Tennessee Titans: Marcus Mariota squashes phony QB controversy talk
Tennessee Titans quarterback, Marcus Mariota, did more than enough to squash the phony talk of a quarterback controversy on Saturday night.
Marcus Mariota looked solid in his second preseason game. The Tennessee Titans starting QB played in three series that stretched an entire quarter, and his play was more than enough to squash the phony QB controversy in Tennessee.
After two straight three-and-outs that saw the Titans offense get off to a slow start with the Oregon product getting poor protection, Mariota stepped up his game and made some plays.
On the Titans’ third offensive series, Mariota completed five of seven passes for 58 yards and a score on a drive that went 87 yards on 10 plays.
He found tight end Delanie Walker twice during the drive, and his touchdown strike was to the veteran tight end from 11 yards out. Prior to that, Mariota made some nice throws down the field to both Walker (15 yards) and wide receiver, Corey Davis (20 yards).
The Titans decided to go for two after Mariota’s touchdown pass, and that’s when the former No. 2 overall pick showed his athleticism and scrambled for a two-point conversion after nothing developed in front of him. He pulled off quite the dive and flip in the process, also.
In total, Mariota finished 6-of-9 for 63 yards and one touchdown against the Patriots’ defense. One of those incomplete passes was a drop near the sideline by Davis.
The most important thing for Mariota? He looked sharp, made good decisions, and was the best quarterback on the field for the Titans on Saturday night. It was a definite improvement from the preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Backup quarterback, Ryan Tannehill, posted solid numbers in the second quarter (7-of-11 for 84 yards and one touchdown), however he wasn’t as accurate in his second preseason game in which he played against a backup defense.
The national media has tried its hardest to drum-up a quarterback controversy in Nashville, but Mariota did everything necessary to once again show why he’s the best option the Titans have behind center.
For those in the media who crave a quarterback controversy and are trying to make the case that Tannehill should be the starter in Week 1: you can sit down now.