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TITANS HEAD COACH MIKE MULARKEY PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT - September 20, 2017**

(opening statement)

I'll start you off with an injury update. Aaron Wallace is going to be placed on IR, he's going to have back surgery tomorrow. Corey Davis will be out for this game, can't tell you any further beyond that. DeMarco Murray is day to day, hopefully going to have him for Sunday. Tye Smith was limited today and (Johnathan) Cyprien will be out this Sunday.

(on if running back DeMarco Murray will be in the starting lineup if he's healthy enough to play)

That depends on how well he can go.

(on if outside linebacker Aaron Wallace is done for the year due to injury)

No. Again, I'd say no. We still have the ability to bring him back with one of our two spots that we have.

(on if Aaron Wallace's injury occurred during Week 2)

No. He's missed practices – which I've told you guys – with the back. It's just been aggravating, it's gotten to a point we've got to take care of it now. But, I will say this about him. I know how bad it was bothering him in the game and he played pretty darn well, made some plays on special teams, played well.

(on Aaron Wallace battling through injury last season)

Yeah, he's about as tough as they come. Coming from a low back guy, I know how that is. He came out here every day that he could and he played in that game like he did, it's pretty impressive on his part.

(on if Aaron Wallace's injury gives an opportunity for linebackers Kevin Dodd and Josh Carraway to step up)

Gives an opportunity to get up and have a chance to play.

(on if outside linebacker Kevin Dodd will take special teams reps to give him a chance to prove he should be active Sunday)

Yeah, he is on them. He's not starting on them. He'll get more work at it, obviously with the absence of Aaron Wallace. Again, that's just something he's got to continue to get better at. But yeah, this will give him more of an opportunity to be up this week.

(on if Kevin Dodd or Josh Carraway could be plugged in immediately to Aaron Wallace's place)

He could. I think that that would be the logical way to go about it, yeah.

(on if he knew much about tight end Delanie Walker's ability before inheriting him from the prior regime)

Yeah, I knew Delanie (Walker). I know what they had out there in San Francisco, the threat. Yeah, I knew about Delanie.

(on if the San Francisco 49ers knew what they had in Delanie Walker)

I can't speak for them. I think we do, I think we're really pretty fortunate to have Delanie (Walker) on and off the field. He's special.

(on if he could classify Delanie Walker as a 'self-made' player who works to get himself better)

He's gotten a lot better, he has since I've been here. Even up to this year, he's improved each year that I've been here, playing at a high level right now.

(on if preparation is different when facing an opposing quarterback that has gone to a Super Bowl)

Well, he has a little bit more than that. He's got uncanny ability to make plays all over the field. There's not many guys like him, you've got to prepare a little bit differently for him. You've got to be really, obviously very disciplined in your rush lanes. That may not be enough for him. I'm sure every team goes in with that mindset and you see the plays that he continues to make week after week. So, it's a little different preparation for him than it is for most.

(on what Seattle does on defense to consistently be in the top tier of the NFL statistic-wise)

They run the same system, it's not very complicated. Many of the same players are running the same system. Many of the same players are good players. That's enough, isn't it?

(on if it's possible to use Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson's height against him by pinning him in the pocket to give him poor vision)

We did a good job last week – there's evidence on tape that he has batted balls. We did a good job last week against (Blake) Bortles getting some batted balls for interceptions. That won't change. Obviously, it's a point of emphasis, probably more this week than any.

(on if there will be plays where he'd opt for the defense containing Russell Wilson over going in to get him)

No, we're going to get him. Yeah, we're going to get him.

(on if Russell Wilson is the type of player that causes opposing defenses to consider spying the quarterback)

That'd be considered, yes.

(on wide receiver Eric Decker becoming more comfortable in the offense)

I think he got better from (Week) 1 to (Week) 2. Hopefully he continues that, he's practicing more. The more he practices, the more comfortable he's getting. More confidence, more confidence Marcus (Mariota) is getting in him. But, he has practiced more which helps immensely.

*(on what he likes about wide receiver Zach Pascal that prompted him to be elevated to the 53-man roster from the practice squad) *The position we're looking at him. One thing he did that we liked on tape was his special teams ability and what he can do for us on multiple teams.

(on the importance of building momentum in the win column)

Got to win this one. This is the whole thing, I know everybody says that it's not about – it's about winning this one. We'll see where it all unfolds when we get down the road here, but this is an important one for us against a good football team.

(on if this is an important game to win because it's at home)

No, it's important to win it because we want to win it. That's every week, I'll answer that same question the same way every time. We want to win the game. There's no other reason, we want to just win the game.

(on the importance of developing home field advantage)

Yeah, I think that would come with it. Obviously, if you can – and we need to do that. We finished strong, we need to continue that. We had the loss in the opener but it's important for our guys to have success at home, there's no question about that.

*(on what he remembers about Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll from their time together in Minnesota) *He had a lot of energy then, he's an energetic guy. I was with Pete (Carroll) in 1985 with the Vikings, he was on Bud Grant's staff. He was a secondary coach, there weren't very many coaches on the staff. But he had a lot of energy, very good coach. Well coached position.

(on Pete Carroll comparing Mike Mularkey's play to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce)

Oh boy, I don't know about that. You guys started laughing before I did. That's Pete (Carroll).

(on Pete Carroll not comparing him to New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski)

No, I don't even want to tell you who I should be compared to.