TITANS HEAD COACH MIKE MULARKEY MEDIA AVAILABILITY - Oct. 13, 2016

(on the news that Cody Kessler will start on Sunday)

I kind of anticipated that. I think that's the case. I mean, I don't know the extent of the injury to (Josh) McCown, but I think just a gut feeling said (Cody) Kessler would be the guy.

(on what Cody Kessler does well)

I think he's a smart quarterback. I think what they're doing, like any good offensive coordinator and head coach with Hue (Jackson), is do what he does best, get the ball out of his hands, let some of the guys he's got around him make the yards. Don't put a lot of pressure on him for a rookie to have to make plays—not have to make him win the game. Let other guys do that. I think that's what he's built to do already, but I would think that's their intent.

(on the youth of Cleveland's defense)*

Yeah, it's a young group. There's been a big overhaul there, similar to here with some new faces, especially young guys. Again, when I get in front of the team on Wednesday, I think one of the things I talk about as one of their strengths is it's a group that's playing together. They've got a lot of fight in them, but they are young. This is new to them, this new system, but we're not falling for anything less than a good battle on Sunday.

(on Joe Haden)

Yeah, he's a good corner. He's been a good corner for a long time. He's a good returner, as well. I don't know if they're at that point where they put him back there to see if they can create something to happen with a return, but he is a complete player—good tackler, good, aggressive corner—very aggressive.

(on the reward of having a 100-yard rusher in multiple games after emphasizing the run game)

Well, a lot of that takes place out here—the hard work. We've had a lot of physical practices going all the way back to training camp. To see it evolve like it has, our guys have bought in to what we're doing scheme wise. They see when we present a game plan to them on Wednesday, they're very confident in what we're doing. I think DeMarco (Murray) also has a good relationship with our offensive line. That's important. They like being around each other here and off the field. I think you see an O-line that will do whatever they can to get him a yard if we need to.