The Tennessee Titans have dropped back-to-back games with Ryan Fitzpatrick in the starting lineup, but might have Jake Locker back for the team's Week 7 game against the San Francisco 49ers.
NFL news roundup: Jake Locker has chance to return; Brian Hoyer out 5 months
The Tennessee Titans dropped two games without Jake Locker, but might be able to pull out of their tailspin with his return.
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Locker, 25, completed 62.2 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and no interceptions, leading the Titans to a 3-1 record before suffering a hip injury late in Week 4 that required a cart to take him to the locker room. On Friday, Titans head coach Mike Munchak said that the team would decide on Saturday whether Locker is ready to return or if it will again rely on Fitzpatrick.
However, in a poll on SB Nation’s Titans blog, Music City Miracles, the majority of readers believe that the Titans shouldn’t rush Locker back in the lineup.
Here’s a roundup of the other injury news you may have missed on Friday:
Cleveland Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer suffered a season-ending injury, but the ACL tear wasn't as bad as initially thought, according to a report from Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, and the passer might be back with the team in five months. While that still means he won't contribute for the team in 2013, it would make Hoyer available for offseason activities and fully ready for the 2014 season.
With his impending return, there’s already speculation about the future of the Browns quarterback position. After strong play in 2013, Hoyer would seem to certainly be a player who will compete for the starting job in 2014, although who he will compete against remains to be seen.
The NFL released a statement saying that the league has not considered doubleheaders for Thursday, but Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says that’s not true. In fact, the outspoken owner said that the NFL is considering the idea and that the NFL Players Association would have no power to block a move to add a second Thursday game.
Players and coaches have publicly commented against Thursday night games, as the short week after Sunday games gives players less time to recover from the previous week’s games.
One day after sitting out to rest his surgically-repaired knee, Browns running back Willis McGahee was back on the practice field Friday and is expected to be ready for the team's Week 7 game against the Green Bay Packers.
McGahee joined the Browns following a trade that sent Trent Richardson to the Indianapolis Colts and has 164 yards rushing on 59 carries with a touchdown. Backing up McGahee is Chris Ogbonnaya, who had a season-high seven carries against the Detroit Lions in Week 6.
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Justin Blackmon missed practice twice this week and is listed as questionable, but there is reportedly "no question" that he'll play in Week 7. Listed with a hamstring injury, Blackmon sat out Wednesday and Friday, and was limited for practice on Thursday.
With Cecil Shorts III also listed as questionable and receivers Ace Sanders and Stephen Burton, the addition of Blackmon is crucial for a Jaguars offense that ranks as the NFL's worst. Blackmon tallied 14 receptions for 190 yards in the team's Week 6 loss to the Denver Broncos.
Not much is going right for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and they have received plenty of criticism so far this year. Among the criticism has been the use of cornerback Darrelle Revis, who has been asked to play in zone coverage rather than the typical man-to-man, "Revis Island" coverage that he has become known for. Among the critics is Sander Philipse of SB Nation's Buccaneers blog, Bucs Nation, who broke down the way Revis has been used in coverage so far.
Buccaneers defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan has had enough and invited any fan who thinks they can better utilize the defensive personnel to join him for a week of game-planning.
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