Titans offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur wants to make sure Marcus Mariota is comfortable with Tennessee¡¯s new offense so he plans to call plays that best fit the quarterback.

Mariota is busy learning his latest NFL offense Donte Moncrief Jersey , but any talk about what plays the fourth-year QB prefers will have to wait at least until he knows everything LaFleur is asking him to run.

¡±I¡¯m just trying to grasp everything,¡± Mariota said Tuesday. ¡±You don¡¯t want to be opinionated on something that you have never run. I just try to go out there and execute, and do what they¡¯re asking me to do. When we come back and we have to determine some of these things, and determine what we like and what we don¡¯t like, I¡¯ll definitely express my opinion.¡±

That¡¯s exactly what LaFleur expects, even if he¡¯s learning that getting the polite Mariota to speak up isn¡¯t always easy.

¡±He¡¯s an extremely bright guy,¡± LaFleur said. ¡±He¡¯s picked it up pretty quickly. Again, I think it¡¯s more or less just having that confidence in being able to go out there and not think so much when he¡¯s playing. So the more reps he¡¯s been getting, the better he¡¯s been doing.¡±

The Titans wrap up their organized team activities this week, and their mandatory minicamp next week concludes the offseason where first-time head coach Mike Vrabel and his staff have been busy teaching and installing new offensive and defensive schemes. LaFleur Markus Wheaton Jersey , the third man to interview for the Titans¡¯ head coaching job in January, joined Vrabel as his offensive coordinator for the chance at calling plays in the NFL.

LaFleur¡¯s biggest challenge is making sure the Titans put Mariota in position to take advantage of his skills. Tennessee fired coach Mike Mularkey after winning the franchise¡¯s first playoff game in 14 years because they didn¡¯t get enough out of Mariota and the offense last season despite going 9-7.

The Titans tied for 22nd in the NFL with 33 touchdowns despite tying for second with 18 TDs rushing. Only four teams threw fewer passes than Tennessee (496), and the Titans ranked 23rd averaging 199.4 yards passing per game. They also fell to 15th in the league running the ball for an average of 114.6 yards.

LaFleur joined Tennessee from the Los Angeles Rams who scored a league-high 29.9 points per game last season. What LaFleur wants from the Titans all starts with the run game and his very mobile quarterback.

¡±We¡¯re going to try to have a strong marriage between the run and the pass, so that to a defense it might look, `Oh, here comes another run,¡¯ and it¡¯s play-action off that run,¡± LaFleur said.

To rev up the run game, the Titans released veteran DeMarco Murray in March and signed Dion Lewis as a free agent to join Derrick Henry. LaFleur said he looks at the running backs as 1A and 1B.

In the end, the biggest key also is the most obvious: keep Mariota healthy for a full season for the first time in his career.

¡±When he¡¯s healthy Sam Martin Jersey , this offense runs smoothly and we¡¯ve got to keep him that way,¡± Pro Bowl tight end Delanie Walker said.

Notes: Left tackle Taylor Lewan and wide receiver Corey Davis were not at Tuesday¡¯s session. Vrabel said he had heard from the players not in attendance. ¡­ Linebacker Kevin Dodd, the No. 33 pick overall in 2016, has been missing in action during the three organized team activity sessions open to reporters. Vrabel said Tuesday he could end the mystery because Dodd wasn¡¯t around. The upcoming minicamp is mandatory.

¡ª

Blake Snell and the surging Tampa Bay Rays are having success against some of the major¡¯s best teams.

Snell struck out 10, reliever Diego Castillo fanned Jose Altuve in a key spot and the Rays wrapped up an impressive homestand by beating the Houston Astros 3-2 Sunday.

The Rays went 8-1 at Tropicana Field, taking three of four from the World Series champion Astros, sweeping three from the New York Yankees and winning both games against Washington. Tampa Bay set a team record by allowing no more than two runs in its sixth straight game.

¡±Everybody¡¯s doing their part,¡± Snell said.

Snell tied Hall of Famer Walter Johnson (1914) with his 11th consecutive home start allowing one or fewer earned runs for the longest stretch in the AL since 1913, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

¡±He¡¯s pitched like an All-Star,¡± Rays manager Kevin Cash said. ¡±We knew we had a chance to have a special series and really special homestand Peyton Manning Jersey , and I think he capped it off.¡±

Matt Duffy hit a two-out, two-run single in the seventh inning that put the Rays ahead 2-1 and Mallex Smith homered in the eighth.

Evan Gattis homered twice for Houston. The Astros went 0 for 14 during the series with runners in scoring position.

¡±We didn¡¯t do enough to win the game or win the series.¡± Astros manager A.J. Hinch said.

Snell (11-4) allowed one run and four hits in 7 1/3 innings. The lefty has given up five earned runs over 51 2/3 innings (0.87 ERA) at home this season.

Castillo replaced Snell with the bases loaded in the eighth with the Rays leading by a run. Castillo struck out Altuve in a 10-pitch at-bat and got a grounder from Yuli Gurriel to protect the lead.

Sergio Romo got his eighth save despite allowing Gattis¡¯ homer in the ninth.

Charlie Morton (10-2) struck out 11 in 6 2/3 innings. The Astros led 1-0 when he left with runners at first and second, and Duffy greeted Chris Devenski with a bloop single down the right-field line. Joey Wendle scored from first base when right fielder Josh Reddick hesitated before throwing the ball back to the infield.

¡±I just kind of froze,¡± Reddick said. ¡±There¡¯s no excuse for screwing that up. I¡¯ve got to get the ball in, and even if I throw it home early, we¡¯re still playing the ball game right now.¡±

Gattis, who had eight homers and 30 RBIs in June, put the Astros up 1-0 on his seventh-inning drive.

Jake Marisnick had a potential run-scoring extra-base hit tracked down in deep center by Smith with two outs in the fifth.

Smith¡¯s homer was his first since last July 21, ending a 356 at-bat drought.

¡±I¡¯m not worried about hitting home runs,¡± the speedy Smith said with a smile. ¡±I like to steal bases. Can¡¯t steal bases when you hit homers.¡±

TRAINER¡¯S ROOM

Astros: Gurriel returned after three days on the paternity list. . Reliever Joe Smith (right elbow soreness) could be back Tuesday.

Rays: CF Kevin Kiermaier was rested after making two diving catches Saturday. He dropped to 0 for 9 Gary Zimmerman Jersey , including eight strikeouts, against Morton by going down swinging as a pinch-hitter in the seventh.

SORE SPRINGER

Astros RF George Springer was out of the lineup for the second time in three days after tumbling into the stands chasing a foul ball Saturday. Hinch said Springer is ¡±beat up a little bit.¡± Springer, mired in a 3-for-44 slide, was a pinch-runner in the ninth.

DEADLINE DEALS

The Rays could move veteran players like RHPs Nathan Eovaldi and Chris Archer, and C Wilson Ramos before the non-waiver trade deadline. Also attracting interest is Tampa Bay¡¯s bullpen. ¡±I imagine our front office will do what they always do, and that¡¯s look to do what¡¯s best for the organization going forward,¡± Cash said.

The Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals are among the teams with scouts in attendance recently.

UP NEXT

Astros: LHP Dallas Keuchel (4-8) will go against Texas RHP Austin Bibens-Dirx (1-1) Tuesday night.

Rays: Eovaldi (2-3) faces Miami LHP Wei-Yin Chen (2-5) Monday night.

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