NASHVILLE – Titans head coach Brian Callahan talked to reporters on Monday after the team returned from the bye weekend.
Here's a look at the hot topics from the presser as the team begins preparation for Sunday's game vs the Colts.
-The biggest topic of conversation, of course, centered on quarterback Will Levis, who is recovering from the shoulder injury he suffered against the Dolphins.
I did a separate story on Levis: CLICK HERE to read it.
-Callahan said the Titans will designate linebacker Cedric Gray for return from Injured Reserve.
This opens a three-week practice window before the team has to decide on Gray's status for the rest of the season. Gray is recovering from a shoulder injury.
-Callahan said he texted Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea after his team's win over Alabama over the weekend.
"I'm sure he had a million texts and calls," Callahan said of Lea. "But yeah, I just said 'What a win. What a great what a great performance by the team. What a cool atmosphere.' I know how long he'd been working for that kind of atmosphere, for that kind of win. What that means for that program. I know what he's gone through and that's been really cool to watch that build to this point and hopefully they can keep it up."
Callahan and Lea are buddies. Callahan said he actually went to Lea's house to watch the Alabama-Georgia game.
"I love bouncing things off him," Callahan said. "I talk to him all the time. He's a great resource for me. He's been through a lot. He's done this job. So, he's great, and I enjoy him and his family, and we enjoy hanging out together. So, I went over there Saturday, we were watching the game. That was kind of our Friday before we left for Miami. We were just joking, I was like—I actually went over to his office the morning of my interview here. I got the job, and then I said, 'I went over to your house before I got my first win. So maybe there's something to it. Maybe we need to go hang out more often.' So, yeah, not a lot. I mean, we text, and I talk to him, but that was the first time I'd seen him this season so far."
-The Titans are 0-2 at Nissan Stadium this season. Callahan said the team needs to have success at home.
"You want to win at home," he said. "That would be one of the things that—you'd like to finish the season and you're 6-2 or 7-1 at home. That's ideally what you'd love to have because there is—playing at home is a big deal and putting a product on the field that people want to come watch is also a part of it. You win games and more people come. You want to make it an environment that's difficult for other teams to play in. There is an advantage to playing at home when you have the crowd behind you. And again, we've got to do a better job of giving them something to be excited about for these home games. But that's just part of it. You want to make sure that when you are in your home schedule and you're doing things the right way, that you're winning those home games. It's an important part of the process because it's difficult to go win on the road. But yeah, I would love for our home record to be better than it is and it's going to need to be over the rest of the season if we want to be in the mix. Disappointing thus far, but a chance for us to rebound this week."
-Callahan was asked about the status of defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons, who is dealing with an elbow injury.
"Same as the rest of the guys that are in there," he said. "They get their treatment, they make sure they're taking care of what they've got to take care of, and you try to let them still get a day or two out. You only get one of these over the course of 17 games. So, take the rest when it's provided and everything else seems good. He'll be working through that elbow injury this week and we'll see where he stands but hopeful that he's ready to roll.
"These guys know their bodies and our training staff—I'm not the doctor on those things and they rely on those opinions. And again, everything that we had prior to and at this point is that it's needed a little bit of time to heal and they would be better in a week's time, be better in two weeks' time, and that was the genesis behind the decision to sit him a Monday night is that he'd be able to, in really two weeks' time from the injury, it would be in a much better spot. So, ultimately that's where we landed on it because it would be in his best interest for longevity's case to keep him out."
-Callahan was asked if the bye week came at the right time for this team.
"I think so," he said. "You don't really control it. They give you the bye when they give you the bye, and you try to make the most of it whenever it is. This is probably the earliest I've had one. I don't remember having one at Week Five. That's early, but probably the appropriate one for us. A month into the season, get a chance to really see what we've done over the first four weeks, where we need to get better. Certainly a lot of things to improve upon, and the injuries are part of it. We've been relatively healthy, but yeah, they're certainly guys that needed the time. And again, we'll take it whenever they give it to us. Again, earlier than I would have hoped, but I think we made the most of it."
-Callahan was asked if Nicholas Petit-Frere solidified his starting spot at right tackle, or if he's still looking at that position.
"Yeah, I mean, he played pretty good Monday night," Callahan said. "Again, he didn't put in harm's way too often. We ran the ball pretty much the whole second half. But yeah, to me, that's going to be a week-to-week thing. He played well and if he keeps playing well and we'll keep competing, you know, I don't want to put any parameters on that because—we'll see, I guess is the best way to put it."
