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Even though the Tennessee Titans walked away with a victory on Sunday, the win was overshadowed by the loss of starting quarterback Jake Locker, who left the field on a stretcher following a serious hip injury.
The injury was so severe that Locker was transported to the hospital after he was carted off the field. Apparently, it could be bad enough to keep the young quarterback sidelined for some time.
“Tennessee still awaiting more tests on Jake Locker’s injured hip, but belief is he could miss four to eight weeks,” Adam Schefter said via Twitter.
The injury occurred after Locker was pinballed between Quinton Coples and Muhammad Wilkerson in the third quarter. The exact extent of the injury is still unclear, but could be a serious crutch moving forward.
This is a terrible sign for the Titans’ chances of staying competitive through the middle of 2013 campaign. They’ve gotten off to an impressive 3-1 start, riding Locker’s outstanding play as the third-year passer appeared to have finally flipped the switch. Prior to exiting against the New York Jets, he had thrown a career-high three touchdowns. The previous week, he enjoyed his best NFL game after torching the San Diego Chargers defense both through the air and with his feet.
With Locker out, the Titans will be forced to go with Ryan Fitzpatrick as their starter. He was signed this offseason to provide experienced backup after receiving his release from the Buffalo Bills. The eight-year veteran lacks arm strength, is turnover-prone and will be a significant overall downgrade at quarterback.
Seeing as the Titans have a rough slate of games leading up to their Week 8 bye – vs. Kansas City Chiefs, at Seattle Seahawks, vs. San Francisco 49ers – the loss of Locker could be an early death sentence.
Gil Alcaraz IV is the Content Planner for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @GilAlcarazIV, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
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