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TITANS HEAD COACH MIKE MULARKEY PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT - October 30, 2017**

(on how his bye week was)

It was good, I think it was good for everybody. It's exactly what we needed for this time of the year.

(on how much the coaching staff 'figured out things they were looking for' over the break)

We did some pretty good in-depth study on really all three phases and found some things out, some we kind of had an idea, some we didn't. I think it'll help us in the second half.

(on what of those things he can share)

Absolutely nothing.

(on what he saw when studying the team in the red zone)

We have some things we've got to do better down there.

(on what needs to be done better in the red zone)

We target what we think it is and we think, obviously, we've got to get better down there, there's no question about it. We saw some things down there that we need to get better at.

(on how the team returned from the bye week health-wise)

Corey (Davis) had a good day today, he came out and practiced. (We) didn't put him through a whole practice, but took a lot of reps. Delanie (Walker) did not practice today. DeMarco (Murray) did some things, he practiced, limited. (Quinton) Spain did not practice.

(on if he anticipates wide receiver Corey Davis playing on Sunday)

Yeah I think if he continues what he did today and gets some reps like he did today, more on Wednesday, more on Thursday, I think he's got a good chance to play Sunday.

(on if they were being cautious with Corey Davis in practice today)

No, it wasn't even cautious, it's just the way we want to, instead of throwing him in there and taking all the reps, you've got to work him in and not overdo it the first day. It's an extra day.

(on if tight end Delanie Walker didn't practice because they wanted to give him an extra day or because he couldn't go)

With an extra day, wanted to give him some time.

(on guard Quinton Spain missing practice)

He's probably the most serious out of anybody. We're hoping he'd be back, but I would not think he's going to play today. Again, it's his body. You know, everybody is different.

(on center/guard Brian Schwenke backing up Quinton Spain)

We had this situation last year where (Quinton) Spain went down and (Brian) Schwenke had to go in there and he performed well for us.

(on if safety Johnathan Cyprien practiced today)

He did a good portion today, not a full, very similar to Corey (Davis), very similar.

(on how he can best address the want to see more from the run game)

I think that there's a lot that goes into the run game, it's a lot of things, who you face too has a lot to do with it. We've got to do a better job with some of the one-on-one's, the blocks up front, blocks outside. We're not far behind from where we were last year, maybe 175 yards. We didn't have a quarterback for three-and-a-half games who could run the ball, who basically made up for those hundred-and-some yards, that has a little bit to do with it. What he can do off of that helps our run game, not just with his legs but what he does when he affects teams has a lot to do with the run game. So that's a big factor.

(on how quarterback Marcus Mariota is continuing to progress from his hamstring injury)

I think Marcus (Mariota) is back to where we need him to be to play at the same level he did before the injury.

(on if Marcus Mariota playing at the same level that he did before the injury means him playing at 100 percent)

I would think so, I would think that, yeah.

(on if opposing teams are focusing more on Delanie Walker this year than in past years)

Yeah, they are. There's much more double, and in some cases triple-coverage on Delanie (Walker).

(on if the team feels like they still need to get Delanie Walker the ball)

Absolutely. Got to find a way to get him the football, he changes games.

(on if Corey Davis is able to play Sunday, if he will take the full number of snaps)

We'll make that decision after he's gone through a full week of practice, we'll see where he's at.

(on if Corey Davis' performance against Oakland gives the coaching staff confidence in his ability)

Yeah, I would think so. It would be hard to go in stone cold with no work, it would be game eight and throwing him in there. I was impressed with what he did without any game experience, NFL experience, prior to the Oakland game, what he did with that game. That helps matters that we've seen him, he can be effective when he's healthy.

(on if Corey Davis playing will have a 'trickle-down effect')

I hope it will affect some coverages with him out there. Maybe it helps Delanie (Walker) as well, but it should help him. He's got to produce out there and show that he is that threat that we think that he can be.

(on talking to the team about their goals still being in reach)

I had that conversation with where we're at right now. We need to have that discussion.

(on if Johnathan Cyprien will start when he returns to game action)

Yeah, I would think that. We're going to see if he's ready before we make that decision.

(on if he has been keeping an eye on the situation in Baltimore with quarterback Joe Flacco)

Yeah, I saw the hit. That's something they've had extra time as well. They haven't had the week like we have, but they've had time to get back off the concussion protocol. We'll be ready for both quarterbacks.

(on having to sit a player if Johnathan Cyprien returns)

We have depth at safety, that's the beauty of it. I think all of our guys have played well. We'll have a dilemma because one of them will have to sit if he is back and that one will have an impact on our special teams as well.

(on what he says to the team about their goals still being within reach)

I just tell him that where we are at this point of the season, really can't worry about what's happening elsewhere. No game yesterday affected where we are today and no game next week will affect where we are tomorrow or next week, it's what we do, it's all in our hands, it has nothing to do with anybody else. We've got to take care of our own selves and not rely on other people. That's important that they understand that, where we're at right now halfway through.

(on what makes the Ravens defense so effective)

The same scheme that's been going on before. Dean (Pees) has done a very good job with the scheme. Chuck (Pagano) was there before that. The scheme has been there for years and they have the personnel to play behind it. It's a very good defense, they're very confident in what they're doing. It's not real complicated at all, it's not very complicated, it's a matter of guys blocking people. They've got to block them. They're going to know where they're at, we've just got to block them.

(on if he's going to keep the goatee for the rest of the season)

I don't know, this is a weekend deal. I don't know, probably not.

(on if guys had a 'bounce in their step' today)

Yeah, that was a pretty darn good Monday. I'll say this, you can tell how the energy's going to be when you get into meetings, and it was good this morning when they got here. That was a very good Monday practice.

(on if the team has a 'hunger')

I think they know where we are. I think they understand what we have to do. It's in our control what we do. Would we like to have a better record at this point? It is what it is. I think we've got a good group in that locker room that understand where we're at and we're going to try and keep it where we're at.

(on if Corey Davis is anxious to play)

He's more anxious than any of you, I promise you. He's been very patient. He's a competitive guy, and to sit there and watch week after week. You put a lot of pressure on yourself when you're in that position, you're a number one pick, where he was picked, he puts a lot of pressure on himself to be there for his teammates and now he gets a chance to. I admire the way he handled it, I really do, I admired the way he handles it.

(on if he is worried about Corey Davis trying to do too much too soon)

If we let him. We have control over the routes he's running right now, the number of routes he's running, everything he's doing. If we let him, he'd probably take every snap that he could. We'll be smart letting him back in.

(on what areas he's like to see Marcus Mariota improve in in the second half of the season)

There's a couple throws that I know, just the time clock, the body clock. I say it to him every game to please take what the defense gives you. There's a fine line between that and sometimes maybe stepping up in the pocket and making some of the throws that are down the field, possibility of some bigger throws. We're talking about a handful of plays that may have been explosive plays. It's a fine line, I'm saying one thing and it can be in between both of taking it or buying a little time and trying to hit a ball down the field.

(on if Marcus Mariota improving has to do with finding his rhythm)

It's rhythm and how healthy he really is. I'm sure that has a lot to do with the body clock.

(on if part of being a quarterback is taking calculated risks)

I'd say, these aren't like throws that are contested, these are throws that I think he could make. He's been smart with the ball and I'm not going to chance it. There's some things, some little things, that we can fix still, and I think a healthy Marcus (Mariota) will be good for us. I've never played the position at this level, it's hard for me to sit here and say what's risk and what's not. He's been pretty good, he's laid the ball in a lot of places that I didn't think were possible, he's done a good job of that. I'm going to let him play, I'm not going to screw him up.

(on if when he says body clock, if he is talking about timing)

Yeah, just timing. Is the rush close? Not close? I've been in the pocket, just a body clock.