outstanding in the locker room at halftime. And it may have gone unnoticed, but for me, just watching him and observing the team, he's a man's man, and I appreciate him. I think he's the best defensive tackle in the ball, period."The Titans, who trailed the Colts 13-0 at halftime, scored 23 unanswered points in the second half. Tennessee's offense was averaging an NFL-low 11.6 points per game entering Sunday's game. Simmons stripped the ball from Colts running back Jonathan Taylor on the first defensive snap coming out of halftime. He finished the game with six tackles, two sacks, two tackles for a loss, along with the forced fumble and fumble recovery."Be present and just dominate," Simmons said of his halftime message to the team. "Sometimes we come into halftime panicking. Not everybody, but in these types of games like this, you gotta just stay in the moment. Somebody's got to make a play. We were still in the game."Tennessee broke two losing streaks with their win over the Colts today. They had a seven-game losing streak dating back to last season, tying the Los Angeles Chargers for the longest overall losing streak. They also broke an NFL-high 11-game losing streak to AFC South opponents. Saleh got his first win as Titans coach, and it was second-year quarterback Cam Ward's first win over an AFC South opponent."He [Simmons] showed why he's the highest-paid player on our team," Ward said. "He's the reason why we were able to get a win today."
