Coming out of their bye week, the Tennessee Titans are hoping to welcome back first-round receiver Corey Davis this Sunday against the Ravens.
The belief inside the building is that the rookie -- absent since Week 2 with hamstring woes -- will add punch and versatility to a 26th-ranked passing attack that has sputtered during the team's 4-3 start.
"I hope it will affect some coverages with Davis] out there. Maybe it helps [tight end] [Delanie [Walker], as well. It should help," coach Mike Mularkey said, per ESPN's Cameron Wolfe. "[Davis has] got to produce out there and show that he is that threat we think he can be."
The Titans have netted unremarkable work from a cast of wideouts led by Rishard Matthews, Eric Decker and guys like Eric Weems and Taywan Taylor. Matthews, though, sees the big-bodied, uber-athletic Davis as someone who can help flip the switch.
"I don't think we've even scratched the surface yet. Offensively, we're not getting it done," Matthews said. "There's a lot out there we can do and I think we're going to do that."
Davis acknowledged he feels "pressure from myself" to contribute as soon as possible. His lone start produced 69 yards off six grabs against the Raiders in the season opener, but that feels like a million years ago.
"He's a guy that can make plays when he gets the ball in his hands and he can also stretch the field," Matthews said. "So, I hope when he comes back, we're able to get a little bit more creative with the passing game."
A more mobile Marcus Mariota also would help after he spent the past two games glued to the pocket coming off a hamstring injury of his own. Without his scrambling theatrics, Tennessee's offense utterly crumbled against Cleveland in an uninspiring 12-9 victory over the hexed Browns in Week 7.
Now set to face the rest of the AFC North over the next three weeks -- with each of those clubs in the playoff mix -- the Titans are under pressure of their own to look like postseason material on a regular basis.
The hope is that Davis will help -- and right away.
