Titans' Locker has sprained hip
Tennessee Titans quarterback Jake Locker avoided major damage on his right hip with only a sprained hip, and will "miss a few weeks, but we are encouraged by the news," the team announced Tuesday.
"We received reassuring reports from the second MRI today and they confirmed that there was no major damage to Jake Locker's hip joint -- it is classified as a sprained hip," a team statement read. "The area will need time to heal and strengthen, but he won't require surgery and he has already begun a rehab routine for both his hip and knee.
"We certainly would expect him to miss a few weeks, but we are encouraged by the news today."
Locker likely will miss the team's next three games. That would put him on target to return after Tennessee's bye, a Week 9 matchup against the St. Louis Rams.
Locker suffered the sprained hip and a sprained MCL in his right knee on a third-quarter combination hit from the New York Jets' Muhammad Wilkerson and Quinton Coples.
Ryan Fitzpatrick will start Sunday for the Titans (3-1) against the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs.
Locker currently is the third-ranked quarterback in the AFC by passer rating behind Denver's Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers of San Diego. Locker currently has a 99 passer rating and is completing a career-high 62.2 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and no interceptions.
The Titans wrap up a three-game home stand against the Chiefs on Sunday before visiting Seattle (4-0) on Oct. 13. They host San Francisco (2-2) before their bye.
The Titans haven't yet made a decision on Fitzpatrick's backup. They could promote Rusty Smith from the practice squad. They were slated to work out David Carr and John Skelton on Tuesday.
