5 bad reasons people write off Tennessee Titans QB Marcus Mariota

2 (continued). Why Corey Davis is the exception to the rule, and why it should help 

Let’s talk about Corey Davis. His lack of a big time production is unique because of the injury issues between he and Marcus Mariota rarely being healthy at the same time.

So, if you think he is a better player than what he is getting to put up in Tennessee so far then you are absolutely right. However, even through last year’s injury to Mariota, Davis would be a 1,400 yard receiver…with more volume.

Look at this:

The numbers on the right are what Corey Davis would have had last year if he had been in an offense that passed the ball.

On a team that passes the ball just an average amount he is a 1,200 yard receiver and the narrative on him completely changes. For some reason people confuse production with talent and this is the perfect example of that.

Saying Mariota “held back” Corey Davis isn’t right, he was clearly targeted at a high rate and treated like the top threat in this offense. However, panic and fear of getting the quarterback sacked behind a leaky offensive line last year led to more conservative play calling.

So if you cite a “lack of production” from Davis, you need to understand that he is one of the more productive players in the NFL on a per pass basis. Everything else is just about how often you want to throw the ball, not whether or not either is talented.

TL;DR: Corey Davis actually had a big season last year when you look at it in context, and a lot of that success can be attributed to his individual talent and Marcus Mariota’s faith in him despite questionable play calling.