NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Titans coach Mike Mularkey liked what he saw from rookie linebacker Kevin Dodd in his NFL debut.
Dodd wasn't nearly as pleased.
"I was disappointed,'' Dodd said after Saturday's game against the Raiders. "It was frustrating. It wasn't quite the start that I wanted. I always want to do it the right way. I am a man who likes to play for his coach, and give a coach what he's looking for, and I didn't do that.
"As a player you always want to put your best on tape, and that definitely wasn't my best."
Dodd said his conditioning was an issue while playing 26 snaps against the Raiders. He admitted his technique was rusty, and his explosion wasn't there. Dodd missed the first two games of the preseason while working his way back from offseason foot surgery, which kept him on the team's Physically Unable to Perform list during the first half of the month.
Dodd was credited with one tackle in 26 snaps.
Mularkey said he liked Dodd's effort.
"I saw some things with Dodd,'' Mularkey said. "He's a big body. I liked how relentless he was and he was trying to do everything the right way. … For the first time, I was pretty pleased."
Dodd recorded 12 sacks in his final season at Clemson, and he had three sacks in his final collegiate game, against Alabama in the national championship game.
The Titans selected him in the second round (33rd overall), and the team expects him to make an impact this fall.
Dodd plans to make a difference himself.
But he knows he has work to do, and that includes doing some extra running after practice.
The Titans face the Dolphins in the preseason finale at Miami on Thursday.
"I kind of expected it (to be sluggish),'' Dodd said. "This was kind of like a test game, and it showed me where I'm at, and I have a lot of work to do.
"I just need to continue to work on my conditioning. Hopefully next week they won't put any limitations to my reps in practice so I can go full steam and get this locomotive running.
"It is just a matter of time. I know things are going to get rolling here soon."
