If Travis Henry is unable to go this week due to an ankle injury suffered in last week’s Houston game, it opens the door once again for Chris Brown and Lendale White.

Titans running back coach Sherman Smith remembers the days when they never had this type of predicament and always knew who would be in the backfield when Sunday came around.

“Back in the day with Eddie George who never got hurt, that wasn’t a necessity, but now we need it,” Smith said.

Smith says having three solid running backs is a luxury now.

“The thing I have always said you need a pair and a spare. You have to have three, and that’s what we have,” Smith said.

Brown garnered the backup role last week because of White’s hip flexor and illness, White did practice on Wednesday. Brown carried the ball four times for 44 yards including two big runs in overtime on the game winning drive.

Before last Sunday’s game, Brown had been inactive for six straight games. There has been no word on who the starter will be come Sunday if Henry is unable to give it a go.

Smith said the key to the running back role this weekend will be to establish a rhythm just like Henry does over the course of a game.

“They need to get in there and get in their rhythm. Every running back has to get in a rhythm,” Smith said. “Even it takes Travis some time to get in a rhythm during a game because during practice everything’s half speed, walk-through pace, game is full speed so it takes you a few carries just to get the rhythm of the flow of the defense.”

Smith is pretty sure that Henry will definitely be ready when the Titans travel to Henry’s old team in Buffalo next week.

“He’s going to be back, I’m pretty sure he’s going to play next week, he wants to play, he’s a motivated guy, we’re going to Buffalo next week so he’s going to want to play,” Smith said.

With Henry only being 63 yards away from 1,000 that may be some extra motivation to get back on the field as well.

“He’s got a 1,000 yard mark just right in front of him, I think he’s going to be back no question,” Smith said.

Smith said the task at hand this weekend when Jacksonville comes to town will be a good challenge for the running backs.

“It’s one of the best in stopping the run, we’ll find out where we are at. We’re not going to back down and say we’re not going to run the football, we’re going to try and do what we do.” Smith said.

Jacksonville currently ranks fourth in the NFL in stopping the run allowing just over 87 yards per game.

“They play good team defense, they have good linebackers, secondary, their just a very solid defense,” Smith said.