Marcus Mariota shows progress, but Titans record doesn't
By Brandon Borden
With a record of 2-8, many wouldn’t consider rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota a front-runner for Rookie of the Year. Honestly, many would not consider Mariota as a future ‘franchise quarterback’ based on the lack of victories this year.
Well, I am here to tell you that he is, despite the abrupt, but necessary, firing of his Head Coach Ken Weisenhunt half-way through his rookie campaign,
...and a dangerously porous offensive line
...and an MCL sprain
...and his top two receiving targets, wide receivers Kendall Wright and Justin Hunter sidelined by serious injuries.
Now, I am far from making a list of excuses for the first-year gun-slinger. I am merely attempting to paint a clear picture into what is going on around him. Despite the adversity, Mariota continues to improve and impress over the course of the season.
Through his first eight games (he missed two games), Mariota has averaged more than 250 yards per game with a 2:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Fellow rookie QB Jamies Winston has averaged 240-yards with a 1:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Even with Mariota putting up superior numbers to Winston, many analysts place Winston above the Titans quarterback in their race to the franchise quarterback status.
Why is that, you might ask?
I don’t know, but its time to give Mariota credit.
His presence in the pocket continues to sharpen and consequently, he is more confident throwing the ball with anticipation, resulting in his completion percentage hovering near 65 percent - good enough to rank him 10th in the NFL among all quarterbacks.
Working with a maimed 24th-ranked rushing attack, Mariota is forced to move the ball downfield, resulting in the eighth-best yards per attempt average (7.82/yards). This is a staggering statistic that displays Mariota’s ability to keep his focus downfield, despite the constant chaos surrounding him in the pocket. This is certainly a quality that teams want their franchise quarterback to possess, and he is very well on his way to earning that coveted status.
Mariota continues to progress. Now, the Titans’ front office must do its part to ensure the parts around him progress as well.
More from isportsweb.com:
