NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee Titans have kicked their youth movement into high gear with rookie Zach Mettenberger starting at quarterback against the Houston Texans on Sunday.Jake Locker has missed three of the past four games with injuries, and coach Ken Whisenhunt said Thursday that the decision to go with Mettenberger was made Tuesday. The coach said this is an opportunity to see what the sixth-round draft pick out of LSU can do with the Titans struggling at 2-5.No question hes a talented, young player, and maybe itll give us a spark, Whisenhunt said. Offensively, we havent exactly been lighting it up, so thats part of it in consideration.Whisenhunt waited to announce the change to make sure Locker — who has been sidelined with an injured thumb — is healthy enough to back up Mettenberger. The coach also was trying to buy a day to slow down the Texans preparation for the rookie. The shake-up dropped Charlie Whitehurst, who started three of the past four games with the Titans losing two of those, to third on the depth chart.Mounting losses and injuries seemed to make the change inevitable.The Titans had stuck with Locker, the eighth pick overall in 2011, since hiring Whisenhunt in January. But Locker has missed 17 of a possible 39 starts and finished only three games this season because of injuries.Mettenberger will become the fourth rookie quarterback to start in the NFL this season, the third quarterback for Whisenhunt. The Titans already are starting left tackle Taylor Lewan, linebacker Avery Williamson and running back Bishop Sankey with Mettenberger the fourth of six draft picks to start this season.The quarterback dropped to the sixth round after tearing his left ACL on Nov. 29 playing for LSU but led the NFL this preseason with 659 yards passing. The rookie shaved the beard he started growing during training camp after practice just before talking to reporters.By no means am I a Tom Brady or a Peyton Manning, Mettenberger said as he leaned back against his locker. This is going to be my first game, so really I just got to get the ball out of my hands quick, avoid turnovers and put the ball in the (hands of) guys who can make plays for us. Really thats the biggest thing a young guys got to do.Whisenhunt had promised he would be more patient with quarterbacks in his second time around as a head coach. He reached the 2009 Super Bowl in Arizona with Kurt Warner, but the coach cycled through quarterbacks after the veteran left. Whisenhunt started Kevin Kolb, John Skelton, Ryan Lindley and finally Brian Hoyer in his final season in 2012.Once in Tennessee, he inherited Locker who was coming off a Lisfranc injury to his right foot that cost him the final seven games of the 2013 season. The Titans did not pick up Lockers option for 2015 in May, even as they stood behind him as their starter.But Locker hurt his right wrist in a loss at Cincinnati on Sept. 21. He missed a loss at Indianapolis and then started Oct. 5 against Cleveland where he threw for a touchdown and ran for another TD before hurting his right thumb on a helmet.I understood after last year I didnt know kind of how it would go and coming into this year they gave me an opportunity, Locker said. I havent been in. I havent played. Thats been kind of one of those things that Ive dealt with throughout my career, and I imagine it has something to do with that.Fans have been clamouring to see Mettenberger with the Titans losing five of their last six. This franchise also needs to give people a reason to use their tickets and come to the stadium where they have won only two of their last nine home games.Mettenberger fits the profile of the quarterback Whisenhunt has had the most success with: Pittsburghs Ben Roethlisberger. Mettenberger is 6-foot-5 and 224 pounds who can stand in the pocket, and he has a strong arm throwing for 3,082 yards last season at LSU. With Lockers injured thumb, Mettenberger also had taken some practice work with the starters over the past two weeks.He will be the first rookie this franchise has started since 2010. Rusty Smith started at Houston after Vince Young was placed on injured reserve and veteran Kerry Collins was hurt. Smith and the Titans lost 20-0.___Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL___Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalkerErik Karlsson Jersey . With the suspension, Nigeria is unable to take part in any kind of international fixtures. 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Josh Smith posted 12 points and 11 rebounds and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 14 points to help Detroit finally end a 13-game losing skid. The Pistons last won a game on Nov. 14 in Oklahoma City. Jodie Meeks, who signed as a free agent this summer, played just under 22 minutes in his Pistons debut after missing their first 22 games with a back injury. He had 12 points off the bench, including a pair of late free throws that helped the Pistons secure the win. Goran Dragic led seven Suns in double figures with 18 points. Markieff Morris had 17 and P.J. Tucker and Eric Bledsoe netted 16 apiece as Phoenix lost its fourth straight game to fall to .500. After a back-and-forth contest that featured 19 lead changes and 14 ties, the Pistons found a way late in the fourth. The Pistons led by four after Drummonds putback laayup when transition layups by Dragic and Isaiah Thomas tied the game at 97 with just over two minutes remaining.dddddddddddd. Out of a timeout, Caldwell-Pope restored Detroits lead with a 3-pointer, and the Pistons held on from there. Meeks and Tucker traded free throws before Drummond split a pair from the stripe with 2.5 seconds left. With no timeouts remaining, Markieff Morris quickly fired a pass down the court, but it was tipped and Drummond grabbed it as the clock expired. Phoenix led by as many as eight in the first before Detroit rushed back. Josh Smiths banked 3-pointer just before the buzzer made it 28-28. Neither team led by more than seven the rest of the game. Game Notes Detroit won the rebounding margin, 47-37 ... The Pistons scored 60 points in the paint ... Miles Plumlee, Marcus Morris and Thomas scored 10 apiece for Phoenix. Thomas had missed the previous eight games with an ankle injury. 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