Titans Head Coach Jeff Fisher said he knew that quarterback Billy Volek was capable of succeeding in the NFL even though he has only played limitedly.

Volek has passed for 2,200 yards and 17 touchdowns in only six starts this season. Fisher said that it was last year against Atlanta when he knew what Volek was capable of acheiving.

''We got a glimpse of what he was going to be able to do last year in the Atlanta Falcons game,'' Fisher said. ''We had confidence of Billy because we saw it in the pre-season and practice. But when he came off the bench in the Falcons game and did what he did, it was very impressive.''

In that 2003 game against Atlanta, Volek replaced an injured Steve McNair and threw for 117 yards and one touchdown while helping lead Tennessee to a 38-31 road win.

During the offseason, Tennessee made a point to keep Volek in Nashville, signing him to a five-year contract.

''We felt, going into the offseason, that Billy had some redeeming qualities and had a chance to be special,'' Fisher said. ''That's why we did what we did from the standpoint of making a commitment to him.''

Fisher said what makes Volek accomplishments even more special is that he has done played well with a limited amount of experience. It is quite common to see prominent rookie and second-year quarterbacks struggle to adapt to the NFL, but the undrafted free agent in 2000 has not faced those ups-and-downs.

''Billy really has only started seven games,'' Fisher said. ''For a quarterback, specifically, to have accomplished what he has accomplished with only seven starts is impressive.''

Volek has passed for 400 yards in two straight games and will try to become the NFL's first quarterback to reach that feat three consecutive games.