Texans’ Jadeveon Clowney expects to play against Titans

Jadeveon Clowney said he expects to play Sunday for the Texans for the first time since tearing his meniscus in the first half of Houston’s season opener on Sept. 7.

Clowney, the No. 1 overall draft pick out of South Carolina, warmed up on the field before Houston’s “Monday Night Football” game against Pittsburgh, but was ruled inactive.

“The knee’s going to bother me a little bit, but there’s some stuff you’ve got to push through and come out here and play,” the defensive end said of his surgically repaired knee. “I’m the best I’m going to be this season, I feel like take it and go ahead and play football.”

The Texans (3-4) will face the Titans (2-5) who will start rookie quarterback Zach Mettenberger, a sixth-round pick out of LSU, Titans Coach Ken Whisenhunt announced Thursday.

Veteran clipboard holder Charlie Whitehurst had been starting in place of Jake Locker, who has been out with thumb and wrist injuries.

Locker, a 2011 first-round pick, took over starting duties in 2012 after beating out veteran Matt Hasselbeck for the job in 2012, but injuries have limited him to 22 starts since then including this season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Twitter: @mattwilhalme