NASHVILLE, Tenn. — It's Tuesday, but on the NFL practice schedule, it sure doesn't feel like it for the Tennessee Titans.
Game day is just two days away – the Titans face the Jaguars on Thursday night in Jacksonville.
It's a tough turnaround, players admit.
"It's about getting your body right, taking care of yourself,'' right tackle Byron Bell said. "I've played in a couple of turnaround games like this. It's a big game in my mind. We have to go to Jacksonville, and we have to take one."
Titans linebacker Brian Orakpo said the teams have no choice. They have to get prepared -- in a hurry.
"Nobody likes Thursday night games. We love being on nationally-televised games, but short weeks in the NFL (stink),'' Orakpo said. "But we're not the only ones going through it, Jacksonville is as well. So we're going to be ready, and they're going to be ready."
Titans interim coach Mike Mularkey adjusted his team's schedule this week. The Titans held a light walk-through on Monday night, and practice is scheduled for today at Saint Thomas Sports Park.
On Wednesday, the team will hold a light practice as well before flying to Jacksonville.
Mularkey said the team did some things leading up to last week's game against the Panthers to have them better prepared from a mental and physical standpoint for Thursday.
The Titans (2-7) are coming off a tough loss to the Panthers, while the Jaguars (3-6) are coming off an emotional win at Baltimore.
With the Colts and Texans both sitting at 4-5, the Titans and Jaguars know they need a win Thursday in a bad way.
"The momentum is still there. We have such a big game ahead of us on Thursday night. There's a lot to play for, we just have to keep going,'' left tackle Taylor Lewan said.
"It's a real short week. I am banged up right now, this whole team is banged up, but I am fired up and I am ready to play."
Titans receiver Harry Douglas, for one, said the Titans are ready to play again.
Since 1999, the Titans are 3-4 on Thursday games. The Titans lost 21-13 to the Jaguars a year ago on Thursday Night Football.
"After losing a game like (the Panthers game)…we want to get the taste out of our mouths,'' Douglas said. "The guys we have, they've been working hard and preparing, and we have a lot of things we need to clean up.
"We have a quick turnaround, so we have to have a head of steam going into Thursday."
