Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota escapes a tackle during this past Sunday’s season opener against the Miami Dolphins in Miami Gardens, Fla.NASHVILLE – Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota practiced fully Wednesday after being knocked out of this past Sunday’s season opener when he hurt the elbow on his right (throwing) arm.
Barring any setbacks, Titans coach Mike Vrabel expects his quarterback to play this weekend.
“He’s feeling good,” Vrabel said. “He was able to practice. He had some rest there Monday and Tuesday, and so he was able to get through and do everything and really looked OK.”
The Titans (0-1) host the rival Houston Texans (0-1) in an early-season AFC South showdown on Sunday.
Mariota briefly left the 27-20 loss at Miami after a late hit from Dolphins end William Hayes after a handoff. Vrabel said the NFL told him that play should have been flagged as a late hit on the quarterback. Mariota returned but left for good after his second interception in a game that was stretched by delays due to lightning and became the league’s longest since at least the NFL/AFL merger in 1970.
Mariota said he experienced some numbness in his right hand after the game.
“I’m feeling pretty good, kind of taking it one day at a time,” Mariota said. “But I was able to go through practice today, and it felt pretty good.”
Mariota missed at least one game each of his first three seasons with Tennessee, and a variety of leg injuries have kept the No. 2 overall draft pick from 2015 out of six games total. The Titans are 1-5 in those games, and three of those came against Houston. Mariota left a 57-14 rout at Houston last October with an injured hamstring.
He said he has never had this type of injury before and that he still had some tingling in his hand Wednesday. In the portion of practice open to reporters, Mariota’s passes didn’t appear to have their usual velocity, but both Vrabel and Mariota dismissed any concerns.
“I didn’t have the JUGS gun out, so it was kind of hard to tell,” Vrabel said. “But for the most part, it looked like it was getting to where it was supposed to be. I didn’t notice a huge difference.”
Mariota said he didn’t notice any difference, either, though the spin of the ball coming out of his hand might have been a bit different, he admitted.
“I don’t think velocity is a problem; the rotation of it, maybe,” Mariota said. “But with that being said, as long as it gets there, it doesn’t matter how it looks.”
The Titans already have lost Mariota’s favorite target with tight end Delanie Walker having surgery Wednesday on the right ankle he broke late in the Dolphins’ game. Two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Taylor Lewan was sent home Wednesday by the Titans as he continues in the concussion protocol after being knocked out of the opener as well.
Right tackle Jack Conklin remains limited as he works his way back after tearing his left ACL in January.
The Titans added wide receiver Corey Davis to the injury report Wednesday. Davis, who led Tennessee with six catches for 62 yards in Miami, was limited with an injured hamstring.
Rookie linebacker Rashaan Evans (hamstring) practiced fully. The 22nd pick overall out of Alabama missed all four preseason games and the opener. Linebacker Harold Landry (ankle) did not practice, along with safety Kendrick Lewis (foot), and linebacker Derrick Morgan (knee) was limited.