Will McNair Start Sunday?

If you ask Marty! Schottenheimer said he expects to see McNair play Sunday.

Schottenheimer said yesterday during a conference call with Nashville-area media. "I have heard all the stories about he gets off the bus in a walking boot and he takes a crutch and he walks into the locker room and he doesn't show up out there early. Then the other team is saying, 'We don't have to deal with McNair today,' and all of a sudden he comes jogging out on the field and throws for 300 yards."

"I will only believe he doesn't play when the game is over. I don't know him personally well, but his history speaks volumes. He is arguably one of the toughest guys in the National Football League, irrespective of the position he plays."

McNair's teammates say the situation is simple.

"If Mac can play, he'll play," wide receiver Derrick Mason said. Fisher said McNair is "much better" than he was earlier in the week. Although McNair stayed in the hospital two nights, the Titans said he only had an X-ray and CAT-scan, and both were negative.

If McNair's condition doesn't improve, there's a chance he could stay in Nashville instead of making the long flight to San Diego, but Fisher indicated that wasn't a serious option.

Behind Volek is No. 3 quarterback Doug Johnson. Behind Johnson, Fisher mentioned punter Craig Hentrich and wide receiver Drew Bennett as emergency options.

"In the event Steve cannot play it would make sense to have him as a No. 3 so he could go in and hand the ball off," Fisher said. "But I am not anticipating us getting all the way to the third quarterback."

Fantasy Football Analysis: Steve McNair has not performed to his normal level in 2004 - and I'm not sure that the weekend after a two-day hospitalization is a great week to hope he comes out of it (even if you are going against the Chargers.) Knowing McNair's history, however, this will probably be the week he throws two and runs one in! Stay tuned to StatLeader.com and Final Countdown on game day for last minute updates on Steve McNair.