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NASHVILLE -- While Jake Locker will miss a "few weeks" with a sprained hip, coach Mike Munchak says the Titans are encouraged by how the quarterback already is moving around. Michael Bennett Jersey . Exactly how many games Locker misses depends on how quickly he recovers. "If anyones going to get back quick, its him," Munchak said Tuesday night during his weekly radio show on 104.5 The Zone WGFX-FM. "We know hes going to miss a few games and now its just going to be a matter of how well he rehabs and how quickly it comes around to see exactly when. We wont know for a couple weeks how close he could be to playing." The Titans released a statement earlier Tuesday, saying a second MRI exam was "reassuring" and confirmed Locker did not suffer major damage to his hip joint. Locker sprained his right hip and also his right knee. Munchak had dismissed reports Monday that Locker would miss at least a month and possibly up to eight weeks, saying everyone was just "guessing." He said then they needed the second MRI exam because Locker had swelling in his hip. Munchak said Tuesday night they wanted to be cautious. "Then today they said that this looks a lot better than we thought," Munchak said. "Hes still got a lot of work ahead of him no doubt, but its good news to know that hes got just a sprain of the hip area and also the knee." Munchak said Locker started his rehabilitation Tuesday and also took part in the quarterbacks weekly session. Ryan Fitzpatrick will start Sunday for the Titans (3-1) against Kansas City (4-0), and Tennessee has not made any roster move yet to add another quarterback to the roster. Rusty Smith already is on the practice squad, but the Titans would have to release someone else to promote him to the roster in a move that would not have to be made until Saturday. The timing could not be worse for the Titans. Locker missed five games last season with an injured left shoulder for a team that lost four of its first five games. The Titans now are off to a strong start, and Locker certainly is a reason why. Locker currently is the third-ranked quarterback in the AFC by passer rating behind Denvers Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers of San Diego. Locker currently has a 99 passer rating and is completing a career-high 62.2 per cent of his passes with six touchdowns and no interceptions. The Titans wrap up a three-game home stand against the Chiefs on Sunday before visiting Seattle (4-0) on Oct. 13. They host San Francisco (2-2) before their bye. If Locker is out for only a month, he could be on target to return Nov. 3 when Tennessee visits St. Louis. Jermaine Kearse Jersey . The team said Friday it also interviewed Arizona Cardinals vice-president of player personnel Jason Licht and Dolphins assistant general manager Brian Gaine. All are candidates to replace Jeff Ireland, who left Wednesday after six seasons. Luke Willson Jersey . Vincent Lecavalier - whose Philadelphia Flyers host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night - told reporters after the morning skate that it does make him think twice about the subject, but stopped short on saying if it should be taken out altogether. CHICAGO -- Calvin Johnson saw the defensive coverage. Same for Matthew Stafford, and they knew exactly what to do. The result was a franchise record for one of the NFLs best wide receivers, and a big win for the Detroit Lions. Johnson caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Stafford with 2:22 to go, helping the Lions edge Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears 21-19 on Sunday in a key matchup of NFC North rivals. "I knew immediately that one of us on the outside was going to get it," Johnson said. "So I just wanted to work, be patient and he threw a great ball." Johnson also had a tiebreaking TD reception in the third quarter and Reggie Bush rushed for 105 yards as Detroit (6-3) swept the season series against Chicago (5-4) for the first time since the 2007 season. When Green Bay lost 27-13 to Philadelphia, the Lions were all alone in first in the division for the first time since the end of Week 5 of the 2005 season, according to STATS. "We came out with a victory on the road against a really tough team," Detroit coach Jim Schwartz said. "It was a hard-fought win. Proud of the players, but thats the only thing that means (anything) today. "I mean first place, you dont get any prizes for first place there nine games into the season." Johnsons ninth touchdown grab of the season was the 63rd of his career, breaking a tie with Herman Moore for the Detroit record. Moore still leads with 670 career receptions for the Lions, but Johnson might take that record down at some point, too. "To be a part of history for the Lions, thats a big deal," Johnson said. Johnson, playing in his 100th game, has 8,740 yards receiving, the second-most in NFL history in a players first 100 games. Johnson trails Hall of Famer Lance Alworth who had 9,019. Cutler threw for 250 yards and a touchdown in his first action since he injured his groin last month. He injured his left ankle in the second quarter and looked progressively worse as the game wore on. Coach Marc Trestman finally decided to put in Josh McCown before the Bears final drive. "I didnt want to take him out unless he felt he couldnt do the job," Trestman said. "It was, I thought, a very courageous performance throughout. Then at the end I took him out because I knew he would have to run around in the two-minute drill and thats when we decided to put Josh in the game." McCown drove the Bears down the field, throwing an 11-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Marshall with 40 seconds left. After a roughing penalty on Willie Young gave the Bears another chance at the tying 2-point conversion, Nick Fairley threw Mattt Forte down in the backfield to preserve the win for Detroit. Derrick Coleman Jersey. "I just figured it would be a run or a play-action pass," Fairley said. "I just scouted out the ball real good and it was just happy I made the play." Stafford threw for 219 yards for Detroit, which has won two in a row for the first time since the end of September. Johnson had six catches for 83 yards. The Lions were clinging to a 14-10 lead when Chris Conte intercepted an overthrown ball by Stafford and returned it 35 yards to the Detroit 9. Forte then had a touchdown run negated by a holding penalty on left guard Matt Slauson and an apparent scoring pass to Alshon Jeffery was overturned when a replay showed he lost control of the ball when he hit the ground. Robbie Goulds 32-yard field goal trimmed the Lions lead to one with 9:17 remaining, setting the stage for the frantic finish. It was Cutlers first game since he was sacked by Redskins nose tackle Chris Baker in the first half of Chicagos 45-41 loss at Washington on Oct. 20. He had to be helped off the field, and an MRI revealed a torn groin muscle that was expected to sideline the quarterback for at least four weeks. Cutler had other ideas. The Bears had a bye week after the Washington loss, and Cutler watched while McCown led Chicago to a big 27-20 victory at Green Bay last Monday. Cutler then was cleared to play on Thursday and made the start against Detroit with the Lions, Bears and Packers all tied for the NFC North lead entering the day. He insisted he was 100 per cent, but it was clear his groin was bothering him more and more as the game wore on. He grabbed his groin area and dropped to the ground after one third-quarter throw. He then popped right back up and remained in the game. "It held up OK. Its all on the same leg so I think that was a problem," said Cutler, referring the groin and ankle injuries. "But the groin, you take the ankle out of the equation and I would have been fine, I think." Cutler threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Marshall on the first drive of the game. But he also had a pass tipped by Ndamukong Suh and grabbed by DeAndre Levy in the end zone for the linebackers fifth interception. NOTES: Levy began the day tied with seven other players for the NFL lead in interceptions. ... Each team played without a key defensive end. Detroit rookie Ziggy Ansah was out with a left ankle injury, and Chicagos Shea McClellin tweaked a hamstring during practice after he had three sacks in the victory at Green Bay. ... Lions RB Montell Owens left in the first quarter with a knee injury and did not return. ' ' ' |
