The Tennessee Titans spent the majority of the week trying to come up with ways to contain Lamar Jackson. Needless to say, Marcus Mariota did his best impression of the dynamic quarterback.
According to Ian Rapoport, Mariota impressed everyone with his impression of the Baltimore Ravens' quarterback.
From @NFLGameDay: #Titans QB Ryan Tannehill is almost certainly their starter in 2020, but Marcus Mariota's impersonation of Lamar Jackson in practice this week impressed everyone. That will help. pic.twitter.com/2t1Q06Ykef
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 11, 2020
Going back to his days at Oregon, Mariota is known as a dual-threat quarterback who can create with his legs. Therefore, it made sense for him to act as Jackson in practice to give his defense a decent look at how he'd play on Saturday.
Mariota Could Increase Interest as Free Agent
Mariota is entering the final year of his rookie contract after the team picked up his fifth-year option in 2018. But earlier in the regular season, the former second-overall pick was benched in favor of Ryan Tannehill.
As a result, Mariota has spent most of the season watching from the sideline. However, things were a bit different in practice this week as Tennessee prepares themselves to slow down Baltimore's No. 1 rushing attack.
After acting as Jackson in practice, maybe teams will be enticed to use Mariota in a similar offense. The veteran signal-caller is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season concludes.
In his five-year career in the NFL, Mariota has rushed for 1,399 yards. At the same time, Jackson nearly eclipsed that number this season alone as he gashed defenses for 1,206 yards on the ground.
Additionally, stopping the Ravens' offense is more than just slowing down Jackson in the running game. The Ravens boast a multi-faceted backfield that includes Mark Ingram, Gus Edwards, and rookie Justice Hill.
Besides keeping him in the pocket, the Titans also have to be concerned with defending Jackson through the air. While Mariota is extremely athletic for a quarterback, Jackson is in a different stratosphere in terms of athletic ability.
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