The Tennessee Titans need to move on from Marcus Mariota.
Following yet another dysfunctional offensive performance from the Titans' franchise quarterback, the organization needs to simply bench Mariota and start Ryan Tannehill moving forward.
The same flaws that have plagued Mariota throughout his five-year professional career were as clear as day during Week 6's 16-0 loss to a mediocre Denver Broncos squad. The 25-year-old quarterback failed to progress through his reads, often panicking when his first read was covered.
Outside of his continuous failure to follow through his progressions, he remained as inaccurate as ever, finishing the day 7-of-18 (38.9 percent completion rate) with 63 yards (3.5 yards per attempt) and a 9.5 quarterback rating — the lowest single-game rating of his career.
Things finally got so bad for Tennessee that head coach Mike Vrabel mercifully pulled the plug on Mariota in the second half, inserting Tannehill to play out the final quarter of the game for the Titans. While Tennessee failed to score points with Tannehill, they did move the ball a lot better, as they finally ran an offensive play on the Broncos' side of the field and they threatened to actually score on their final drive of the game.
Vrabel refused to commit to either quarterback for Sunday's matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers — a telling sign of how thin the leash is regarding Mariota's job with the Titans. In fact, Vrabel stated he would consult with general manager Jon Robinson before coming to a final decision for the Titans' Week 7 starter, via Jim Wyatt of Titans Online.
“Vrabel said he’ll consult with Titans general manager Jon Robinson and his coaching staff before deciding if the move is permanent,” Vrabel said.
Vrabel also explained why he decided to make the change to Tannehill after sticking with Mariota through all of his struggles through the first five weeks of the season. Simply put, the Titans wanted to move the football and Mariota wasn't doing that.
“Every decision we make we try and do in the best interest of the football team at every position,” he said. “At that point and time, we’re just trying to move the football and score more points.”
Tannehill finished the game 13-of-16 for 144 yards and an interception in less than two-quarters of action. While the 31-year-old quarterback isn't going to save the Titans' season — this is the same guy that floundered with the Miami Dolphins after six full seasons with the franchise — he remains a better option moving forward.
Considering the Titans have one of the top young runners in the game in Derrick Henry and a stout defense that ranks fifth in the NFL, there's no reason why this team shouldn't be more competitive.
The one player holding them back is their former No. 2 overall draft pick.
Follow Us
Subscribe