What Tennessee Titans expect to see from Cincinnati Bengals with RB Joe Mixon out

For once, the Tennessee Titans are preparing for an opponent with a key player out instead of the other way around.

The Titans (7-3) host the Cincinnati Bengals (6-4) from Nissan Stadium on Sunday (noon, CBS). Titans coach Mike Vrabel said defensive lineman Denico Autry is the only player the Titans expect to be out Sunday, which is certainly a major loss. But the Bengals have announced running back Joe Mixon will not play as he continues to recover from a concussion.

Mixon averages 91.9 scrimmage yards per game and has scored eight total touchdowns, tied for the fifth-most among running backs. In last year's divisional round win over the Titans, Mixon accounted for 105 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown — the Bengals' lone touchdown in that contest.

In Mixon's place, the Bengals will play running back Samaje Perine, who showed his versatility last week with three receiving touchdowns, as many as he had in every other game in his career combined.

"When they throw him the ball and he's not covered, he catches it," Vrabel said. "He's able to make some plays. He's strong. He's strong with the ball in his hand. He hit the nice screen last week when they didn't cover him out of the backfield in the red zone. He had a big day last week. So we'll have to make sure that we're on him."

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But Mixon isn't the only major offensive piece the Bengals might be without. Star receiver Ja'Marr Chase is listed as questionable with a hip injury that has held him out since Oct. 23. Chase caught 47 passes for 605 yards and six touchdowns in the Bengals' first seven games. The Bengals have a 2-1 record since Chase's injury.

Vrabel said the effectiveness of Cincinnati's passing attack — with or without Chase — helps free up the running game, whether Mixon or Perine is lining up next to quarterback Joe Burrow. Vrabel said the Bengals line up in 11 personnel (three receivers with a running back and a tight end) around 87% of the time, and the Bengals' riches at receiver force defenses into playing more split safety looks than normal, freeing up lanes for Cincinnati to run the ball if they so choose.

Contact Nick Suss at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on Twitter @nicksuss.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: With Joe Mixon out, here's what Tennessee Titans expect from Bengals