NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Titans will spend the off-season thinking of the three games that cost them a playoff berth and looking ahead to a promising second season under coach Mike Munchak.

Just how many are back for 2012 remains to be seen with contracts of more than 20 Titans expiring. With Munchak taking over a team that went 6-10 and didn’t have an off-season due to the lockout, the Titans have high expectations for what’s next.

“Who would have thought we’d be 9-7?” fullback Ahmard Hall said Monday after the Titans cleaned out lockers. “Who would give us a chance to be 9-7? Munch is building something great here, and everybody wants to be a part of that.”

Hall is among those whose contracts are up, meaning the Titans have plenty of personnel work ahead.

For a franchise that got rid of a quarterback and head coach a year ago, handling a secondary where four defensive backs are pending free agents should be much easier. Defensive captain and cornerback Cortland Finnegan and safeties Chris Hope, Michael Griffin and Jordan Babineaux all are up with no contract talks since Finnegan bolted training camp in August.

Finnegan doesn’t sound as if he expects to be back, though he hopes to return after six seasons in Tennessee.

“Coach Munchak is building something really special around here,” Finnegan said. “He plans to talk to everyone. We’ll see what the future holds.”

Munchak said the salary cap will decide how many players they keep. He hopes they keep as many as possible in free agency along with another crop of rookies to go with a promising draft class where three started on defence.

“You got a nice little core here, so I think it’s something we can build on,” Munchak said. “I think that’s part of the excitement of selling to the guys that are in this room is that yeah, 9-7 was OK. It wasn’t quite good enough this year, but a lot of good things happened at 9-7 that we’re excited about as an organization, as a team and that we can build on.”

The Titans finished the season beating the Houston Texans 23-22, missing out on their first playoff berth since 2008 when the Jets lost to Miami and Denver lost to Kansas City. That left Tennessee tied with Cincinnati but losing the head-to-head tiebreaker due to a Nov. 6 loss to the Bengals where the Titans blew a 10-point lead in losing 24-17.

“Hopefully the lesson we learned is you can’t hope that someone else can do your job for you,” Munchak said. “We had to earn our way in, and we didn’t.”

Tennessee also lost its opener 16-14 in Jacksonville and became the first team to lose to the previously winless Colts 27-13 on Dec. 18 when a win would have put the Titans into the AFC’s sixth and final playoff spot.

At least Munchak has his quarterbacks in veteran Matt Hasselbeck and Jake Locker going into a full off-season to push for the starting job. Hasselbeck started all 16 games and became the first quarterback for this franchise not named Warren Moon to throw for at least 3,500 yards. He finished with 3,571 yards passing with 18 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions. Locker threw for four TDs with a 99.4 passer rating coming off the bench in five games.

Munchak said the quarterbacks will compete again with the player who should start being an obvious decision when the time comes.

He plans on keeping his co-ordinators, giving Chris Palmer to work on an offence that ranked 17th in the NFL in passing even though top receiver Kenny Britt tore his right ACL in September.

The biggest focus will be on a run game that ranked 31st in the league averaging a measly 89.9 yards.

Chris Johnson ran for a career-low 1,047 yards after missing the pre-season before getting his new contract extension. He has plenty of incentives in that deal to spend plenty of time working in the Titans’ off-season program, and he said the Titans simply need to improve their execution.

A full off-season will help Jerry Gray’s defence too.

“We were limited in what we could do because guys were learning it on the run,” Finnegan said. “That’d be huge for this defence.”

A fourth rookie, Karl Klug, led Tennessee with seven sacks, and the Titans ranked eighth in the NFL in points allowed per game. But Tennessee still must find a way to tighten up a run defence gashed for big runs far too often, leading to a No. 24 ranking giving up 128.3 yards per game.

Notes: The Titans will pick 20th in April’s draft. … The Titans’ 2012 home schedule features visits from Houston, the Colts and Jaguars in the AFC South along with the Patriots, the Jets, the Steelers, Chicago and Detroit. Tennessee will visit its AFC South divisional rivals along with trips to Minnesota, Green Bay, Miami, San Diego and Buffalo after finishing second in the division.

“Who would have thought we’d be 9-7?” fullback Ahmard Hall said Monday after the Titans cleaned out lockers. “Who would give us a chance to be 9-7? Munch is building something great here, and everybody wants to be a part of that.”

Hall is among those whose contracts are up, meaning the Titans have plenty of personnel work ahead.

For a franchise that got rid of a quarterback and head coach a year ago, handling a secondary where four defensive backs are pending free agents should be much easier. Defensive captain and cornerback Cortland Finnegan and safeties Chris Hope, Michael Griffin and Jordan Babineaux all are up with no contract talks since Finnegan bolted training camp in August.

Finnegan doesn’t sound as if he expects to be back, though he hopes to return after six seasons in Tennessee.

“Coach Munchak is building something really special around here,” Finnegan said. “He plans to talk to everyone. We’ll see what the future holds.”

Munchak said the salary cap will decide how many players they keep. He hopes they keep as many as possible in free agency along with another crop of rookies to go with a promising draft class where three started on defense.

“You got a nice little core here, so I think it’s something we can build on,” Munchak said. “I think that’s part of the excitement of selling to the guys that are in this room is that yeah, 9-7 was OK. It wasn’t quite good enough this year, but a lot of good things happened at 9-7 that we’re excited about as an organization, as a team and that we can build on.”

The Titans finished the season beating the Houston Texans 23-22, missing out on their first playoff berth since 2008 when the Jets lost to Miami and Denver lost to Kansas City. That left Tennessee tied with Cincinnati but losing the head-to-head tiebreaker due to a Nov. 6 loss to the Bengals where the Titans blew a 10-point lead in losing 24-17.

“Hopefully the lesson we learned is you can’t hope that someone else can do your job for you,” Munchak said. “We had to earn our way in, and we didn’t.”

Tennessee also lost its opener 16-14 in Jacksonville and became the first team to lose to the previously winless Colts 27-13 on Dec. 18 when a win would have put the Titans into the AFC’s sixth and final playoff spot.

At least Munchak has his quarterbacks in veteran Matt Hasselbeck and Jake Locker going into a full offseason to push for the starting job. Hasselbeck started all 16 games and became the first quarterback for this franchise not named Warren Moon to throw for at least 3,500 yards. He finished with 3,571 yards passing with 18 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions. Locker threw for four TDs with a 99.4 passer rating coming off the bench in five games.

Munchak said the quarterbacks will compete again with the player who should start being an obvious decision when the time comes.

He plans on keeping his coordinators, giving Chris Palmer to work on an offense that ranked 17th in the NFL in passing even though top receiver Kenny Britt tore his right ACL in September.

The biggest focus will be on a run game that ranked 31st in the league averaging a measly 89.9 yards.

Chris Johnson ran for a career-low 1,047 yards after missing the preseason before getting his new contract extension. He has plenty of incentives in that deal to spend plenty of time working in the Titans’ offseason program, and he said the Titans simply need to improve their execution.

A full offseason will help Jerry Gray’s defense too.

“We were limited in what we could do because guys were learning it on the run,” Finnegan said. “That’d be huge for this defense.”

A fourth rookie, Karl Klug, led Tennessee with seven sacks, and the Titans ranked eighth in the NFL in points allowed per game. But Tennessee still must find a way to tighten up a run defense gashed for big runs far too often, leading to a No. 24 ranking giving up 128.3 yards per game.

Notes: The Titans will pick 20th in April’s draft. … The Titans’ 2012 home schedule features visits from Houston, the Colts and Jaguars in the AFC South along with the Patriots, the Jets, the Steelers, Chicago and Detroit. Tennessee will visit its AFC South divisional rivals along with trips to Minnesota, Green Bay, Miami, San Diego and Buffalo after finishing second in the division.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

HOUSTON (AP) — The Tennessee Titans‘ regular-season finale came down to a 2-point conversion.

The Texans botched it, and the Titans stayed alive in the playoff hunt — at least for a few more hours.

Matt Hasselbeck threw two touchdown passes, and Tennessee staved off Houston‘s last-minute rally in a 23-22 victory Sunday.

Tennessee (9-7) earned its first winning record since 2008 in Mike Munchak‘s first season, but its postseason fate depended on the outcome of later games in Cincinnati, Oakland and Denver.

The Titans got some early help when the New York Jets lost in Miami, but then had to sweat out the final two minutes when Ahmard Hall fumbled, and Jake Delhomme drove Houston for a touchdown with 14 seconds left.

The Texans (10-6) were locked into the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs before the game began.

With their position secured and nothing to lose but more players to injury, coach Gary Kubiak called for a two-point conversion to avoid overtime and win the game in regulation.

“You would never go for 2 there in any other situation,” Kubiak said. “But where we were physically, at the end of the game, I had a tight end (Garrett Graham) playing linebacker. Our team, I had to get them to next week.”

But tight end Joel Dreessen was flagged for illegal motion, and then backup center Thomas Austin flipped the snap over Delhomme’s head and the game was over.

Kubiak and Munchak shared a chuckle at midfield after the game.

“I think if they were shooting for the playoffs, they probably kick the extra point and go to overtime,” Munchak said.

Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan took offense to Kubiak’s decision.

“I think they wanted to show that no matter who they put on the field, they want to embarrass us and beat us,” Finnegan said. “And we ended up winning.”

The victory might turn out to mean nothing.

Tennessee needed the Bengals to lose to Baltimore and victories by Oakland and Denver to earn a playoff berth. And that would land the Titans right back in Houston next week to play the Texans.

“Of course, having a chance to still make the playoffs is a great thing,” running back Chris Johnson said. “That’s one of the team goals around here to make the playoffs and hopefully make it to the Super Bowl.”

The Texans, meanwhile, will head into the franchise’s first postseason on a three-game losing streak and new concerns about their quarterback.

Rookie starter T.J. Yates left the game after one series and was replaced by the 36-year-old Delhomme. Kubiak said Yates had a bruised left shoulder but could’ve returned if necessary.

“Obviously, I didn’t want him to go back in the game,” Kubiak said. “We’ll know better where we’re at (Monday), at this point.”

Delhomme, signed Nov. 29 in the wake of season-ending injuries to starter Matt Schaub and backup Matt Leinart, completed 18 of 28 passes in his first action since December 2010.

Johnson ran for 61 yards to go over 1,000 for the fourth consecutive season, and Rob Bironas kicked three field goals for Tennessee.

“It was an interesting ending,” Munchak said. “Our goal was to come in here and win this game. We did that. We’re 9-7 and that’s all we can control.”

Yates was sacked on Houston’s first snap by Jurrell Casey and Derrick Morgan. He completed passes to Dreessen and James Casey for first downs, before Ben Tate and Derrick Ward started alternating touches for the rest of the drive.

Tate plowed into the end zone with 5:15 left in the first quarter, but Yates came off the field favoring his left shoulder and went to the locker room.

Yates jogged back to the Houston sideline for the start of the second quarter. But after Bironas kicked a 21-yard field goal, Delhomme returned for the Texans’ next possession.

Titans defensive end Dave Ball sacked Delhomme and knocked the ball loose, and safety Chris Hope recovered at the Texans 33. Hasselbeck threw a 25-yard pass to Jared Cook, then found Donnie Avery in the corner of the end zone to move Tennessee in front.

Hasselbeck completed 22 of 35 passes for 297 yards without an interception.

Delhomme threw a 16-yard pass to Andre Johnson to get Houston moving again. Johnson caught two passes and sat out the second half after missing the previous three games with a strained left hamstring.

Notes: Hall and Titans LT Mike Otto left with “probable” concussions, Munchak said. WR Damian Williams has a rib injury, Munchak said, and would be re-evaluated Monday. … Chris Johnson is the third player in Titans history to reach 1,000 yards rushing in at least four straight seasons, joining Eddie George (1996-2000) and Earl Campbell (1978-81). … Bironas extended his own NFL record by kicking a field goal of at least 40 yards in his 10th consecutive game. … The Texans dropped to 5-1 in season finales under Kubiak. … Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips worked from the press box after missing two games following kidney and gall bladder surgery.

HOUSTON – The Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans have different objectives in mind heading into Sunday’s regular-season finale.

For the Titans (8-7), the goal is clear-cut — win at Reliant Stadium and then hope for the magic combination of losses involving Cincinnati, Denver, Oakland and the New York Jets to earn their first playoff berth since 2008.

And that would set up a rematch with the Texans in the first round of the post-season right back in Houston.

“If we don’t take care of our business, there will be no scoreboard watching,” kicker Rob Bironas said. “We’ll be on the couch watching — for all of January.”

For the Texans (10-5), the incentive is more intangible — regaining the momentum they seem to have lost in two consecutive defeats after reeling off seven straight wins to clinch their first AFC South title.

Houston has nothing at stake in terms of post-season positioning. The Texans are locked into the No. 3 seed in the AFC, and will host a game on the first weekend of the playoffs, no matter what happens.

But no one in the locker room wants to go into the franchise’s first post-season game riding a losing streak.

“This game is more important than most people will ever know,” defensive end Antonio Smith said. “You think that since it doesn’t hurt us or help us as far as the playoff run, that it doesn’t matter.

“You’ve got to be firing on all cylinders when you go into the playoffs,” he said. “If not, man, ain’t no telling what will happen.”

The Texans kick-started their regular season with a 41-7 victory in Nashville on Oct. 23. They stayed in first place for the rest of the regular season, despite playing most of their games without star receiver Andre Johnson.

The five-time Pro Bowl selection has been practicing this week, and coach Gary Kubiak expects Johnson to play in the finale. Johnson sat out six games with a right hamstring injury that required minor surgery, started the next two games and then strained his left hamstring. He’s been sidelined for the last three games, and he’s eager to see some action on Sunday, just so he can regain some stamina and timing.

“I’m excited,” Johnson said. “I feel like I haven’t played football all year. It’ll be fun to get back out there and run around a little bit.”

Houston also hopes to have defensive co-ordinator Wade Phillips back calling the plays, but from the press box instead of on the sideline. Phillips, 64, returned to practice this week after undergoing kidney and gall bladder surgery on Dec. 15.

“It’s awesome to have him back,” rookie outside linebacker Brooks Reed said. “He just has that personality where no matter what goes wrong, he’s always calm and I think that is kind of contagious throughout.”

The Titans, meanwhile, only have flickering playoff hopes because of a 23-17 victory over Jacksonville last week. They lost to the previously winless Colts on Dec. 18, a setback that now looms large.

And they also remember how the Texans manhandled them on their home field, holding Tennessee to 148 yards and 11 first downs. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck conceded that the Titans took their divisional rivals too lightly the first time around.

“I think we probably underestimated how good they were physically,” Hasselbeck said. “They’re one of the premier teams in the NFL this year and it just hasn’t been the case sometimes in the past.

“They were fantastic that game we played against them here,” he said. “They were making plays all over the field in all phases and they really took it to us. I think that’s probably the toughest game we’ve played this year in terms of just, we were feeling one thing and they really disrupted what our thoughts were and took it to us.”

Chris Johnson rushed for only 18 yards in that game, but he’s had three 100-yard games since, all Tennessee victories. Johnson needs only 14 yards rushing on Sunday to reach 1,000 yards for the fourth consecutive season.

“We’re fully aware that he can just break out any time,” Reed said, “and we just need to secure edges and just make sure he doesn’t get out in too many open spaces because that’s where he’s dangerous.”

The Texans’ running backs dominated the earlier meeting.

Arian Foster and Ben Tate both went over 100 yards, and Foster also had 100 yards receiving. Foster, named to the Pro Bowl for the second straight season, has seven 100-yard games this year and has topped 100 yards rushing in Houston’s last two season finales, both victories.

First year Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Munchak has emerged as the top pick for Penn State to replace Joe Paterno as the Nittany Lions’ next head coach, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The search committee was initially interested in Chris Petersen from Boise State, according to some reports. However, Petersen made it known last week that he wasn’t interested in the position. Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach Tom Clements also ranks highly with the school’s search committee, according to the Post-Gazzette.

Munchak has led the Titans to an 8-7 record through 15 games in his first year at the helm in Tennessee. The former offensive lineman played with the Houston Oilers franchise from 1982-1993, and has been a coach with the Oilers/Titans in some form since 1994.

During his playing career, Munchak was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection, and a ten-time All-Pro. He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2001.

Penn State is looking to fill their head coaching position for the first time since 1965 after longtime head coach Joe Paterno was fired due to the Jerry Sandusky sexual assault scandal. Paterno became college football’s all-time winningest coach while at Penn State, posting a record of 409-136-3.

Munchak, 51, is a Penn State alumni.

After weeks of delays thanks to the additions of Texas A&M and Missouri as its 13th and 14th members, the SEC has finally released its 2012 conference schedule.

Next year’s league slate will open with South Carolina traveling to Vanderbilt on opening weekend Aug. 30, while the two newest members will be one of a handful of games to close out the season Nov. 24, with Mizzou traveling to College Station to take on the Aggies.  Alabama and Florida are the only schools that will face both Mizzou (SEC East) and A&M (SEC West) in their inaugural SEC season.

Mizzou will open SEC play with a home game against Georgia Sept. 8, while the Aggies’ first game in their new conference will be a home game the same day against Florida.

Interestingly, the Texas A&M-Arkansas game is still listed as a neutral site contest.  Reports had surfaced in recent days that the Aggies-Razorbacks series, played in Cowboys Stadium the past three years, was in danger of being moved from the NFL venue to the respective school’s campuses because it was falling short financially.  Of course, the listing as a neutral site game could be merely a matter of the two schools working to get out from under a 10-year contract with seven years remaining on it.

“Officially the Aggies will be the home team against Arkansas at a site to be determined at this point,” an A&M spokesperson told Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News.

For the second straight season, 2011 SEC East champion Georgia will avoid both Alabama and LSU.  Instead, the Bulldogs’ two cross-divisional games will be against Ole Miss and Auburn to close out conference play.  According to Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News, UGA will have “the easiest SEC schedule based on opponents’ 2011 overall records (.500).”

Coming off a winless 2011 season in conference play and with a new head coach in Hugh Freeze, Ole Miss has an absolutely brutal 2012 league schedule: all eight of their SEC opponents will play in bowl games this season, and they will take road trips to Alabama, LSU, Arkansas and Georgia — the top four teams in the conference this past season.  Solomon notes that the Rebels will have the toughest schedule in the conference based on this year’s records.  Good luck with that, Coach Freeze.

The press release notes that the 2012 schedule is not based on any other previous or future scheduling formats.  The SEC athletic directors will convene in Spring 2012 to begin formulating scheduling principles for the 2013 season and beyond.

“The SEC transition team and our athletic directors did a great job with significant logistical challenges in a short time frame in developing the 2012 football conference schedule,” said SEC Commissioner Mike Slive.  “The ability to come together for the conference is what makes the SEC so strong and that was evident yet again in this process.”

After the jump you’ll find the complete school-by-school 2012 schedule:

ALABAMA
Sept. 15: at Arkansas
Sept. 29: OLE MISS
Oct. 13: at Missouri
Oct. 20: at Tennessee
Oct. 27: MISSISSIPPI STATE
Nov. 3: at LSU
Nov. 10: TEXAS A&M
Nov. 24: AUBURN

ARKANSAS
Sept. 15: ALABAMA
Sept. 29: vs. Texas A&M
Oct. 6: at Auburn
Oct. 13: KENTUCKY
Oct. 27: OLE MISS
Nov. 10: at South Carolina
Nov. 17: at Mississippi State
Nov. 24: LSU

AUBURN
Sept. 8: at Mississippi State
Sept. 22: LSU
Oct. 6: ARKANSAS
Oct. 13: at Ole Miss
Oct. 20: at Vanderbilt
Oct. 27: TEXAS A&M
Nov. 10: GEORGIA
Nov. 24: at Alabama

FLORIDA
Sept. 8: at Texas A&M
Sept. 15: at Tennessee
Sept. 22: KENTUCKY
Oct. 6: LSU
Oct. 13: at Vanderbilt
Oct. 20: SOUTH CAROLINA
Oct. 27: vs. Georgia (Jacksonville)
Nov. 3: MISSOURI

GEORGIA
Sept. 8: at Missouri
Sept. 22: VANDERBILT
Sept. 29: TENNESSEE
Oct. 6: at South Carolina
Oct. 20: at Kentucky
Oct. 27: vs. Florida (Jacksonville)
Nov. 3: OLE MISS
Nov. 10: at Auburn

KENTUCKY
Sept. 22: at Florida
Sept. 29: SOUTH CAROLINA
Oct. 6: MISSISSIPPI STATE
Oct. 13: at Arkansas
Oct. 20: GEORGIA
Oct. 27: at Missouri
Nov. 3: VANDERBILT
Nov. 24: at Tennessee

LSU
Sept. 22: at Auburn
Oct. 6: at Florida
Oct. 13: SOUTH CAROLINA
Oct. 20: at Texas A&M
Nov. 3: ALABAMA
Nov. 10: MISSISSIPPI STATE
Nov. 17: OLE MISS
Nov. 24: at Arkansas

OLE MISS
Sept. 29: at Alabama
Oct. 6: TEXAS A&M
Oct. 13: AUBURN
Oct. 27: at Arkansas
Nov. 3: at Georgia
Nov. 10: VANDERBILT
Nov. 17: at LSU
Nov. 24: MISSISSIPPI STATE

MISSISSIPPI STATE
Sept. 8: AUBURN
Oct. 6: at Kentucky
Oct. 13: TENNESSEE
Oct. 27: at Alabama
Nov. 3: TEXAS A&M
Nov. 10: at LSU
Nov. 17: ARKANSAS
Nov. 24: at Ole Miss

MISSOURI
Sept. 8: GEORGIA
Sept. 22: at South Carolina
Oct. 6: VANDERBILT
Oct. 13: ALABAMA
Oct. 27: KENTUCKY
Nov. 3: at Florida
Nov. 10: at Tennessee
Nov. 24: at Texas A&M

SOUTH CAROLINA
Aug. 30: at Vanderbilt
Sept. 22: MISSOURI
Sept. 29: at Kentucky
Oct. 6: GEORGIA
Oct. 13: at LSU
Oct. 20: at Florida
Oct. 27: TENNESSEE
Nov. 10: ARKANSAS

TENNESSEE
Sept. 15: FLORIDA
Sept. 29: at Georgia
Oct. 13: at Mississippi State
Oct. 20: ALABAMA
Oct. 27: at South Carolina
Nov. 10: MISSOURI
Nov. 17: at Vanderbilt
Nov. 24: KENTUCKY

TEXAS A&M
Sept. 8: FLORIDA
Sept. 29: vs. Arkansas
Oct. 6: at Ole Miss
Oct. 20: LSU
Oct. 27: at Auburn
Nov. 3: at Mississippi State
Nov. 10: at Alabama
Nov. 24: MISSOURI

VANDERBILT
Aug. 30: SOUTH CAROLINA
Sept. 22: at Georgia
Oct. 6: at Missouri
Oct. 13: FLORIDA
Oct. 20: AUBURN
Nov. 3: at Kentucky
Nov. 10: at Ole Miss
Nov. 17: TENNESSEE

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson is questionable for Saturday’s game with the Jacksonville Jaguars after being limited by his sore right ankle Friday.

Johnson hurt his ankle late in last week’s 27-13 loss to the Colts and did not practice Tuesday or Wednesday.

Receiver Nate Washington, who is having a career year with catches and yards receiving, practiced fully with his sore left ankle and is probable. Linebacker Patrick Bailey was limited but is probable for the Titans’ home finale due to a hamstring injury.

Defensive end William Hayes (groin) practiced and is questionable. LInebacker Gerald McRath (left knee/ankle) did not practice and is out.

Defensive end Dave Ball did not practice but not because of injury. His wife gave birth to a son on Wednesday.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

For a complete look at all injuries around the league, go to NFL.com’s injury page.

Matt Hasselbeck will start for the Tennessee Titans against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, barring any setback.

Hasselbeck practiced fully on Friday despite an injured left calf. He will be listed as questionable, but is expected to start.

“He looked good. Matt was able to do quite a bit,” Titans coach Mike Munchak said. “He looked like we hoped he would, and I assume he’ll be able to play and start on Sunday.”

Hasselbeck was knocked out of last week’s loss to New Orleans in the second quarter when he pulled the calf muscle and began limping, giving way to rookie Jake Locker.

Locker had been limited on Wednesday with his own sore ribs. But he practiced fully again Friday and is probable against the Colts. Locker practiced some with the first team Friday but is expected to move back into the backup role. The Titans might dress No. 3 quarterback Rusty Smith against the Colts as a precaution.

“If he has some setback from what he did today or tomorrow, then we would re-evaluate, but we’re assuming he’s on schedule to start on Sunday,” Munchak said of Hasselbeck.

Receiver Nate Washington practiced Friday on his injured left ankle and said it feels better than a week ago. Washington is listed as questionable but is expected to play.

“I didn’t even practice last week, so there’s definitely some progress,” Washington said. “It’s a bit tender and sore, but I was able to practice and get some good work in.”

Two Titans were declared out after missing practice all week. Running back Javon Ringer is out with a broken right hand along with linebacker Gerald McRath (left ankle/knee).

Colts tight end Dallas Clark (burner) did not practice for the third straight day and is doubtful. Defensive end Robert Mathis (knee) was a full participant after not practicing on Wednesday or Thursday. He is listed as questionable.

For a complete look at all injuries around the league, visit NFL.com’s injuries page.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Nate Washington and cornerback Jason McCourty will be game-time decision for Sunday’s meeting with New Orleans.

Both Washington, who has a high ankle sprain, and McCourty, who is returning from a concussion, missed Friday’s practice. Linebacker Patrick Bailey also missed practice with a hamstring injury and is questionable. Linebacker Barrett Ruud remains out with a groin injury, while center Eugene Amano is probable after practicing fully for a second straight day on Friday.

Washington says he still hopes to play Sunday, even if he is limited to fewer plays.

McCourty must be evaluated by an independent doctor before he can be cleared to return.