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A second straight day went by at One Bills Drive with no sign of Terrell Owens on the practice field Thursday. Owens’ hip strain, which cropped up suddenly on Tuesday, is reducing the chances of the veteran receiver playing Sunday at Tennessee with each passing day.

“He’s still struggling,” said head coach Dick Jauron. “He didn’t come out to watch practice and (head athletic trainer) Bud (Carpenter) is working hard with him. They’ve got him doing different things. I believe that it’s better, but not good enough to be on the field. We’ll just have to see where it goes (Friday).”

Owens has not missed a game due to injury since the 2004 season when in Week 15 he suffered a fractured fibula and tibia that forced him to miss the Eagles’ last two games of the regular season as well as the playoffs before he made a miraculous recovery to play in Super Bowl XXIX.

“I don’t really know what his status is going to be,” said fellow receiver Lee Evans. “Obviously we would love to have him in there, but right now he needs to get healthy and do what he has to do to try to play on Sunday. We’ll just have to address that when it comes, but for us we have to go out there and prepare to play on Sunday and win. That’s what it’s all about.”

Owens was seen briefly in the locker room, but did not speak with reporters.

Jauron will have to place a status on Owens after practice on Friday. Until then Buffalo’s head coach is maintaining a positive outlook.

“I’ll remain optimistic since we don’t have to make any declarations at all,” said Jauron following Thursday’s practice. “It came on so quickly that I’m just hoping it passes the same way.”