Turron Davenport, ESPN 6y

Titans healing, but Marcus Mariota's status uncertain for Week 3

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans hope to have quarterback Marcus Mariota back as they prepare for a Week 3 road game against Jacksonville. Titans coach Mike Vrabel said Mariota was evaluated for an elbow injury after Sunday's win against the Houston Texans, but his status remains uncertain.

"We will see where he is on Wednesday," Vrabel said. "I think there are a lot of possibilities. The treatment that he's doing could help, but it could be something that gets better overnight. That's where we are at."

As he continues to get treatment, the coach is hopeful the injury will improve quickly, but there are still some throws Mariota is not comfortable making.

The injury, suffered while carrying out a run fake in Week 1 against Miami, forced Mariota out of the game. He wore a glove on his right hand during warm-ups on Sunday before the game against Houston to test how well he could grip the ball, but the Titans felt the injury needed more time to heal.

Blaine Gabbert got the start in place of Mariota and helped Vrabel beat his former team for his first win as a head coach. If Mariota is unable to go in Week 3, Gabbert will get his turn at redemption against the Jaguars, who made him the No. 10 overall pick in the 2011 draft.

Vrabel praised Gabbert for how he executed the offense against Houston, saying the quarterback was the offensive player of the game and earned a game ball.

"I am not worried," Vrabel said of Tennessee's injury issues. "We go to the next guy. That's whether it's Marcus, Taylor [Lewan], Jack [Conklin], we are going to the next guy until that [injured] guy is ready. The team knows that. When he is ready, we will put him in the game. If that's Taylor this week, if that's Jack this week, if it's Marcus this week, whoever that may be."

Mariota might not be the only top player to return for the road trip to face the Jaguars.

Vrabel said Conklin, who tore his left ACL in Tennessee's playoff loss against New England, will do more in practice this week. He has been limited in practice over the past two weeks.

Lewan is progressing well according to Vrabel, but has not been cleared to return after suffering a concussion in the season opener. The Titans' medical staff sent Lewan home last week to get rest before ruling him out on Friday.

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