Titans: More Things To Worry About than Mariota

The Titans have much more to worry about than Marcus Mariota’s performance Friday in Atlanta.

The Titans fanbase had mixed emotions on Marcus Mariota‘s performance in Atlanta last Friday. It has ranged from Titans fans with the attitude that his performance really did not matter since it was just a pre-season game, to the Titans fans that are calling for Zach Mettenberger to get the start this week.

Relax everyone. It is extremely early to judge this quarterback good or bad. If he had lit it up the fans would be calling ahead for Superbowl tickets, and looking for when he would be eligible to be enshrined in Canton. If he had performed poorly (kind of like the first two series) he would be judged a bust and lets look for the next ex Titans quarterback in the 2016 draft. The chants bring back Zach would echo around Nashville. Some have already been heard by the way.

The fact is it was an average performance. It had some terrible, some ok, and some stellar moments. Obviously the interception and the fumble were low moments. Mariota learned that he can not float a screen in the NFL like he did at Oregon. He isn’t playing Washington State anymore. This is the big boy league. Linebackers are the size of college lineman and fast as college safeties.

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Mariota learned that he must step up into the pocket created by the offensive line on the fumble six play on the very next series. That was on him. He had to feel the pressure, slide up in the pocket, and deliver his throw to his second or third read. Instead, he stood there like a mounted mallard. But Mariota will learn. He is a quick study, and he is a smart kid.

One of the reason’s I was a little gun shy about selecting Mariota was because I felt like if we had Peyton Manning, the team would still have been poor last season. I wanted to select USC defensive tackle Leonard Williams. I thought the defense was terrible, and that he would be a sure bet to help fix it.

I also felt quarterback was the least of the worries the Titans had in 2015. They couldn’t run, they couldn’t pass, they couldn’t catch, they couldn’t coach, they couldn’t stop the run, and they couldn’t stop the pass. The only thing they did well was taking fans money. That is about all I can say positive.

But Mariota looks the part, so far, of a first round quarterback that you just could not pass up. He looks a lot better than Jameis Winston at this point for sure.

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So why worry with him when there are so many other worries for us Titans fans. Take the defense…..insert the Rodney Dangerfield “please” here. They look just like the did when the season left off. They can’t stop the run, they can’t cover. What is worse than can’t cover is that the “won’t” cover. They gave Julio Jones 7-9 yards cushion! Are you kidding me? You can’t play defense like that.

I realize there was no scheme in place for this game. I know the game does not mean much. But you instill your technique in these situations. You go through what you learned and developed in practice. You tackle when you have to because it is what you do instinctively. You play hard to have a little pride. The Titans defense showed nothing. Just like last season.

This was the exact same start the Titans had in the preseason opener last year. As a matter of fact it was this way in most preseason games. I remember writing about how bad this defense might be. I remember writing I thought it had a chance to be one of the worst Titans defenses I had ever seen here in Nashville. Then they went to Kansas City and just shut down one of the best offenses in the NFL. It was a shocking turn of events, and again, I had to admit I was wrong. But then again, the rest of the season played out as expected.

So don’t worry so much about Mariota. He is the least of the team’s worries at this point. Do worry about this defense though. I was excited to see Perrish Cox and Da’Norris Searcy make a difference. It did not happen. I think they will though. I really do. When Jason McCourty comes back it will help. Even Blidi Wreh-Wilson will help.

I keep saying that Dick LeBeau was the best offseason acquisition the Titans received in the off season. Let’s see what this guy comes up with in the next few weeks. I believe he can get it done. If he can’t solve the defensive woes that the Titans had last season, it really won’t matter if Marcus has a great season and becomes the NFL offensive rookie of the year, the Titans still won’t win.

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