Tennessee Titans: "Quarterback Controversy" Died During Preseason Game #2
Ding, dong, the Tennessee Titans quarterback controversy is dead. Well, that is, if something that never existed can die. QB Marcus Mariota was clearly the Titans' best quarterback in their second preseason game against the New England Patriots. He was responsible for a touchdown drive that ended in a scoring strike to tight end Delanie […]
Ding, dong, the Tennessee Titans quarterback controversy is dead. Well, that is, if something that never existed can die.
QB Marcus Mariota was clearly the Titans' best quarterback in their second preseason game against the New England Patriots. He was responsible for a touchdown drive that ended in a scoring strike to tight end Delanie Walker.
Mariota made several other nice plays during his limited playing time. He found receiver Corey Davis over the middle of the field on a third-down after trusting his protection, stepping up into the pocket, and delivering a strike. He also used his legs to convert a two-point play following the touchdown drive.
Ryan Tannehill, Mariota's backup, was not nearly as sharp. The Titans offense struggled to move the ball when he was in the game. He repeatedly held the ball too long in the face of pressure.
He also missed receivers on multiple occasions, most notably on a pass over the middle to Kalif Raymond on third down. It hit the ground well before making it to Raymond.
This was a stark contrast from Tannehill's performance in the Titans' preseason opener, when he looked sharp and ran a very clean operation.
Throughout the past week, a handful of national media members—most notably, ESPN's Diana Russini and Denver sports talk host Benjamin Allbright—attempted to propel a narrative that the Titans were secretly allowing Mariota and Tannehill to compete for the team's starting QB job.
And, as many Titans fans did a good job of pointing out, that theory is patently absurd for numerous reasons. Mariota has received a maintenance day from practice, has played very limited snaps in the preseason, and received every single first-team rep at QB during Training Camp, aside from said maintenance day.
All of those facts point to one truth: Mariota will be the Titans quarterback to start the season, barring injury.
His solid performance on Saturday night, along with Tannehill's lackluster one, should make things even clearer for the doubters.
The Titans are committed to giving Mariota every chance to succeed. The national media's narrative, which now seems to be an overreaction to a preseason game—a rookie mistake for a reporter covering the NFL—probably died on the field at Nissan Stadium on Saturday.
If it's somehow still alive, it's because those who are propagating the narrative aren't paying a lick of attention to reality.
Cover image: Christopher Hanewinckel/USA Today
