McNair: Time is right for him to play again
NASHVILLE — Steve McNair thinks the time has come for him to play football once again for the Tennessee Titans.
The co-MVP of 2003 has missed three starts this season, including the last two games, since bruising his chest once again in the second quarter of a loss at Minnesota on Oct. 24.
McNair practiced for a second straight day Thursday, and he said he feels good and is glad he sat out last week’s 19-17 overtime loss to Chicago because his chest isn’t as sore as a week ago.
“I can go out and throw pain-free. Hopefully, I don’t get hit at all, but I know it’s going to come. … It’s just a matter of taking that one direct hit and putting me back out. Hopefully, I can avoid that,” McNair said.
Coach Jeff Fisher isn’t ready to commit that McNair will start Sunday against Jacksonville (6-3), calling him a game-time decision.
But McNair is anxious to return for a Tennessee (3-6) team whose season is slipping away, especially since he has been part of the problem. The quarterback who led the NFL with a 100.4 passer rating in 2003 has a 66.8 rating now.
The quarterback who had seven interceptions in 14 games last season already has six interceptions against only four touchdowns in 2004.
“I’m disappointed in myself. At the same time, I’ve been in this business a long time. You can’t let a couple games ruin your whole season. I’m going to go out and continue to work hard,” McNair said.
“We’ve just got to correct my play from the first half to when I get back out there.”
Fisher defended his quarterback and said McNair can get back to the level he has played at the previous three seasons in the matter of one game.
“What we want to see him do is get healthy enough to play and then be productive and make plays. It is not an easy thing, especially this week when you look at the type of defense you are going against,” Fisher said.
It was against these same Jaguars that McNair first bruised his sternum on Sept. 26. McNair dove forward after scrambling upfield and landed on the ball with Jaguars defensive tackle Marcus Stroud coming down on his back.
On Sunday, McNair will be without his left tackle Brad Hopkins who had surgery to pin together his broken right hand on Wednesday. Veteran Jason Mathews will be making his first start since the end of the 2002 season.
Right tackle Fred Miller didn’t practice Thursday because of a sore right ankle, so that might give Todd Williams the first start of his career.
“It’s always a concern when you’ve got guys out,” McNair said.
“We are professionals, and that’s what the other guys get paid for. Some of the guys have to step up and perform. … It doesn’t concern me. I think those guys can get the job done.”
Returning against the Jaguars might be good for McNair. He has thrown 2,942 yards against Jacksonville, his most passing yards against any opponent.
The Titans also could use the man they rally around when times are tough. McNair insists the season is not wasted yet for a team that he says is only a couple plays away from 6-3.
“If I can go back out there and get that leadership back and pull some guys along with me, we’ll be OK,” McNair said.
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