Mariota, Mettenberger Have Titans Sitting Pretty At QB

[MIKE75]

Mariota, Mettenberger have Titans sitting pretty at QB - NFL.com


The Tennessee Titans' quarterback situation is quickly transforming from one of the NFL's least productive to one of the NFL's most enviable.

Not even a year and a half ago in March 2014 The QB depth consisted of starter Jake Locker and backup QB Charlie Whitehurst. The QB situation was so bad a major publication ranking all NFL teams QB situations ranked Titans dead last and a million miles from the 31st spot. Thats truly awful. However Locker is now gone and in the year and a half since the team has drafted most likely the best QB's in the 2014 and 2015 NFL draft. Zach Mettenberger has been voted one of best backup QB's in numerous rankings and Marcus Mariota is looking good as a starter. The team has two good young QB's for a good while.

Starter Marcus Mariota showed improvement Sunday night versus the St. Louis Rams, completing 5 of 8 passes for 59 yards and an 84.9 passer rating in three series.

Mariota would have added a touchdown pass if not for Dexter McCluster's blatant drop on a perfectly thrown third-down pass in the end zone. The best play of the night was a beautiful 35-yard toss toCraig Stevens that highlighted Mariota's escapability and smooth, quick feet on a boot-action call.

The rookie maintained poise in the face of Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams' assortment of blitzes. Mariota fled the tackle box to avoid a potential sack or intentional grounding penalty, displaying the ability to make the right decision under pressure.


Mariota has been outstanding tonight. Looks very comfortable/calm.

— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) August 24, 2015




Mariota showing why receivers and receivers coach Shawn Jefferson rave about him- he's so composed.

— Tiffany Blackmon (@tiffblackmon) August 24, 2015




Mariota looking as poised and in control both pre and post snap as you could want at this point.#Titans

— Louis Riddick (@LRiddickESPN) August 24, 2015


That praise came one week after former Eagles and Browns president Joe Banner chastised Mariota skeptics for missing "how great he will be."

Through two preseason games, Mariota has completed 12 of 16 passes (75 percent) for 152 yards.

His backup, Zach Mettenberger, has posted even stronger numbers, riddling second- and third-team defenses for a 122.9 passer rating the past two weeks.

The young quarterback duo has the Titans envisioning future success behind a precocious starter and his high-octane backup

 

[Rock Strongo]

well, mariota is still a huge unknown

mettenberger should be starting tho IMO

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

lol okay.

Man, what the Titans could've been if they had just traded down and gotten a Redskins type trade. Mettenberger played pretty darn well considering zero run game/WR support. If I was a Titans fan I'd rather be going in with maybe Gurley/Mettenberger and a guaranteed extra first rounder next year.

 

[Texas Jefe]

Thing about Mettenburger, he's got a golden arm. He can really throw the ball. And he may be a very good QB who has not been given his real chance yet.

But remember, watch out getting infatuated with a guy with the great arm- there are plenty of those guys who never amount to being a great quarterback, e.g. Cutler, Jeff George, etc

I think Mettenburger deserves a real shot, but he's either going to have to go elsewhere to get it, or wait and see if Mariota fails completely.

 

[night]

well, mariota is still a huge unknown

mettenberger should be starting tho IMO

I agree. Give Mariota a year to learn the offense and adjust to the speed of the game. If Mettenberger gets killed behind their line it isn't a big loss and if he plays well they can trade him for some high picks. If they throw Mariota to the wolves they could see another RG3 situation unfold.

 

[HammerDown]

well, mariota is still a huge unknown

mettenberger should be starting tho IMO

For a few different reasons Mariota should sit but I'm convinced that they won't do it because they (read: Whisenhunt, scared shitless for his job) is afraid Mettenberger will excel and he can't have that.

 

[Rock Strongo]

For a few different reasons Mariota should sit but I'm convinced that they won't do it because they (read: Whisenhunt, scared shitless for his job) is afraid Mettenberger will excel and he can't have that.

no doubt

mettenberger could start for half the teams in the league today.

 

[MIKE75]

Tennessee started following Mariota closely in 2014 and as the season went on the staff as well as Whisenhunt supposedly really fell hard for Mariota. They knew Mettenberger could be good but worried about his injuries. Throw in the fact that the head coach/GM are on hot seat and Mettenberger was hurt in both 2013 and 2014 they felt like they had to bring in another QB. When they saw how well Mariota played,how smart he was,how much people liked him,etc. they had their minds made up way before the draft.

It has been said many times before NOTHING not even getting another teams whole year of draft picks is worth passing up a potential franchise QB. Andy Reid told Whisenhunt that years ago Mike Ditka of Saints offered all of his draft picks but Reid wouldn't take it he wanted Donovan McNabb and Reid made the right call because all those picks weren't worth passing up McNabb. Same situation here for TN all those draft picks Philly and Chip Kelly offered weren't worth giving up Mariota.

I know there are still folks here on this board who think Mariota will fail but the only way i see Mariota failing is if he ends up being injured a lot. If he stays healthy i think Mariota will do well.

 

[huskers1217]

no doubt

mettenberger could start for half the teams in the league today.

in other news...

hoyer just beat out mallet for Texans starting job

 

[Rock Strongo]

in other news...

hoyer just beat out mallet for Texans starting job

a QB depth chart of former brady clip board holders

hoyer might be good with talent to throw to.

 

[jeffro151]

Is this real life? Is this just fantasy?

 

[Texas Jefe]

in other news...

hoyer just beat out mallet for Texans starting job

excellent point. Mettenburger is just hoping he can get out of there

plus, I was beside myself with Texans pick of Clowney. You HAVE to take a quarterback, even if he fails, you HAVE to give yourself a shot at getting one.

Because if you dont, you're sitting where you are today, still without one, and without any hope.

 

[huskers1217]

excellent point. Mettenburger is just hoping he can get out of there

plus, I was beside myself with Texans pick of Clowney. You HAVE to take a quarterback, even if he fails, you HAVE to give yourself a shot at getting one.

Because if you dont, you're sitting where you are today, still without one, and without any hope.

SOURCE: Texans Highly Coveted Gordon in 2015 NFL Draft

local radio down here did a whole show about how the texans let other teams make moves ahead of them to get the players they wanted. Said that bridgewater would have been the pick if vikes didn't move to get him too.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I agree. Give Mariota a year to learn the offense and adjust to the speed of the game. If Mettenberger gets killed behind their line it isn't a big loss and if he plays well they can trade him for some high picks. If they throw Mariota to the wolves they could see another RG3 situation unfold.

MM is definitely getting thrown to the wolves, they have already named him the starter...actually if I were TN...I'd stay by the phone waiting for NYJ or or BUF to call about Mett...he's probably worth more not playing actually...he's shown enough to return a 2nd rd pick....if they get him hurt, he's worth nothing...I'd have a retread behind MM.

 

[Scooby-Doo]

It's great to be optimistic, but let's not forget, we have played 2 preseason games.

 

[Clayton]

I think the general consensus is that the Rams haven't even showed up to preseason yet. They did the same 'roll over and die' routine in week 1 so I wouldn't take the Titans success too seriously. The Rams obviously aren't trying (which hopefully isnt something that will continue)

 

[night]

MM is definitely getting thrown to the wolves, they have already named him the starter...actually if I were TN...I'd stay by the phone waiting for NYJ or or BUF to call about Mett...he's probably worth more not playing actually...he's shown enough to return a 2nd rd pick....if they get him hurt, he's worth nothing...I'd have a retread behind MM.

If they can't groom Mariota properly or he ends up injured they're losing a lot more money though. From what I've seen from Mariota he isn't ready yet and tossing him out there right away doesn't seem like a good idea. He does a decent job without any pressure coming but if it does come he doesn't know what to do at all.

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

Wait until the games start for real .. Then you'll know ...

 

[jeffro151]

MM is definitely getting thrown to the wolves, they have already named him the starter...actually if I were TN...I'd stay by the phone waiting for NYJ or or BUF to call about Mett...he's probably worth more not playing actually...he's shown enough to return a 2nd rd pick....if they get him hurt, he's worth nothing...I'd have a retread behind MM.

Mettenberger worth a 2nd rd pick? According to who? In 7 games last year, he had a QBR of 23.1 and a 59% completion percentage.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Mettenberger worth a 2nd rd pick? According to who? In 7 games last year, he had a QBR of 23.1 and a 59% completion percentage.

I get that, but Matt Flynn proves desperate teams will overpay, and the Jets are desperate.