Many Titans fans were calling for quarterback Marcus Mariota to be benched and for former Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill to be put in the game as the Titans struggled through a 20-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night.
But Tannehill continues to serve as nothing more than an insurance policy, and never saw action that evening.
Tannehill was seen wearing his headline on the sideline, giving some the notion he may enter the game. But when coach Mike Vrabel was asked how close that possibility came to becoming a reality, there didn’t seem to be any real intention of sending Tannehill in.
“Not very,” he said. “He just can hear the calls when he puts his helmet on.”
Mariota was not accurate and looked uneasy in the pocket, completing just 6-of-16 passes for 62 yards in the first two quarters.
He looked a bit more improved in the second half and finished the night 23-of-40 passes for 304 yards.
“You know, I didn’t help our team at all in the first half, didn’t give our guys chances to make plays and I felt I need to go out and just muster something together,” he said after the game. “I’ve got to continue to have that mentality throughout the season and just give our guys opportunities to go make plays.”
The Titans’ only score was a rushing touchdown by running back Derrick Henry late in the game.
In 2019, Mariota is 56-of-92 passes for 706 yards, with four touchdowns and no interceptions.
If Mariota continues to struggle the way he has in these past two games, it will be interesting to see if the Titans give Tannehill a chance to come off the bench at some point in the season.
