After practice on Thursday, Titans Head Coach Jeff Fisher said that he expects quarterback Steve McNair to play Sunday against the Houston Texans even though the former MVP missed another practice due to injury.

''I expect him to play,'' Coach Fisher said. ''Unless he just stops coming along, but I think he could probably play, if he had to play, today.''

Fisher said the extent to McNair’s injury focuses more on the quarterback’s legs than his back.

''[It’s] more lower leg, shin and ankle,'' Fisher said. ''His back is fine. He’s just sore. He didn’t want to aggravate it in here [bubble] so we’ll see how he is tomorrow.''

Fisher rested both running back Chris Brown and wide receiver Drew Bennett from Wednesday’s practice. Fisher said the rest benefited Bennett more so than Brown.

''[The rest] helped Drew [Bennett], but it didn’t help Chris [Brown] much,'' Fisher said. ''But I do think Chris has a better chance of practicing tomorrow.''

Fisher added that Brown’s ankle is still swollen from Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.

Fisher also said defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch’s sack count gives him an advantage of making the 2005 Pro Bowl.

''When you’re voting for defensive lineman that’s typically what they [players and coaches] look at is sacks,'' Fisher said. ''... So I’d say he’s got a chance.

''You know when you’re evaluating other positions like the linebackers, so on and so forth, then they’re not based purely on statistics. They lean more towards wins and success because they typically get more exposure then others.''

Fisher said in the mind of the Titans organization, Vanden Bosch played well enough this season to make the Pro Bowl.