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Provided by copyright (c)1997 Associated Press
TUESDAY 10/28/97  6:20:10
^Ball bouncing Oilers' way during three-game winning streak<
^By TERESA M. WALKER=
^AP Sports Writer=
   NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) _ The Tennessee Oilers are finding out
just what holding onto the football can do for a team.
   At the beginning of October, they were being very generous to
opponents, throwing seven interceptions with none taken away by
their defense. They were minus-eight in the takeaway-giveaway
category and near the bottom of the NFL in that category.
   But over the past three weeks, the Oilers have come up with 11
turnovers, including seven interceptions by the secondary. More
importantly, the Oilers haven't lost the ball in that stretch.
   The result is that the Oilers are plus-three, having won three
straight. And they are having fun.
   ``Those types of things didn't happen to us early in the
season,'' coach Jeff Fisher said Monday. ``It really wasn't
anyone's fault ...''
   Now the Oilers (4-4) are wondering how good they can be if they
keep holding onto the ball and playing well.
   After beating Cincinnati 30-7, they picked off three passes in a
28-14 victory over Washington. Against Arizona on Sunday, the
Oilers had six more sacks, four more interceptions and three
recovered fumbles.
   ``Not only have we won, we're dominating, and that's the thing
that stands out in my mind,'' cornerback Darryll Lewis said.
   ``To win the way we're winning is impressive, and it leaves a
good feeling. If we did everything right, what kind of damage could
we do to a team?''
   Fisher isn't ready to look any farther than Sunday's game in
Memphis against Jacksonville (5-3). He's been preaching the
coaching cliche of ``one game at a time,'' and so far his team has
responded.
   ``I know you guys get bored hearing me say that, but it's not
going to change. I said three weeks ago that our goal is to win 11
in a row. If we don't do that, win 10 in a row,'' Fisher said.
   ``We're on a roll, but we've got to win this (next) one. It's
the most important.''
   The Oilers were at the bottom of the AFC Central at the
beginning of October. Thanks to their winning streak, second place
in the division will be on the line in the first of two meetings
between the teams in a three-week period.
   ``We will not look past this ball game,'' Fisher said. ``You can
poll our guys, and ask them what our record is. I hope nobody
knows. We've got to play this week, and that's it. We fell into
that last year, and we're not going to fall into that this year.''
   In 1996, the Oilers also had a three-game winning streak before
the midpoint of the season. They were 5-2 when thoughts of their
first playoff appearance since 1993 tripped them up.
   They finished 3-6 down the stretch, just one game out of the
playoffs at 8-8.
   ``There's no time for relaxing,'' safety Rayna Stewart said.
``We have to play hard and continue to improve. That's the thing.
We won convincingly, but there were a lot of things pointed out on
film that we should have and could have done better.''