Certainly the Titans had little trouble in improving their record to 12-1, best in the NFL. Two more wins or a single home victory over Pittsburgh on Dec. 21 and they are guaranteed home field throughout the playoffs.

As linebacker Keith Bulluck said afterward, "It's better that we came out and did it ourselves instead of waiting for someone else to lose. This is the best way -- you come out and handle your business and get a win."

But not every win is created equal. This victory came despite three Titans turnovers and a whopping 131 yards in penalties. You can overcome such sloppiness against a Browns team that now stands 4-9. But what about the playoffs? Could this effort have beaten the Jets, Ravens, Broncos or Steelers? Is this a developing trend or momentarily arrested development?

"It wasn't our cleanest game," said quarterback Kerry Collins, whose two interceptions diminished his two touchdown passes. "We accomplished one of our goals, but we have got a lot of work ahead of us."

Added rookie running back Chris Johnson, whose 136 rushing yards put him over 1,000 for the year, "I know it wasn't a perfect game. The first two drives it was mental mistakes getting us off the field. But after we settled down and started executing, we started staying on the field and putting up points."

Indeed, Sunday's flaws aside, the offense has now put up 75 points in its last two contests. It's lone loss came to a Jets team that hadn't played in 10 days, much as the Titans had 10 days off before the Cleveland game following their 47-10 win at Detroit on Thanksgiving Day.

"Oh, I saw what this game could mean to us rest-wise a long time ago," said Titans tight end Alge Crumpler. "We had five and a break, then seven and a break, then, hopefully, we'll have four and a break. It's a good recipe to make a deep playoff run."

Of course, to make a deep playoff run you have to make the playoffs. The Titans pretty much knew they were going to make the playoffs by the middle of the 16-game schedule.

"We expected this pretty early," said defensive back and return specialist Chris Carr, who averaged 22 yards on his two punt returns. "With so many teams losing so many games at the start of the year, we knew we were in good shape to make the playoffs. But the Jets taught us you have to be prepared every week or you can get your (behind) beat."

The New York Jets humbled the Titans two weeks ago 34-13 to give them their only loss.

But even that loss may have said something about how tough it is to play the Titans. Of their 12 games to date this season, 10 of their opponents have lost the week after playing Tennessee. Only Indianapolis and Minnesota have been able to win the week after a loss to the Titans.

And the only team to beat Tennessee -- the Jets -- hasn't won since, losing at Denver last week and at San Francisco on Sunday, both defeats coming by double-figures.

"The Titans are a very good Football team, and I think they showed why they are today," said embattled Cleveland coach Romeo Crennel. "We came down and got some turnovers and had some opportunities, (but) we weren't able to get enough done. Then in the second half they kind of dominated ... we kind of fell apart."

When Vince Young fell apart in the opening game, a lot of people expected the Titans to fall apart. The 35-year-old Collins would have to lead them. The rookie Johnson would have to ignite them.

On Sunday, Johnson became just the third rookie back in franchise history behind Hall of Famer Earl Campbell and Eddie George to gain 1,000 yards. Maybe it's come against a so-so schedule. Maybe it could still come to an end against late-blooming Indy, the stingy Steelers, dangerous Denver or the pesky Patriots.

There remains a suspicion that any team committing three turnovers and 13 penalties against a 4-9 Football team remains vulnerable to a quick playoff exit in January.

But Browns wide receiver Joshua Cribbs -- who played quarterback in the team's "flash" package against the Titans -- made an interesting postgame comment.

"I felt like I was back at Kent State," he said, "playing against Ohio State the year they won the (national) championship."

Given that this was the Browns' worst loss of the year, maybe the Titans are playing good enough to win their own championship.

E-mail Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com