NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Titans running back Eddie George knows how to measure healing in his sore left foot. Thursday, he was able to stand on both feet.

He still couldn't practice and didn't even try to jog. He made it through a pre-practice walkthrough, or as coach Jeff Fisher put it, ''He limped through.''

Whether George plays Sunday in Nashville against the Cleveland Browns and stretches his streak of consecutive starts to 99 remains to be seen. But George said he has learned from playing through injuries in 2001 and will not play if he isn't well enough by kickoff.

''I'm not concerned about keeping the streak alive. What's the purpose of me going out and limping around? I did a lot of that the last two years. I'm tired of doing that. I'm not going to do it,'' George said.

''If I play, I'm going to be 100 percent.''

His streak is the best by a running back to start his career and the third overall behind Walter Payton (170) and Ricky Watters (114).

George hurt his left foot last weekend against the Dallas Cowboys. The tape wrapped around his foot never loosened on the artificial turf, and his foot immediately began swelling when he removed the tape after the game.

The pain became so intense that he called team doctors that night and met them at an emergency room around midnight.

George kept his foot in a walking boot and used crutches Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. He stayed inside during practice Wednesday, receiving treatment on his foot.

An MRI showed no ligament damage or fractures, and George said the problem is the swelling that is creating pain.

''Yesterday I couldn't put pressure on it even in the walking boot, so it's just a matter of getting the swelling out in the heel,'' he said. ''I feel a lot better today.''

Fisher said George likely will not practice Friday even if he feels much better. They plan to let him rest and will see how he is Sunday morning.

''I'm optimistic,'' Fisher said. ''Then again, you just have to wait and see. He could go out and make his first plant full speed and have difficulty with it and have soreness. Because of the uniqueness of this injury, we don't want to set him back. We want to make sure it's over with.''

It would be a shame if George doesn't play against the Browns, their only game against their former AFC Central rival. He had his only 100-yard rushing performance against Cleveland last year, going for 130 yards on 26 carries in his worst season as a pro.

He plays his best against the Browns, and his average of 116.8 yards a game against Cleveland is fourth best among active players in rushing yards per game against one opponent.

Fisher said Mike Green, who led NFL Europe in rushing in 2001, and rookie John Simon, who spent last season as a receiver with Louisiana Tech, will fill in if George cannot play.

''We'll be fine,'' Fisher said.

The Titans did get quarterback Steve McNair back in practice Thursday, although he remains a little stiff and sore from crashing into an equipment trunk last week. Reserve tight end Shad Meier practiced for the first time since dislocating his shoulder in the opener, though he is questionable for the game.

Fisher said starting cornerback Andre Dyson (hamstring) might practice Friday.