Nov. 8, 1999 3:00 AM AP

MIAMI (AP) Nothing the Miami Dolphins did surprised Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher.

Well, almost nothing.

"When a quarterback gets a ball knocked out of his hand, picks it up and completes a 20-yard pass, that surprises me," Fisher said after Miami's 17-0 win Sunday night over the Titans.

The play was one of several good ones by Dolphins quarterback Damon Huard. And more importantly, Huard avoided what could have been a bad one.

It was a stark contrast to the play of Titans quarterback Steve McNair, who was picked off three times by Sam Madison.

Huard's savvy, yet cautious play has become a recurring theme in the three games he's started in place of the injured Dan Marino. And it seems to be fitting into coach Jimmy Johnson's winning formula of avoiding turnovers and playing solid defense.

"Damon Huard is playing very well," Johnson said. "We have not had a turnover offensively in ... I don't know how long it's been. When you don't turn the ball over offensively and play good defense, you are going to have a chance to win every ballgame. Every ballgame."

The Dolphins (7-1) seem to be on the right track.

They are off to their best start since 1990, thanks to a dominating defense and a backup quarterback.

Miami's defense has not given up a touchdown in a team-record 14 quarters; Huard has not thrown an interception in the last two games.

"The biggest thing is, I've screamed at him and screamed at him, `Do not throw the ball into coverage,"' Johnson said of Huard. "If there's any question, he won't throw it into coverage. He'll take the sack."

Huard became the first quarterback other than Marino to start three consecutive Miami victories since David Woodley in 1982.

"I'm feeling pretty good, but this is a team effort," Huard said. "Our defense is outstanding."

Huard completed 15-of-25 passes for 210 yards with two touchdowns. His first scoring pass came after what may have been his best play of the game.

Dropping back to pass, Huard had the ball batted out of his hand by Tennessee rookie Jevon Kearse. Huard calmly picked it up on one hop and delivered a 20-yard strike to O.J. McDuffie.

The Dolphins scored three plays later, a 6-yard pass from Huard to Stanley Pritchett, to take a 7-0 lead.

"Damon's doing a great job," said Cecil Collins, who ran for 41 yards on 14 carries. "He's making a lot of good plays and he's not turning the ball over. Tennessee decided to come in here and put a lot of guys in the box and make Damon beat them. And he did."

Huard also found Tony Martin over the middle for a 43-yard score in the second quarter.

The 14-0 advantage was plenty for Miami's defense, which handed the Titans their first shutout in 156 games. Tennessee had not been shut out since losing 34-0, as the Houston Oilers, at Kansas City in 1989.

Eddie George rushed for 55 yards in his first six carries but gained only 10 yards in eight carries the rest of the game. McNair was 22-for-42 for 205 yards, but was sacked four times.

"We've got to swallow this bad pill, digest it and let it go," McNair said.

Tennessee reached Miami's 3-yard line in the final minute, but McNair threw incomplete on fourth down.

"They made some plays, but we didn't get rattled," Miami linebacker Zach Thomas said. "We just said, 'Hey, we've been making plays all day, so let's do it again.' And we did."

Notes: Dolphins safety Calvin Jackson strained his left hamstring in the first quarter. ... Tennessee guard Benji Olson hurt his right leg and missed much of the second half. ... Madison became the first Dolphin to intercept three passes in a game since Louis Oliver in 1992 at Buffalo. ... Miami had shutouts last year against St. Louis and Pittsburgh. ... McDuffie extended his consecutive games with a reception streak to 70.