National Football League

Titans LB Zach Brown not sure why he was benched

Published Dec. 18, 2013 11:05 p.m. ET

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Tennessee's second-leading tackler Zach Brown doesn't know why he was pulled from last week's game after a handful of snaps and didn't practice with the starters as the Titans prepare to visit Jacksonville.

Brown said Wednesday that he hasn't asked any coach about either decision yet. But he stood in front of his locker after practice and answered questions about being benched.

''I'm not a robot,'' Brown said. ''If you look at all the good players, they all take chances. They all go make plays. You don't want to be just a guy that just don't take chances. You can't be scared to take chances in this league because sometimes the chance might win you the game, might cost you the game. At the same time, you got to be the player you are.''

The Titans selected Brown in the second round in 2012 with the 52nd pick overall. He ranks second behind only safety Bernard Pollard with 104 tackles. The linebacker out of North Carolina also has four sacks, four quarterback pressures and one interception. He has started 12 of 14 games this season and 25 of 30 in his career.

Brown played six snaps in the 37-34 overtime loss to Arizona. He had a tackle after a 13-yard run by Andre Ellington and also tackled Ellington after a 26-yard catch. Then Brown was replaced by rookie Zaviar Gooden, a third-round selection out of Missouri. Gooden also started in Brown's spot in a Dec. 8 loss at Denver.

Coach Mike Munchak wasn't available after Brown spoke, but he said the linebacker was flat against Arizona. Munchak said they had high expectations for Brown but feel they haven't been seeing what they want out of the linebacker the past few weeks. So they went to Gooden to create competition.

Munchak said Brown has been inconsistent in his play and just needs to play harder.

''We need to find the right mix and need to find a way to create turnovers, find a way to get off the field,'' Munchak said Monday. ''A lot of times it is mix and matching people to see if combinations help us more. That's what we're in the middle of doing. Like I said, the turnover, getting the ball, we've been struggling to do that, so it's just part of the process of trying to find a way to do that.''

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org