Titans Watch: 16 More Days
August 28th, 2015
Joe’s already called opening day against the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 13 in Tampa a “must-win.”
It’s not a must-win for the standings. Duh. But it is necessary for the psyche of a fanbase that’s hasn’t seen a home victory since 2013, and compares Jameis Winston to Marcus Mariota.
A big surprise of the preseason is that Mariota has not run the football. Nope, he’s not panicky in the pocket, and the Titans have rarely rolled out any zone-read and other plays suited to Mariota’s wheels.
But that might be changing tonight in the Titans-Chiefs preseason game, writes David Climer of USA Today.
While they’ve kept it pretty vanilla for the most part, the intermittent zone-read play has raised eyebrows.
In two preseason games, Mariota has run with the ball a grand total of one time for one yard. Against St. Louis, he pulled the ball away from running back Bishop Sankey at the last instant and bolted to his right before running out of bounds with linebacker Alec Ogletree in hot pursuit.
While the zone-read play is a staple of many college offenses including Oregon’s, it is comparatively rare in the NFL. Seattle, Carolina, San Francisco and Philadelphia are the leading practitioners. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson averaged 7.4 carries per game last season, many of them on the zone-read play.
Joe is extremely confident the Titans will play some zone-read early against the Bucs, or flash enough of it tonight to get Lovie Smith overthinking it — and overcoaching it — as he prepares to call the defensive plays against Tennessee.
Mariota really doesn’t scare Joe. It’s exotic-blitz-happy Titans defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau and the Bucs’ offensive line that has Joe drinking heavily.
August 28th, 2015 at 11:39 am
Totally disagree…he’s broken the pocket when he hasn’t needed to, double clutched when he didn’t need to (should’ve resultd in a couple picks) and looked overwhelmed when faced with a pass rush.
He’s looked very panicky in the pocket
August 28th, 2015 at 11:56 am
Mariota should scare Joe; at least a bit. Both these rookie QBs are outstanding. While I hope Jamais and the Bus prevail, I suspect Mariota will play very well – and could win. Like the other time these two met. Just sayin … that other QB is pretty good too.
August 28th, 2015 at 12:08 pm
Not skeered of Mariota…at all…unless he’s running that Oregon O and this is FSU, but it’s the NFL. Good luck with it Marcus.
August 28th, 2015 at 12:41 pm
as long as our de’s keep containment and hit him everytime they run a zone read play we will be good..mariota has shown some flashes but he’s still a rookie..if the bucs perform how they did Monday night, we will be fine..GO BUCS!!!
August 28th, 2015 at 12:48 pm
Bucs have very good LB speed……
I cant see the Zone Option working against the Bucs defense.
August 28th, 2015 at 12:49 pm
What about Mariota split out at wide receiver, hitch n pass or reverse and pass. Look out!!! Good way to keep defense honest … Probly won’t happen tho
August 28th, 2015 at 1:03 pm
Josh, this is old news and Joe has written about it already in various training camp notes. Please stay on topic in comments –Joe
August 28th, 2015 at 1:25 pm
With the new rule change that allows defenders to lay the wood on the QB’s when running the zone read I think it should be pretty easy to stop teams running that system. Everytime there’s any question on whether the QB or RB is getting the ball on the read option just hit the QB.
August 28th, 2015 at 1:46 pm
I think Lovie will dial up the blitzes on Mariota. If we can rattle Dalton the way we did then I definitely can see us shaking up a wide eyed rookie. The question is can our DEs contain and stay at home when he breaks the pocket.
My biggest fear on defesnse is opposing teams success with the dink and dunk vs us. That seems to be Mariota’s MO. Can we get pressure and interrupt the recievers routes and timing?
Man I can’t wait for Sept 13!!!! GO BUCS!!!!
August 28th, 2015 at 2:15 pm
I seem to remember one opening day rookie QB, not as accomplished as Mariota, who had our number a few seasons ago. I”m always worried until it’s over.
August 28th, 2015 at 3:04 pm
I expect a lot of dinking and dunking also. I trust Lovie and the D to blow that action up.
August 28th, 2015 at 4:40 pm
Mariotta looks like a Checkdown artist so far
August 28th, 2015 at 4:58 pm
November 29th……Buccaneers @ Colts!
Winston vs Luck!!
Oh Baby!!!
August 28th, 2015 at 7:48 pm
Mariota takes this one – he’s a better fit behind his offensive line right now. The Buccaneer line has at least a year before it can keep heat off of Kid Fameis.
There isn’t going to be much of a contest. Fameis is a sitting duck, Mariota can move…and has moved it as well as Fameis…but no one has come close to rolling Mariota’s ankle…
Thinking we win more than 6 or 7 this year is a pipe dream. Keeping Fameis upright will be a major accomplishment.
August 29th, 2015 at 1:14 am
And so White Tiger you think the Buc’s performance against Geno Atkins and a very good DL was just due to the pre season. Smith pancaked a guy…Marpet was mauling people and the line is clearly progressing.
10-6!
August 29th, 2015 at 8:48 am
Way way way up Go Bucs been ridiculed far too long for being a Bucs fan -_-