Coach Ken Whisenhunt has ruled Mariota (knee) out for Sunday's game against the Texans. "He made a lot of progress this week and he has done a nice job, and I think he is close," Whisenhunt said of Mariota on Friday. "But we are not going to play him this week."
While a return to action in Week 9 against the Saints thus looks like a realistic outcome for Mariota, Zach Mettenberger is now in line to make his second straight start for the Titans this weekend.