Live discussion: Matt Hasselbeck or Jake Locker, who should start?

By Houston Mitchell

Oct. 12, 2012 12 AM PT

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&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;This week’s Friday edition of our &amp;lt;runtime:topic id=”ORSPT000007”&amp;gt;NFL&amp;lt;/runtime:topic&amp;gt; Google+ hangout -- “NFL Slam with Mark and Sam,” with Times NFL columnist Sam Farmer and &amp;lt;runtime:topic id=”PECLB0000014659”&amp;gt;Mark Thompson&amp;lt;/runtime:topic&amp;gt; of “Mark and Brian” radio fame -- covered a number of hot topics:&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Could &amp;lt;runtime:topic id=”PESPT000009789”&amp;gt;Jake Locker&amp;lt;/runtime:topic&amp;gt; have done what Matt Hasselbeck did last night? Hasselbeck, thrust into the starting role for the &amp;lt;runtime:topic id=”ORSPT000061”&amp;gt;Titans&amp;lt;/runtime:topic&amp;gt; because of the injury to Locker, played the role of crafty veteran in the upset win over the &amp;lt;runtime:topic id=”ORSPT000055”&amp;gt;Pittsburgh Steelers&amp;lt;/runtime:topic&amp;gt;.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;This puts conflicting pressures on the Titans. Do you go with Hasselbeck and win now? Or do you play the younger player and suffer through some growing pains, knowing that there will be a great payoff down the line.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;These days, many teams have a seasoned quarterback backing up a young player. As Farmer pointed out, this isn’t like the old days, when you could have a Steve Young backing up Joe Montana. You are now forced to pay premium dollars for a veteran quarterback, which means you can’t spend as much on the offensive line.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Hasselbeck stepped up against the Steelers, and has put the Titans in a quandary.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;”NFL Slam with Mark and Sam” is held every Monday and Friday at 11:30 a.m. If you have questions for Mark and Sam, email them to sportshangout@latimes.com and we will try to get them answered live during the chat.&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;ALSO:&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=”http://fonts.nohib.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-usc-khaled-holmes-hercules-20121012,0,7584925.story”&amp;gt;It’s not all Greek to USC center Khaled Holmes&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=”http://fonts.nohib.com/sports/sportsnow/”&amp;gt;Watch shattered bat hit Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=”http://fonts.nohib.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-steelers-rashard-mendenhall-20121012,0,227658.story”&amp;gt;Steelers could face long season without &amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;runtime:topic id=”PESPT0012772”&amp;gt;Rashard Mendenhall&amp;lt;/runtime:topic&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

Live discussion: Matt Hasselbeck or Jake Locker, who should start?

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