The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mariota hopes to play Sunday in finale
Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota says he’s doing “everything in my power” to be available Sunday night against Indianapolis with a playoff berth on the line for the winner.
Mariota did not practice Wednesday with what the Titans listed as neck and foot injuries. Mariota declined to detail what symptoms he’s still dealing with after being hurt on a sack late in the first half of Tennessee’s win over Washington last weekend.
On his weekly radio appearance earlier Wednesday, Mariota said the hit left his whole right side “numb and tingly.” Mariota also called it unfortunate because nerves take time to recover.
The Titans signed Austin Davis on Monday, bringing back a quarterback who was on the roster in September when Mariota missed back-to-back starts. Blaine Gabbert stayed on the field after practice getting in some extra work.
■ The Panthers placed quarterback Taylor Heinicke on injured reserve with an elbow injury. Kyle Allen is expected to start Sunday against the Saints with Car- olina eliminated from the playoffs.
The team has signed Garrett Gilbert, who was with Carolina in training camp, as a backup. The team does not want to activate Cam Newton, who is struggling with a shoulder injury, in Week 17.
■ Blake Bortles is getting another start for the Jaguars. It could be his last. Coach Doug Marrone announced that Bortles will start the season finale at Houston (10-5), giving the embattled quar- terback a chance to close out the season on a positive note.
Bortles came off the bench at Miami last Sunday and led Jacksonville (5-10) to the go-ahead score in a 17-7 victory. Bortles looked considerably better than Cody Kessler, who was sacked five times and lost a fumble for the third consecutive week.
■ Broncos coach Vance Joseph says rookie running back Phillip Lindsay needs an operation on his injured right wrist and the recovery could take up to four months. Lindsay, the first undrafted offensive player ever to earn a Pro Bowl selection, got hurt Monday night in Oakland shortly after surpassing 1,000 yards rushing.
Undrafted after a stellar career at the University of Colorado, Lindsay signed with his hometown team and rushed for 1,037 yards and nine touchdowns with a 5.4-yard average.
His injury — ligament damage and a possible scaphoid fracture — denies him the chance to break the NFL record of 1,104 yards for undrafted rookie running backs that was set by the Colts’ Dominic Rhodes in 2001.
■ Safety D.J. Swearinger, released by Washington after he criticized the team, was signed by the Cardinals. Washington lost 25-16 at Tennessee on Saturday night. Swearinger was reportedly critical of the lack of aggressive play calling in the loss. He also was critical of the team earlier this season.
Swearinger was selected as a Pro Bowl alternate this season with Washington after making a team-leading four interceptions to go along with 64 tackles (52 solo), two sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and 14 passes defensed while starting all 15 games.
■ The Cowboys have already clinched the NFC East title and are locked into the No. 4 seed in the NFC playoffs. Barring an unforeseen miracle, running back Ezekiel Elliott has pretty much sewn up the NFL rushing title for the second time in three years, and yards per game title for a third straight year.
He has 1,434 yards through 15 games, 183 more than Rams running back Todd Gurley (1,251), who is expected to sit out the final game with an injury and rest up for the playoffs.
Giants runn i ng back Saquon Barkley is third with 1,198 yards but he will have to have a record-setting day to catch Elliott when the Cowboys (9-6) play at New York (5-10) in Sunday’s season finale.