"No one has told LenDale White he's been demoted, and the Titans running back hasn't gone into the coach's office stomping mad, looking for answers.

White said he's satisfied with his reduced role on an undefeated team, and those around him said his attitude has been positive.

White doesn't have much choice in the matter. He's been forced into the backseat by rookie Chris Johnson, who is off to a strong start.

"I am not really upset about the way the carries are going. We're 5-0, and I know the coaches have confidence in me," White said. "Believe me, if I felt something was wrong and I needed the ball more, I have enough confidence in myself I am not going to shy down and close my mouth."

Publicly, the coaches say they don't have an issue with White, even though his carries are down. He has 165 yards and is averaging 2.6 yards per carry. In the past two games, he had 17 yards on 14 carries. Johnson, who's started four games, has 381 yards, averaging 4.5 per carry.

"He has been great," Fisher said of White, who has been a force near the goal line with five touchdowns. "He's in good shape, is working hard and is glad to be 5-0."

Learning to be patientClearly, though, the Titans would like to see more from the player who ran for 1,110 yards and seven touchdowns in his second NFL season last year.

"It is not an easy process when somebody is doing a job you are used to doing," Titans running backs coach Earnest Byner said. "When things change, when the process goes the way it has gone here, then LenDale is going to struggle some. And he is going to have people talking to him, friends and family, asking, 'What's going on?' "

But Byner said White, who was slowed by a shoulder injury early in the season, continues to work hard, continues to have the desire to play well.

"It is about the lesson and LenDale can learn from this," Byner said. "And if he does he is going to be a much better person, but also a much better football player when the opportunity comes."

White was the unquestioned workhouse a year ago, averaging 18.9 carries a game. He had five games with 25 or more carries, and produced five 100-yard games."