A game ball for his first victory as an NFL coach is on Mike

NASHVILLE David Long Jersey , Tenn. (AP) — Vrabel’s desk, and the Tennessee Titans got their first “Victory Monday” off of the season.The celebration is a bit short-lived while some key starters are rehabbing injuries.Yes, the Titans (1-1) found a way to beat Houston 20-17 for a much-needed split in their first two games after losing the longest game since the NFL/AFL merger in 1970. Now they prepare for a trip to Jacksonville on Sunday and an early AFC South showdown with the defending division champ Tennessee swept last season before hosting the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 30.But Tennessee might be without starting quarterback Marcus Mariota for a second straight week, and only time will tell if any of the Titans’ top three offensive tackles might be available Sunday against the Jaguars (2-0) as well. Mariota still is having numbness in his right, throwing hand from hurting his elbow in the season opener.Mariota watched from the sideline, active and dressed. Vrabel said Mariota physically remains about where the quarterback was Friday or Saturday when the Titans decided to start backup Blaine Gabbert instead of Mariota.“I think and I’m hopeful that it’ll improve as quickly as possible,” Vrabel said of Mariota on Monday.That puts Gabbert in line for a second straight start, this against the team that drafted him at No. 10 overall in 2011 no less. It wouldn’t be his first game against his old team. Gabbert led Arizona to a victory last November over the Jaguars, and he said this isn’t his first rodeo.“I’ve been in a lot of different situations. I’m always ready to go,” Gabbert said. “Whether you’re a starter or a backup, 13-guy http://www.losangelesramsteamonline.com/bobby-evans-jersey , you’ve got to have the same routine, week-in and week-out. Otherwise, you have nothing to fall back on when your number is called. I just stuck to my routine, prepared the same way as I always have, and just stuck with that.”Vrabel said right tackle Dennis Kelly, who has been filling in while starter Jack Conklin recovers from the left ACL torn in January, has been released from the hospital after dealing with an undisclosed illness. Vrabel said Conklin should do more at practice this week, while two-time Pro Bowl Taylor Lewan is progressing in the concussion protocol.“When that guy’s ready, we’ll put him in the game,” Vrabel said.The coach and his assistants showed in their win over Houston that they could find ways for the Titans to score points and move the ball even missing several key starters.The Titans used a fake punt for a 66-yard touchdown pass , and Derrick Henry ran the wildcat for a handful of snaps on Tennessee’s lone TD drive. Defensively Greg Gaines Jersey , the Titans came up with four sacks and an interception. They also limited Deshaun Watson to a final completion that proved meaningless as the clock expired.Linebacker Brian Orakpo called it a great one, two, three punch.“I’m definitely excited for this team overall,” Orakpo said. “We finally came out on the right end, and we’re trying to get back to the winning ways. We still have a long way to go and a long road ahead of us, but I’m excited because it was a big divisional win and coach Vrabel’s first win. Very exciting.” Antonio Brown doesn’t know how to take yes for an answer.He got what he wanted — a one-way ticket out of Pittsburgh and a new contract from the Raiders. But he continues to weaponize social media against former teammates, shifting his attention from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.In his latest Instagram misadventure, Brown posted a screenshot of a DM he received from Smith-Schuster in November 2015. “What’s up AB?” Smith-Schuster said at the time. “I’m a receiver at the University of Southern California. I appreciate all your work. Your [sic] a great man on and off the field. Do you have any tips that can help take my game to the next level? Thanks man.”Brown added as his comment to the image a microphone emoji with the message “#OnToTheNext.”None of this makes any sense. When Smith-Schuster sent the message to Brown, Smith-Schuster was still 18 years old and largely unproven as a player. He was earnest about trying to improve, and he approached Brown with deference and respect.The problem for Brown is that Smith-Schuster became very proven as a player. And Brown has allowed envy and fear to consume him, because all of a sudden mirror mirror on the wall has made it clear to Brown that Christian Wilkins Jersey , as his star inevitably fades, Smith-Schuster’s is ascending.It really is that simple. Brown felt threatened by Smith-Schuster, because eventually the Steelers would have chosen Smith-Schuster over Brown. So Brown forced the issue, making it look like he wanted out before the Steelers initiated the divorce.Amazingly, Brown can’t let it go, even though Smith-Schuster is no longer competing directly with Brown. Brown knows that people will compare his performance to Smith-Schuster’s, and Brown likely is concerned that Smith-Schuster will perform better than Brown in 2019, and beyond.That continues to gnaw at Brown, eventually compelling him to lash out in a way that makes him look petty and small. It will continue until someone becomes willing and able to get Brown to realize that he needs to stop digging.