O'Donnell

	McNair

Coach Jeff Fisher split work between Steve McNair and Neil O'Donnell on Wednesday and even stretched the practice an extra half-hour to make sure they both got plenty of repetitions. Fisher is preparing both players to start Sunday against the St. Louis Rams (6-0).

The question is whether McNair, who had back surgery Sept. 19, will have any problems with his back or with his timing after missing the last five games for the Titans (5-1). O'Donnell is 4-1 in McNair's absence and currently is the AFC's fourth-rated passer.

Fisher said he might pick his starter Saturday or just before kickoff.

"We're not going to let that be a distraction for us," Thigpen said. "We don't need any distractions. We need to focus on winning ball games and continue doing what we've been doing."

Fisher had been waiting for doctors to certify McNair as healthy, and that came in time for the quarterback to take part in a light workout Tuesday. The big test came Wednesday in a 2½-hour practice.

McNair sprinted out, ran a draw out of the shotgun and even completed a 65-yard touchdown pass play to Thigpen. He twisted his body faking a handoff and finished practice with a set of sprints by himself without feeling any pain or discomfort.

"If I have a little pain, I'll lighten up. But I don't feel any pain," he said.

McNair, who started 34 consecutive games before injuring his back, approached the practice as a game in trying to make the right reads and decisions. His biggest challenge is getting his timing down with receivers after throwing at dummies the past four weeks.

His receivers didn't notice any dropoff.

"He's moving around extremely well," Thigpen said. "He's got a lot of heat on the ball. He's throwing it tremendously well."

If McNair starts, O'Donnell said he won't pout.

"I took total advantage of the opportunity I had. He (Fisher) told me to make his decision hard, and hopefully I did," O'Donnell said.

McNair targeted Sunday's game with the Rams for his return, but he said he has no problem if Fisher decides to start O'Donnell for one more game.

"Me and Neil are in this thing together," McNair said. "Neil has done his job well. If his number's called, he can do the job. If my number's called, I think it's going to be a different transition. I can go out and get the job done too."

The Rams are splitting the difference and preparing for both McNair, the scrambling quarterback, and the dropback passer, O'Donnell.

"We know deep down that Jeff Fisher wants to get McNair back in there as soon as possible, but I don't think the way Neil is playing that there's any rush to get Steve back in before he's ready," Rams cornerback Todd Lyght said. "If he is ready to play, he will play."