The Sports Xchange

Tennessee Titans left tackle Taylor Lewan said he apologized to his teammates after what he termed the “worst game” of his life on Sunday in the loss to the Texans.

Lewan was victimized by Texans linebacker Whitney Mercilus for 3.5 of the seven sacks given up by the Titans.

In fairness to Lewan, he has been dealing with a pinched nerve in his left shoulder that has been giving him trouble for several weeks and won’t be fixed until after the season ends.

“It’s a matter of me getting in and getting treatment and being as healthy as I can possibly be for this team,” Lewan said. “On Sundays, it doesn’t have an asterisk by the film saying this guy’s got an injury. It’s the eighth game of the season, everybody is hurt. It’s just a matter of me doing what I have to do to be the player I want to be and the player I’ve been aside from this game.”

–Running back Bishop Sankey is out as the Titans kickoff return man a week after he was out of the running back by committee. Sankey lost a fumble on one kickoff and then muffed another one that caused him to be tackled inside the 10-yard line. Dexter McCluster will now take over that role.

–Right tackle Jeremiah Poutasi was benched for the second time in three games as J.J. Watt used him as a turnstile before the Titans replaced the third-round pick with journeyman Jamon Meredith, who might become the new starter there.

“He’s a young football player. Those are things that are tough,” Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt said of Poutasi. “That’s something we’re looking at. I think you have to consider (making a change).”

NOTES: QB Marcus Mariota (knee) is expected to be a full participant in practice this week after missing two games with a sprained MCL in his left knee. Mariota should make his start Sunday after missing two games with the injury. … WR Harry Douglas (ribs) should return to practice this week and likely will play after missing two games with a rib cartilage injury. … WR Kendall Wright (knee) suffered a sprained MCL in his left knee on Sunday and did not return to the game. On Monday, Wright said his knee felt “horrible,” and he said he did not know what his status would be for this week. … CB Perrish Cox (hamstring) should be back in the lineup this week after missing two games with a hamstring injury.