NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) The Tennessee Titans still don’t know who will start at quarterback Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Marcus Mariota was limited all week with an arm injury and is questionable for the second straight game. Blaine Gabbert started in place of Mariota in Tennessee’s 20-17 victory over the Houston Texans .
”I would say it’s pretty much the same as it was yesterday,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel said Friday. ”It’s probably going to take the next 24 hours to make a decision, but it’s pretty much the same as it’s been since Wednesday with a little bit of improvement from last week.”
The Titans will have left tackle Taylor Lewan back Sunday now that he’s been cleared from the league’s concussion protocol. Lewan had missed the Houston game after sustaining a hit from Miami’s Andre Branch in a season-opening 27-20 loss to the Dolphins .
Lewan spoke to the media Friday for the first time since taking that hit.
”I feel good,” Lewan said. ”I wouldn’t have passed the protocol if I didn’t.”
Lewan said he is much more careful about his health nowadays, especially when it comes to concussions. Lewan also suffered a concussion and missed the season finale in 2015.
”I don’t want to be that guy that’s 45 years old and doesn’t know his own name,” Lewan said.
Lewan said Vrabel texted him a couple of days after the Dolphins game to let the Pro Bowl tackle know that he wouldn’t be playing against Houston. Lewan said he appreciated the gesture.
”Being stressed out about coming back is not going to help a concussion,” Lewan said. ”I definitely didn’t get that kind of support in 2015. It was very, very cool to see a coach look out for the interest of his players. I’m not used to having that.”
Lewan said he doesn’t remember much about the hit from Branch, but vowed that someday he would get even.
”I don’t know if I was targeted or not,” Lewan said. ”I’m not going to sit here and pretend it hurts my feelings. If you’re a good football player, people are out to get you. No bad blood there. I’ll get mine in time.”
Branch was caught by television cameras shouting, ”Body bag!” at Lewan as the offensive lineman left the field and headed to the locker room after the hit. The NFL fined Branch $10,026 for taunting .
Lewan said he doesn’t remember much about the hit.
”I heard there was an interception, and I remember there were a bunch of people fighting,” Lewan said. ”But everything in the middle, I don’t really remember.”
In other injury news, the Titans ruled out running back David Fluellen (hamstring) and tackle Dennis Kelly (illness) for Sunday’s game. Linebacker Kamalei Correa was out of practice Friday and is questionable with a back injury.
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin was upgraded to questionable for the first time this year as he recovers from surgery to the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Safety Kendrick Lewis also is questionable with a foot injury after missing the Titans’ first two games.
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