Tennessee Titans: Week 15 Injury Report vs. San Francisco 49ers

The luck has run out for the Tennessee Titans. It has been a few weeks since the injury report was muddled with players, but that has all changed this week. Injuries are prevalent with important players.

Marcus Mariota – Quarterback – Hamstring/Ankle

Needless to say, Marcus Mariota did not look like himself against the Arizona Cardinals last weekend. It came out after the game that Mariota was struggling with some undisclosed injuries. According to Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports, Mariota is suffering through a hamstring and ankle injury. He may even require surgery in the offseason for these ailments. That is never a good sign for a quarterback. This goes back to Mariota being completely injury prone. During his time in Tennessee, he has consistently spent time injured. He may be the darling of the media after apologizing to them for being curt with them after last Sunday’s loss, but the guy is fragile.

At the end of the day, it looks like Mariota will suit up and play this weekend. He is a tough young man and will continue to show up to play as long as he can. The problem is the production needs to be there. If Mariota is going to play like he did last week, he might want to consider sitting out. Honestly, a bad Mariota is still way better than a completely healthy Matt Cassel. That goes back to the idea that the Titans need to have a better backup quarterback option because Mariota can not be relied upon for a full season.

Tennessee is so close to making waves this year and had an opportunity to be one of the top teams in the AFC. Unfortunately, it feels like same old Titans are coming to ruin the day. Mariota will play Sunday; hopefully, he is healthy enough to produce.

Derrick Morgan – Linebacker – Knee

Derrick Morgan did not suit up last weekend. Luckily, the Titans defense did not skip a beat with the loss of the veteran linebacker. At this point, it looks like Morgan is going to be a game time decision. He is practicing, but on a limited basis. The Titans are still in a playoff spot and would be wise to make sure that Morgan is fully healed before he gets back on the field in a game situation. Lingering knee injuries can keep acting up if they are not healed properly. It is possible Morgan plays on Sunday, but look for Erik Walden to get the majority of his snaps if he suits up or not.

Taylor Lewan – Tackle – Back

The last thing any Titans fan wants to hear is that a player has a back injury. It makes it even worse when that player is the man that protects the blindside of Marcus Mariota. Taylor Lewan was having back spasms so bad last Sunday he could not finish the game. After being held out of practice for most of the week, Jason Wolf of the Tennessean reports Lewan practiced on Thursday. It is encouraging to find out that Lewan was practicing in full and intends on playing on Sunday. The left tackle may be one of the toughest players in the NFL and will not let an injury keep him off the field if he can play. No need to look at replacements because Lewan will be out there.

Johnathan Cyprien – Safety – Back

Here we are again with another back injury. Earlier in the season, everyone had hamstring injuries (although some still do), and now back injuries are popping up. Cyprien also is suffering from back spasms. Back spasms are so unpredictable because they can stop at any moment and Cyprien can feel better. According to Jim Wyatt, Cyprien did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday. Cyprien’s first season in Tennessee has been a bit of a disappointment because he has barely seen the field. Look at his possibility of playing as truly questionable. If Cyprien does not play, Da’Norris Searcy will fill in nicely.

Phillip Supernaw – Tight End – Ankle

The role of the blocking tight end is one of the most undervalued positions in football. Phillip Supernaw is one of those players that embodies it well. Most of you reading this article probably do not care if he is not on the field on Sunday, but the Tennessee Titans’ running and passing games require a lot. Supernaw is one of those players that is brought in for extra run and pass blocking. Supernaw has an ankle injury and has been limited in practice this week. Whether he plays on Sunday is up in the air. Tennessee really needs the tight end to play for added blocking help.