Tennessee Titans Winners and Losers after Week 2 loss

Loser: QB Marcus Mariota’s future in Tennessee

So, let’s talk about Marcus Mariota.

I am going to talk about why I now have a negative outlook on Mariota’s future with Tennessee, so if you are wanting to see that just know that it is coming.

However, I want to do more than say “Mariota sux put in tanyhil” like so many people are doing.

The thing with Marcus Mariota is that, he is a walking dichotomy. His injury history makes people so scared of him getting hit because they are afraid of him missing time after seeing how bad that has made the team in the past. But, these same people chastise him for throwing the ball away or attempting to make tough throws when there is grass in front of him complaining about how mobile QBs should run.

Even on a bigger level, when things are working for Mariota (WRs making nice catches, the OL is blocking well, the OC has a nice playcall) he is great, even going as far as to elevate the team beyond these other factors.

Again though, when things aren’t working out well he tends to try to force things or become hesitant in his throws. Then, people pile on for him getting blasted by an EDGE who didn’t get blocked correctly, while the same people would scream if he threw a contested pass.

Unless he plays a perfect game at this point, people are going to throw the blame on him when the offense struggles. The problem is that, after defending him with offenses that featured Harry Douglas, Cameron Batson, Darius Jennings, Eric Decker, Taywan Taylor, and Dorial Green-Beckham as his top targets, people are tired of excuses.

In year 5, people want to see a guy that elevates the play of those around him instead of someone who can’t put the passing attack on his back and convert 3rd and 8+ plays against good pass rushes with bad protection.

Honestly, I am at the point where I understand where they are coming from. Even when I can see the ball hit A.J. Brown in the hands, I have been conditioned to this point to accept the play and not expect more and maybe that is a problem.

I fully believe that if the Titans let Marcus Mariota hit free agency, he will go somewhere like Pittsburgh, the L.A. Chargers, New England, New Orleans, or Chicago and thrive.

Still, if he doesn’t have confidence in Tennessee and if he feels like the fans are just waiting to boo him at a certain point you have to wonder what the future has for Mariota even though there is a good chance that the next man up in 2020 is going to be worse and hurt any chance that this team has at maximizing the other pieces on this roster.