Marcus Mariota has been benched by the Tennessee Titans in favor of Ryan Tannehill which could spell the end of Mariota’s time in Tennessee.
Marcus Mariota has Had HIs Chances
The decision to not start Marcus Mariota at this point in this career could spell the end of this time as a Tennessee Titan. It may seem like a harsh decision but if you feel that way, you haven’t been paying close enough attention to Mariota’s time with the Titans.
For the last two plus seasons, the Titans don’t win because of Mariota, they win despite him. His issues as a quarterback are numerous and obvious. His inaccuracy is the first problem that he faces as a signal caller. He fails to deliver the ball to wide open receivers even in the most routine of situations. He has been in the league long enough to show some sort of progress in that regard. Instead he is basically a “Check Down Charlie”, someone who would rather get yardage than take a chance and make a mistake. That’s not how a franchise quarterback should approach games.
Even the Basics Were Too Much for Mariota
When Marcus Mariota came into the NFL, he was a dual threat QB coming out of the University of Oregon. The native of Hawaii has always been an elite level athlete and it was believed that his physical gifts would translate to the NFL.
They have not.
Early in his career he did show the ability to be a threat with his legs. Just like all running quarterbacks before him he also couldn’t seem to stay healthy. The funny thing about Mariota is, his running isn’t even really what got him hurt. It has to be said that as an NFL QB, he isn’t much of a running threat. It’s not that he can’t do it, he doesn’t know when it should be done.
His pocket presence is one of the worst of all the starting QB’s in the league. There are several situations that could be pointed to where he has room to take off and he simply doesn’t. Far too often he would hold the ball for much longer than recommended.
What happens Next For Mariota?
The question of what happens next for Marcus Mariota can probably best be answered by his backup. Ryan Tannehill has the chance to claim this job as his own. As a member of the Miami Dolphins, he was never spectacular but he wasn’t bad either. He is a very capable QB who has never been surrounding by a supporting cast of this caliber. The Titans aren’t offensive juggernauts by any means, but Tannehill has got more weapons to work with than he ever did in Miami. He also now has a defense that could protect a lead. This group doesn’t need much offense to get wins as they’ve shown over the years.
The sad truth of the matter for Marcus Mariota who’s still only 25 years old, that Ryan Tannehill, 31 years old, is simply the better player. If Tannehill reaches his ceiling with this group, Marcus Mariota’s career with the Titans, and possibly as a starting QB in the NFL is over.
