The Sports Xchange

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans will be starting a new center this week with rookie Andy Gallik taking over after Brian Schwenke was lost to a season-ending left ankle injury. Schwenke dislocated his ankle in the first half and had to be carted off the field. He will need surgery to repair the injury, leaving the rookie sixth-round pick now in the middle of an already struggling Titans offensive line. Through five games the Titans have now allowed 20 sacks, including six on Sunday by the Dolphins.

“He got better as the game went on. He struggled a little bit early. He got picked on a stunt one time on which the guy came free and got a sack. But he did a little better as the game went on. We’ll look at options, what we can possibly help to address that, and see where it is going forward,” head coach Ken Whisenhunt said in assessing Gallik’s play Sunday.

–Rookie right tackle Jeremiah Poutasi was benched Sunday after being dominated by Miami’s Cameron Wake. Wake had just one sack in four games, but sacked Marcus Mariota four times on Sunday. The Titans sat Poutasi down and inserted veteran Jamon Meredith at right tackle. Meredith was whistled for a couple of penalties and had some issues in protection as well on Sunday.

But Poutasi will remain the starter, said Whisenhunt.

“He’ll go back as a right tackle. He actually had been doing well, up until yesterday. He didn’t have a very good day yesterday,” Whisenhunt said. “That happens. But he’s gone against some pretty good players in the previous weeks and he’s done OK. He did a nice job last week against Buffalo and this was not his best game, but I didn’t want to lose him. That’s why I took him out. He’ll go back in.”