Jim Wyatt compares Marcus Mariota to other Tennessee Titans quarterbacks

Aug 29, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Jake Locker (10) looks to pass in the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports

Jake Locker

“Date: 8/13/2011.
Opponent: Vikings.
Starter: Matt Hasselbeck.
Passing: 7-of-10, 89 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 1 sack.
Passer rating: 130.8.
Running: Two rushes, two yards. ”

I may be going against the grain here, but I think this is also sort of indicative of the player that Jake Locker would become.

Through the air Locker averaged a solid 8.9 yards per attempt and had a clean 70% completion percentage. Not bad especially for a rookie, but that was the player he could be- when he was in a clean pocket and healthy.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Locker was destined for greatness like some young quarterbacks could be (Marcus Mariota), but I think he was a player who could make plays with a clean pocket and he did so against a stout New York Jets defense until he ultimately suffered and injury that would end his career in the next year.

Locker was far from perfect, but he did have some leadership about him and while he was probably closer to a 60% completion type quarterback when everything was going right he did have another dimension.

The real place that this game doesn’t show is how dynamic he was when the play broke down. He was a one of the best players at escaping through a hole and getting the first down with his legs, but he just wasn’t healthy enough to show that off.