With no starting quarterback yet being named by the Vikings for their matchup with the Titans on Sunday, both of the quarterbacks in Minnesota Shaun Hill and Sam Bradford said on Wednesday they won't change the way they approach each practice either way.
The Titans coaching staff is approaching their plan for the Vikings offense in a similar fashion.
"We're not preparing any differently," Titans Head Coach Mike Mularkey said in a conference call with the Twin Cities media. "There's nothing we can do about it. We have a plan, either one that plays will fall under the plan, the attack that we have for that offense."
Mularkey, a former tight end with the Vikings (1983-88), says that both quarterbacks play with the same style in the pocket.
"It is a challenge, not like it's going to be where there's two completely different styles," Mularkey said. "That's one thing. I mean, really, their specialty is pocket passing. They can get out of the pocket. We've got video of them with the designed out-of-the pocket [plays], but that's not what they're there for. They're there to first hand it to [Adrian Peterson] and then second, off action like that, try to get balls down the field. It's not an extreme difference with what we're doing this week to be honest with you."
Here's what the Titans players and coaches said about the Vikings when they addressed the media this week:
Mularkey on Mike Zimmer's defense:
"(The defense is) very disciplined. Obviously, they've been playing together for a while, have got a veteran group, good depth. There's not a lot of guys out of place. You don't see a lot of breakdowns in communication, you don't see gap control problems. They're where they are supposed to be, very disciplined."
Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota on facing the Vikings defense:
"I think they pose a lot of different looks," Mariota said in his conference call with the Twin Cities media. "They do a very good job of disguising their looks and having some counter plays off of it, so from that standpoint, we've really got to study up this week and make sure we understand that what we're seeing is maybe not what we're going to get in terms of coverages and fronts. We've just got to understand that we've got to come together, communicate as an offense and make sure we're all on the same page and do our best to execute."
Titans linebacker Brian Orakpo on preparing for the Vikings quarterbacks:
"Both are very similiar style quarterbacks," Orakpo told titansonline.com. "We know what Sam Bradford has done in this league, and Shaun Hill is a veteran guy, so we'll see who's going to strap it up. As far as game preparation they have a similar style, a pocket-presence quarterback more concerned with getting the ball in the air rather than running on their feet."
Know the Tennessee Titans key contributors on offense, defense and special teams heading into the Vikings-Titans game Sunday.
Mariota completed 23-of-31 passes for 319 passing yards in three preseason games. He totaled a completion percentage of 74.2 and a passer rating of 104.1 heading into his second NFL season.
The 28-year-old running back enters his first year with the Titans, after a career low of 3.6 yards-per-carry with the Eagles last season. Murray looks to return to his form in Dallas where he rushed for NFL bests of 1,845 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2014.
Walker eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his 10 seasons in 2015 (1,088 yards). He had several career-highs last season, including catching 94 passes and hauling in six touchdown passes.
Sharpe was selected by the Titans with the 140th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. The rookie played his college ball at UMass and has reeled in nine passes on 12 targets for 163 yards in the preseason.
Johnson leads all active players with 14,100 career-receiving yards. Johnson will begin his 14th season in the NFL on Sunday and his first with the Titans after 12 seasons with the Texans and one with the Colts.
Derrick Morgan has shown the ability to rush the quarterback as an outside linebacker over his years in Tennessee. Morgan has 11 sacks in 26 games since 2014 when the Titans switched to a 3-4 base defense.
McCourty is a quick defensive back, who was clocked running the 40-yard dash at 4.3 seconds. His twin brother, Devin McCourty, is an active safety for the New England Patriots and they share a Twitter account.
Casey had 7.0 sacks and 54 combined tackles in his fifth season for the Titans in 2015, garnering his first selection to the Pro Bowl.
Orakpo is a three-time Pro Bowler who signed with the Titans before the 2015 season. He led the Titans with 12 tackles for loss and 37 quarterback pressures.
The current head coach for the Titans has prior experience in Minnesota. Mularkey played tight end for the Vikings for the first six seasons of his career 1983-88, playing 75 games and making five touchdown catches with the Vikings.
Titans linebacker Avery Williamson on facing Adrian Peterson:
"It will be a fun challenge, and I'm not going to shy away from the contact," Williamson told titansonline.com. "We know that Sam Bradford isn't going to know the offense as well but we still gotta respect him. I feel like that's not going to change a thing though. We gotta focus on stopping No. 28, and then we'll get to the quarterback."
Titans safety Perrish Cox on preparing for the Vikings offense:
"As long as we just go out there and do what we do make our calls, be on the same page and fly around at full speed, I think we'll be OK," Cox said to titansonline.com. "Me personally, I played Bradford in college. We came out together, and he's a good quarterback. Everyone's been talking about what he can be and what he can do, and we all know what he's capable of."
Mariota on different defenses trying to stop him from running out of the pocket:
"It kind of depends, week-in and week-out. There's always a version of a spy or some guy that's kind of keyed in on me in the pocket, which you get that week-in and week-out, it just depends on how you're going to combat that and how you're going to try to use that against them. For us, we're just really focused on what's going on down the field and try to take care of what's going on up front."
