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By TERESA M. WALKER, AP Pro Football Writer
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Marcus Mariota is hurt again, not that Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel is saying just yet just how bad his quarterback is injured.
Mariota suffered a stinger when sacked inside the final minute of the first half Saturday in the Titans’ 25-16 victory over the Washington Redskins. Mariota knelt on the field and had his right, throwing arm examined before walking to the sideline and straight to the locker room. He never returned.
“He’s still being evaluated,” Vrabel said after the game.
Mariota didn’t speak after the game and was seen riding a cart away from the locker room after the seventh game the quarterback has left with an injury in his career. The last time Mariota couldn’t finish a game with a stinger was Nov. 18 in a loss in Indianapolis, but he started the next game.
The Titans (8-6) host Indianapolis on the final day of the regular season needing a victory with at least one loss by either Baltimore or Pittsburgh to claim the AFC’s sixth and final playoff seed. Vrabel isn’t scheduled to talk to reporters again until Monday.
Four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jurrell Casey also was hurt late in the fourth quarter. He missed some practice this week with a knee injury and had to be helped off the field.
Mariota apparently gave some critique of Derrick Henry’s passing skills after the running back overthrew Luke Stocker late in the third quarter on first-and-10 at the Washington 23.
“Marcus made fun of me,” Henry said. “He said it looked bad on TV. I wish I would have gotten it. I’m going to be mad about that for a long time.”
Mariota first hurt his throwing arm in the season opener , suffering nerve injury in his elbow that cost him a start. Blaine Gabbert, who also started the Titans’ win over Houston on Sept. 16, threw for 101 yards and the game-winning touchdown in relief this time. Gabbert said he’ll prepare to start regardless of Mariota’s status.
“Like you saw tonight, it can happen in a split second that you’re in the game, so you’ve always got to be ready when your number is called,” Gabbert said.
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