NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Randy Moss has played with Tom Brady and Brett Favre this season. Now it's Vince Young's turn to play a little pitch and catch with one of the NFL's most prolific receivers ever.
So nothing like a little pressure eh, Vince?
"No, not at all," Young said Thursday. "Like I always say, I eventually want to be up in the top ranks with these guys. That's why I continue to keep working, taking notes from him and the things that he sees and hears out there as well as the rest of the receiving corps. It's all about team."
Young got his first chance to practice with Moss on Thursday after being sidelined the past two days with a sprained left ankle. But the fifth-year quarterback was limited and split the work with backup Kerry Collins.
Whether Young starts Sunday at Miami (4-4) depends on how his ankle responds to his first work since he was injured in a 33-25 loss to San Diego on Oct. 31.
Young said he feels better, especially after resting during the bye week. But he wants to see how his ankle reacts and likely will be a gametime decision.
"We still have a long season," Young said. "Yes, I want to be out there playing. But if it don't let me get out there to play, I won't play. At the same time, if I feel good you will see me out there playing."
Coach Jeff Fisher said he expects Young to be able to take the bulk of the practice snaps Friday.
The AFC's top-rated passer has missed only one start this season as he recovered from a sprained left knee and ankle. He appears on target to play in Moss' debut with the Titans (5-3). Young threw the longest TD pass of his career in San Diego, a 71-yarder on a perfectly thrown deep ball.
Moss knows a lot about long touchdown plays, but there might not be a lot of opportunities for the lanky star if Tennessee continues on its current pace. Young is 72-of-122 for 998 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions. He ranks 14th among the AFC's leading passers for fewest passing attempts, and the Titans' average time of possession is a mere 26 minutes, 55 seconds per game.
Young has thrown for 7,841 yards and 41 TDs. Compare that to Moss, who already has 14,778 yards receiving and ranks second to Jerry Rice with his 153 career TD catches.
Fisher noted Young took part in the team's walkthroughs the past two days and said the quarterback has plenty of time to get comfortable with Moss. Young said it's great to throw to a surefire Hall of Fame receiver like Moss.
"You can tell he's a veteran. He's very smart, asks questions," Young said. "He's doing a great job of asking questions, wanting to know where he's supposed to be and things like that. Overall, he's just being a vet receiver trying to make sure he's in the right place for the whole offense."
It would be easy for Young to look for Moss every time he drops back to throw. Or force the ball to the 13-year veteran with his third team this season while trying to keep him happy.
Young insists he'll read the defense and throw to his best option.
"We all know what Randy can do on the outside and (he) does make spectacular plays," Young said. "And there is a time for them type of plays and there is a time not for them plays. Just based on what the defense is doing ... you want to get the ball into the right guy's hands based off the coverage."
That's exactly what Fisher is saying, too.
"We're going to put the ball up," Fisher said. "The ball is going to go where the progression tells you to go, and if you get one-on-one opportunities, then you might as well take advantage of them."
Notes: DT Tony Brown (right knee) also returned to practice. He missed the last two games. ... .. RB Chris Johnson (thigh) practiced fully for a second straight day along with CB Ryan Mouton (hamstring). ... WR Kenny Britt (right hamstring) sat out practice and already has been declared out against Miami. In off the field news, it was announced Thursday that police have wrapped up an investigation of an Oct. 22 bar fight with no charges filed in a case where the victim accused Britt of hitting him. Metro Nashville Police said detectives interviewed more than a dozen people and the file has been sent to the District Attorney's office for review. Harold Pointer, 29, accused Bradford Miser, 26, of punching him in the face around 1:45 a.m. at the Karma Lounge. The two men went to the ground whre Britt is accused of allegedly hitting Pointer. Britt has denied hitting anyone.
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
