Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota has had plenty of ups-and-downs on the fifth and final year of his rookie deal.
A lot of that has to do with a struggling offensive line that has allowed 22 sacks over five games this season.
But Mariota seems to perform well when the line holds like it did in Week 4’s 24-10 win over the Atlanta Falcons, and the could be set for a great showing against the Denver Broncos this week.
Like the Titans, the Broncos sit at the bottom of their division. They also have a weak pass rush that is largely dependent on one player — Von Miller.
And even Miller hasn’t looked like himself lately.
Denver totals just five sacks this season, two of which can be credited to Miller. The Broncos will also be missing another star pass rusher in Bradley Chubb, who is out for the season with a torn Achilles.
If the Titans can keep Miller at bay, the team’s passing offense should come alive in the same way it did in its two wins of the season.
Against the Falcons, when the Titans didn’t allow a single sack on Mariota, he was 18-of-27 passing for 227 yards and three touchdowns.
While the O-line did allow four sacks, Mariota was 14-of-24 passing for 248 yards and three touchdowns against a Cleveland Browns team that beat themselves in one of the signal-caller’s best performances of the season.
The Titans and Broncos are set to kick off at 3:25 p.m. CT on Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High.
