Marcus Mariota has been great in spurts for the Tennessee Titans. However, he’s not consistent enough with his play. Could GM Jon Robinson be somewhat to blame for this?
Tennessee Titans QB Marcus Mariota has been a guy with class and grit. He always has that act of kindness that makes everyone smile. He also can pop your eyes wide open with how he plays. However, the NFL is strictly about business. You have to produce on the field and win games, or you don’t make the cut. Titans GM Jon Robinson knows this all too well.
With all the injuries Mariota has absorbed, it’s getting harder and harder for me to earn his trust. As a Titans fan, I want to believe in our franchise quarterback. He’s done great things for this organization: He’s made the Titans into a watchable team; He’s carried this team to the playoffs when no one gave the Titans a chance; He even won a playoff game on the road when it seemed impossible to do after one half of football. The fact is, Mariota has definitely changed the face of the Titans.
I get it, injuries are a part of the game of football. It’s unfortunate, but injuries do happen every once in a while. However, for Mariota’s case, it happens too often. It’s only a matter of time before Robinson will decide to pull the plug on Mariota. It would be a mistake to do that. Especially if this keeps happening.
But why would I say that Robinson would pull the plug on Mariota? It’s not Mariota’s fault that his team is not better.
Regardless of that, Titans history could repeat itself again. Robinson could do what the Titans did to Steve McNair. Remember when the Titans let go of McNair in 2006? It resulted in them drafting a bust in Vince Young. While Young played average in Tennessee, McNair moved on to the Baltimore Ravens and made the playoffs in his first year with the team.
If Robinson were asked about comparing the two situations, this would probably be his statement: McNair was a lot better statistically, and the team that McNair was around was superiorly better than today’s Titans. When you have Eddie George, Frank Wyche, Kevin Dyson, Drew Bennett, Derrick Mason, and a better O-Line, you win games.
If Marcus Mariota were around during that time in place of McNair, we would see him do what McNair did. The roster was significantly better.
The same thing could be said with McNair. Had he been playing with this Titans team, we would see him get hurt consistently and not produce. Why is that? It’s because of how this roster is built. Eddie George is light years better than Derrick Henry. I would also rather have Derrick Mason over Corey Davis. Comparing Kevin Dyson and Drew Bennett to Taywan Taylor and Tajae Sharpe, I would prefer the former two.
While we cannot control what the roster is now compared to what it was back then, it’s no secret: This team is not built for Mariota. The blame for that can go to Robinson. He is responsible for not building this team up to the capability we thought it could achieve. But with the way Robinson is, don’t expect any help to come from him. He’s been quiet as a mouse here lately.
If Robinson doesn’t make any moves for building the Titans around Mariota, history may repeat itself again. While we may think Mariota is our franchise quarterback, Robinson might not think the same way. If the receivers won’t get open and the offensive line can’t block, something is wrong.
As successful as Robinson has been, he has lost my trust. If he won’t fix the problem around Mariota and instead blame it all on him, he’s not doing his job. It may be time for the Titans consider hiring a new GM. Amy Adams-Strunk has a lot on her hands if this season doesn’t end well for the Titans.
Mariota has the coaching staff around him to be the player he can be. However, it is Robinson and his roster construction that is limiting Mariota’s potential. By not making moves to build this team around Mariota, the injuries to Marcus will continue to happen, and Robinson is at fault for this.
Robinson could very well pull the plug on Mariota if Marcus continues to get injured and underperform. At the end of things, it would be a mistake if he did. Instead of saying it’s time to move on from Mariota (if that’s how the organization feels), it’s time the Titans consider moving on from Robinson. If Robinson doesn’t build the team around Mariota, Adams-Strunk should find someone who will.