The Tennessee Titans ventured into Week 2 action against the Houston Texans without the services of quarterback Marcus Mariota due to an elbow injury.
The Titans were able to scrap out their first win of the 2018 campaign on Sunday with backup Blaine Gabbert under center, but it doesn't appear that Mariota's status has changed just yet for Week 3's game on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.
Vrabel: @Titans QB Marcus Mariota's status is the same as it was Friday or Saturday
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) September 17, 2018
There is no clarity on how severe the injury is that Mariota is dealing with, but it is enough to possibly keep him out of action for the second straight game. The Titans are likely operating in the precautionary approach given his importance to their long-term future as the franchise quarterback. He had helped lead the team to the playoffs last year despite the notable step down in his performance on the field. There is a strong confidence that he can do that once again while excel under the new coaching staff and the offensive system that has been put in place over the offseason.
In the meantime, the team looks to be more than comfortable rolling with Gabbert as the temporary starter with Mariota on the mend as he helped generate enough offense against the Texans as completed 13-of-20 passes for 117 yards along with a touchdown. Gabbert may not be able to lead the team with his arm, but his presence does provide stability for the team to lean on while the Titans feature a two-headed running game lead by Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis that the team can work through.
There is still plenty of time for Mariota to prove that he is past the injury and can return to the field for Week 3 action against the defending AFC South champion Jaguars. This is something that the Titans will keep an eye on as the week moves along.
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