But when the soreness returned midway through Sunday's 28-9 victory over the Cleveland Browns, Vanden Bosch did the prudent thing and watched the remainder of the game from the Titans sideline.

Vanden Bosch originally suffered the tear in the groin back on Oct. 5 in Baltimore. From there, he could not finish games against Kansas City and Green Bay and sat out altogether against Indianapolis, Chicago and Jacksonville during that stretch.

That was while the Titans were stockpiling victories and off to the 10-0 start that now has helped them at 12-1 to clinch a first-round bye and could, if coupled with a Pittsburgh loss at Baltimore Sunday, give them home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with a win over the Houston Texans Sunday.

Vanden Bosch did not practice again Friday and was ruled out for Sunday's game.

"I think at this point, every game is important, but we're in the playoffs," Vanden Bosch said Wednesday. "We have a bye, and looking, it's always hard to look ahead, but that playoff game is going to be one of the most important games in the organization's history. It's going to be a home game and it's going to be a playoff game. I want to be out there every chance I can get, but if there's any erring, it's probably going to be erring on the side of caution."

Vanden Bosch admits he learned from the process the first time around and will exercise just prudence when it comes to trying to come back from the injury.

"Last time, I pushed it to get back, and I pushed it and pushed it and pushed it and probably strung this thing out a little bit longer than I had to," Vanden Bosch said. "I want to do what the doctors tell me and the trainers tell me. I want to be out there Sunday, but I've just got to take it day-to-day and see how it is."

Vanden Bosch, a two-time Pro Bowl defensive end since arriving in Tennessee in 2005, has just 4.5 sacks this season for the Titans and 46 total tackles.

The Titans have had good fortune in that backups Dave Ball and Jacob Ford have combined for 9.5 sacks this season, with their playing time increasing significantly due to Vanden Bosch's injury situation.

SERIES HISTORY: 14th regular-season meeting. Titans lead series 11-2. The Titans have dominated the series against the club that replaced it when it moved from Houston to Tennessee. The Texans' only victories came in 2004, and the Titans won 31-12 earlier this season in Nashville.