Andrews, Cobb the future of Titans' backfield?

The Titans have relied on plenty of inexperienced players this season, from the quarterback to the offensive and defensive lines to the receivers to the secondary.

But with six games remaining in the regular season, and the Titans (2-8) tied for the worst record in the NFL, more question marks remain in the backfield than at any other position on the roster.

Undrafted second-year pro Antonio Andrews and rookie fifth-round draft pick David Cobb seem to represent the future of the running game.

Unless they don’t.

Much will depend on what they’re able to accomplish over the final six games.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen after these six games,” interim coach Mike Mularkey said. “A lot of things happen with change and so I think everybody is being evaluated a little closer. They’re going to get their opportunities.”

The 5-foot-10, 225-pound Andrews, who starred at Western Kentucky, has taken over as the lead running back the last few weeks, ever since Ken Whisenhunt was fired as head coach on Nov. 3.

Andrews has a team-high 376 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 99 carries, despite missing two games with a hamstring injury. He said it’s difficult to find rhythm as a running back when the team heavily relies on a committee, as was the case for much of the season.

“The more the back-to-back carries come, that’s how you really feel natural at it,” Andrews said, “but with me, just how the touches have been going for the longest (time), I’m just used to just coming in and hitting and running, hitting and running, without having a groove. Just being able to have touches and staying in a groove and not coming off the field, that makes everything much better.”

The 5-11, 229-pound Cobb, drafted out of Minnesota, should be Andrews’ primary competition for touches the rest of the season.

Cobb, who rushed for 79 yards on 19 carries in two preseason games, made his regular season debut last week after spending the first half of the season on short-term injured reserve with a torn calf muscle.

He rushed four times for minus-3 yards against the Jaguars and said it was an eye-opening experience.

“It’s just getting into the flow of things and seeing the game speed of it,” Cobb said, “because preseason is nothing like the regular season and practice is nothing like a real game.”

He should see an expanded role Sunday against the Raiders.

“Cobb is going to get more of an opportunity this game,” Mularkey said, “and hopefully we’re going to block better for him this game.”

Andrews realizes Cobb could take a chunk of his carries. He said the competition pushes everybody to be better, and that all the Titans’ running backs root for each other to succeed.

“In Cobb I see myself. I see a young guy just like me who’s hungry,” Andrews said. “He’s been out of the mix and he just wants to get his opportunity and get his chance. He’s hungry. He has a big chip on his shoulder. That’s my boy. I know he’s back healthy now and he’s just ready to get on the field and go. He got a little taste of it last week and he’s going to want some more of it this week.”

The running game is likely to be a two-man show Sunday.

Bishop Sankey, a second-round draft pick and the first running back selected in 2014, has faded to an afterthought with just five carries the last five weeks. He was inactive for the Titans’ most recent game.

Veteran change-of-pace back Dexter McCluster is sidelined for at least the next couple of weeks with a sprained knee.

Cobb is eager to carve out a role.

“Six games left and it’s a long season, I’ve found out,” he said. “There are six games left and six more opportunities for me to do something to help our team win.”

Andrews knows he and Cobb have something to prove, and that the final six games could determine whether they’re starting or even playing for the Titans next season.

“I’m an underdog, man, so I’ve always got a chip on my shoulder,” Andrews said, “and I’m going to come out there and prove somebody wrong. That’s my mentality. And David Cobb has that same mentality, so every week we come out here and put it all on the line, put our hearts out there, and that’s all you can ask for at the end of the day.”

Reach Jason Wolf at jwolf@tennessean.com and follow him on Twitter at @JasonWolf and on Instagram at TitansBeat.

NEXT GAME

RAIDERS (4-6) at TITANS (2-8)

When: Noon Sunday

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