Marcus Mariota is off to a pretty solid start in 2019. The Tennessee Titans absolutely wrecked “Super Bowl hopefuls,” the Cleveland Browns on Sunday to the tune of 43-13. It was as complete a performance as you could ask for from the team, and Mariota was in control of that offense. He finished the day 14/24 for 248 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 24 rushing yards on three carries.
So, it begs the question: if that’s the Mariota we get throughout 2019, do you give him the long term deal?
The Concern
I’m definitely a bad news first guy, so let’s start here. I can see how that sect of Titans fans who already want Mariota gone can look at Sunday’s game and think, “man, he didn’t do enough.” It ain’t like 248 yards and a completion percentage of 58.3% is going to jump off the page at you. Those numbers were good for 21st and 26th in the NFL in Week 1. People are worried about that kinda thing. They’re wondering if Mariota is an explosive enough quarterback to make plays when the Titans need him.
He was a tad inconsistent on Sunday – he started the game 3/3 before going 0/4 for a stretch. That kind of thing didn’t matter when the Browns were committing penalty after penalty and the defense capitalized on three Baker Mayfield interceptions. There will come a time when the Titans need their quarterback playing well for a full 60 minutes.
Mariota also missed a couple of throws on Sunday that had people shaking their hands. I know a lot of people put that Corey Davis drop on #84, but the fact is, he wasn’t put in a comfortable spot to catch that ball. It was too high even for the freak athlete he is.
So, the Mariota haters are having a field day with this sort of talk. But, there was plenty of reason for optimism as well.
The Optimism
All things considered, Mariota still posted a top five passer rating in Week 1 – the only guys ahead of him were Lamar Jackson, Dak Prescott, Russell Wilson, and Patrick Mahomes. He graded 12th among quarterbacks in Week 1 via Pro Football Focus.
When you look beyond the simple stat line, Mariota had about as solid a game as you could ask for. He hit guys when it counted (see: Delanie Walker and A.J. Brown). He showed a demonstrated improvement in getting rid of the ball (though there was that one play when he chucked the ball when he was going to the ground that had everyone holding their breath). And, he still threw THREE touchdown passes – that puts him on pace for 48 touchdowns this season (lol)!
His mobility extended plays, kept the Browns defense guessing, and converted a first down. He was in firm control of the offense and distributed the ball well. You do the things he did right on Sunday, and the stats will come. But, the most important stat of all is that win total, and Mariota checked one for the good against the Browns.
The Verdict
To me, I say if that’s the Mariota we’re going to get throughout 2019, he’ll get a deal. It may not be a record-breaking deal, but I think he’ll get one.
It’s easy to fall in love with the hype of a draft prospect, but lest we forget, they still aren’t proven NFL commodities. Plus, I don’t expect that the Titans will be bad enough to get a Tua Tagovailoa or a Justin Herbert. You’re certainly not going to find #TheGuy via free agency either.
Mariota has a strong supporting cast around him for the first time in his career. He’s proven capable of producing, and if he can stay healthy, he’s a good quarterback. I’d take his Sunday production over the uncertainty of starting over with someone new any day.
In Mariota, the Titans have a guy they can win with (assuming he’s not hurt). If that’s the guy they get for years to come, then that’s a guy this team could even win a Super Bowl with.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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