The Tennessee Titans are not panicking. After a breakout game in the season opener, Marcus Mariota fell flat in Week 2, looking every bit the rookie in the loss to the Cleveland Browns. The quarterback was certainly not as elite as he was in the first week of play as his teammates must rally around him to avoid a loss to the Indianapolis Colts. As Mariota aims to improve, so do offensive stars like Dexter McCluster.
The Titans are pushing a run game by committee approach. With Bishop Sankey the assumed starter, he is not getting the primary workload or even the best stats of the unit as McCluster comes off a breakout game. In Week 2, the veteran was the star with 98 yards off 10 carries while adding another 26 yards off four catches. He was the star of the offense as he outshined Sankey who only added 42 yards off 12 carries to the mix. McCluster has been waiting for a game like this and intends to continue having more.
"Coach (Ken Whisenhunt) came to me early in the week and told me to be ready for some opportunities early in the game, and I got some opportunities and tried to make the most of it,'' McCluster said, via the team's official website. "We kind of went with who was hot at the moment - running back by committee, that's our identity right now. It is not going to change the way I work. If the opportunity is there, I'll try and make the most of it."
Sankey had a good game in Week 1 which makes the rotation even more cloudy. The Titans are working with the trend in the NFL right now which is to rotate a down-field running back with a player that is a bit more shifty and can catch passes as well. McCluster and Sankey appear to be the perfect mix on the field, but not on the fantasy rosters.
The run game will be important in Week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts. There was some optimism at practice this week as tight end Delanie Walker returned after injuring his hand in the season opener. Walker is expected to play in Week 3 as he continues to trend in the right direction. That will Mariota a solid offensive star to work with against the Colts.
According to ESPN.com, the player to watch in Week 3 is Kendall Wright. Last week, the Colts' secondary struggled to stop Eric Decker in the slot. Wright could have the same success in this game. Wright is leading the team with 118 yards on the season while Justin Hunter sits in third with just 45 yards on the season. Antony Fasano got some play last week, but with the return of Walker, that will likely change.
