knee injury that required more surgery but wasnt consider

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Marcus Mariota is throwing the ball effectively. DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry are running so well that fans already are tossing out nickname possibilities on social media, even if it just preseason.Defensively, the Titans have a few issues they need to clean up.Quickly.Tennessee (2-1) has allowed opponents to drive for a touchdown on the first possession of each of the first three preseason games, a worrisome trend for a franchise trying to turn around after winning a combined five games the past two seasons and with Dick LeBeau now in charge as coordinator.Coach Mike Mularkey said Sunday that the return of cornerback Perrish Cox, who has yet to play this preseason because of an injured ankle, should help the defense.When we settle down and take away the big play, I think thatll have a big part in stopping some of these drives, Mularkey said. To me, its not when the drives are but the big plays that helps these drives score points.The Titans ranked 27th in the NFL last season giving up more than 26 points per game despite 12th in fewest yards allowed.In Tennessees 27-14 win at Oakland, the Titans gave up a handful of big plays including a 42-yard kickoff return. Derek Carr also threw a 29-yard TD pass to Amari Cooper and a 41-yard pass to Michael Crabtree. Thats on top of the 44-yard TD pass to the Chargers in the preseason opener and a 61-yard TD pass to Cam Newton and the Panthers in the second exhibition.Thats too many for Mularkey.Obviously, were concerned about that, Mularkey said. Weve got to make some plays. Again I watch a lot of tape on these guys. Those big throws are some of the best throws that they make, some of the best throws by Derek Carr. ... Thats a tough pass to defend the way they throw it, and theyre good at it.The Titans made some big plays themselves against Oakland. Jurrell Casey sacked Carr, and David Bass picked up a fumble forced by Sean Spence that he returned 47 yards for a touchdown. They got the win despite giving up 440 yards.Casey said the Titans just need to clean up some things, including communicating better.Were letting too many plays get away, and were letting too many plays go and get over our head and up the middle of our defense, Casey said. We have to find a way to make this happen. A lot of times we come back and bounce from it, but I think we have to do a better job of getting the game started off.Cox is expected to return to practice this week, though he likely wont play in the preseason finale Thursday night at Miami (2-1). Mularkey said Mariota will play at best a series in that game with the Titans looking ahead to the season opener Sept. 11 against Minnesota.Game notes Quinton Spain, the undrafted free agent out of West Virginia in 2015, has won the starting job at left guard at least for the opener. Plans to rotate Sebastian Tretola with the starters on the offensive line fell through when the Titans put together a 14-play drive that took up more than 8 minutes of the second quarter. ... The Titans waived 12 players Sunday and still have a couple more moves to make before Tuesdays deadline to be at 75.---Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker Carlton Fisk Red Sox Jersey . -- There were so many positives from the Orlando Magics first victory of the season that it was hard for coach Jacque Vaughn to stop praising his players. Jhoulys Chacin Red Sox Jersey . The judges scored it 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 for Jones (19-1). It was the champions closest call. Despite the loss, it was a remarkable show by the confident Swedish challenger, who had the best of the early rounds and then hung on in the fourth and fifth. https://www.cheapredsox.com/1111z-ted-williams-jersey-red-sox.html . 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DALLAS -- The Mavericks have informed representatives of Golden States Harrison Barnes that they intend to sign the restricted free agent to an offer sheet for a four-year, $95 million contract, two people with knowledge of Dallas plans said Saturday.The people spoke to The Associated Press about the potential maximum contract on the condition of anonymity because no deals can be signed before July 7. The Warriors can match any deal for Barnes and are more likely to do so if they dont get an agreement with Kevin Durant.Durant, a four-time scoring champion and 2014 NBA MVP with Oklahoma City, has held meetings with the Thunder, Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio and Boston. Hes expected to meet with Miami on Sunday.Barnes was the fourth-leading scorer behind Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green for the 73-win Warriors, who lost to Cleveland in the NBA Finals. The 6-foot-8 forward is a potential replacement for Chandler Parsons, who has agreed to sign with Memphis.The Mavericks plan, first reported by ESPN, comes a day after their top two targets in free agency, Memphis guard Mike Conley and Miami center Hassan Whiteside, decided to stay with their current teams. Parsons, Conley and Whiteside are getting max contracts.Its the fifth straight year that Dallas has missed on its primary plans for free agency since choosing financial flexibility over keeping key pieces of the team that won the franchises only championship in 2011. The Mavericks havent won a playoff series since their title seasoon.dddddddddddd.Dallas made Conley and Whiteside their priorities over Parsons, who missed all but one playoff game in two seasons with the Mavericks because of injuries to his right knee. The first was more serious, requiring surgery that pushed his rehab into the start of last season.As Parsons was rounding into form with the playoffs drawing near, he sustained another right knee injury that required more surgery but wasnt considered as serious.Barnes isnt as versatile as Parsons but could give the Mavericks another 3-point threat to go with shooting guard Wesley Matthews and star Dirk Nowitzki. The big German opted out of the final year of his three-year contract but is expected to re-sign with Dallas, where the 38-year-old has spent all of his 18 seasons.The addition of Barnes would also meet Dallas goal of trying to get younger and plan for a future without Nowitzki. The 24-year-old Barnes averaged 11.7 points and 4.9 rebounds in his fourth season with the Warriors, shooting 38 percent from 3-point range.But there would be questions about how effective Barnes could be when defenses arent focused on stopping Curry, the two-time MVP, and Thompson, his fellow Splash Brother. They combined to make nearly nine per game from long range, and Curry set an NBA record with 402 made 3s in the regular season.Barnes was the seventh overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft out of North Carolina. ' ' '