Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota faces perhaps the most important year of his career as the 2019 season approaches.
He’s on the fifth and final year of his rookie deal, and will need to consistently stay in the game and perform at a high level in order to cement himself as the team’s franchise signal-caller on the future.
Here’s a look at what the quarterback must do to be successful in the upcoming season.
1. Stay healthy.
It’s hard to argue the Titans wouldn’t have edged their way into the postseason if Mariota had been able to play. This is far from the first time Mariota wasn’t able to go into action, as he has still yet to play a full 16-game season since being drafted in 2015.
He had a slew of injuries in 2018 that caused backup Blaine Gabbert to see action in eight games, including the entirety of a crucial season finale against the Indianapolis Colts.
The quarterback did say he had put on some extra weight this offseason in an effort to bulk up, but didn’t specify exactly how much.
2. Touchdown-to-interception ratio.
This statistic doesn’t reflect upon Mariota alone, but it is an alarming one.
Between 2017 and 2018, Mariota has thrown for 24 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. This leaves him with a ratio that stands at roughly 1:1 over the past two seasons.
He’ll need to improve that when he takes the field in 2019.
3. Improve on passing plays.
Mariota is known for his mobility, but he’s had more than his fair share of questionable passing plays.
The signal-caller is going to need to make smart decisions in the pocket, and not force balls either. He’s going to need to step up in the pocket and see plays all the way through — not be overly quick to rely on his legs.
Of course, this will take some help from an offensive line that has struggled over recent seasons.
4. Be smarter on running plays.
Mariota isn’t afraid to take a chance or make an extra push for a first down — even when it’s risky.
While the additional effort has resulted in moving the chains for the Titans on the field, he needs to get down or get out of bounds when necessary to avoid injury, too.
