All eyes are on Marcus Mariota as Sunday approaches. Wearing a heavy knee brace, Mariota is hopeful that he gets to take the field on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons while the Titans are not saying anything about his status. The quarterback suffered a knee sprain in Week 6, but was able to finish the game out as he insists that he will do everything he can to play.
Mariota and Zach Mettenberger have been splitting reps in practice as the Titans prepare for any situation. While Mariota is still listed as day-to-day with the injury, he told the media that he feels healthy and is ready to play on Sunday.
"It feels pretty good, it's felt better every single day. Hopefully it will continue to feel better," Mariota said, via ESPN.com. "... It's not really a pain thing with me, hopefully it will continue to feel better, and I'll be ready to go on Sunday."
Head coach Ken Whisenhunt was not ready to make the call on the quarterback position noting that the team had confidence in both players and if Mariota could not play than Mettenberger was the starter and he was fine with it. When asked about Mariota's healthy, Whisenhunt would only say, "When he can go, he'll go."
The real issue is the offensive line for the Titans which is not protecting Mariota. While the Falcons' pass rusher has been inconsistent at times, they could easily have their way if the Tennessee front five let them. That brings up the question of whether or not Mariota should play if he still feels limited. Is a limited Mariota better than a full-strength Mettenberger? That is certainly up for a debate considering the rookie is the future of the franchise and another bad knee injury could derail that plan.
According to Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com, the big plan for the Titans should be to run the ball regardless of who is under center. Right now, no running back has had more than 13 carries a game. The team has no workhorse player which they need. Dexter McCluster, Bishop Sankey and Antonio Andrews have all seen momentum of greatness, but nothing consistent. With Mariota limited, getting a back more time on the field could be critical.
According to Fansided.com, the back to start in fantasy is Andrew could turn out to be the most productive option since the Titans use him for short-yardage and goal line plays. If someone looking to replace a back on a bye week, Andrews is the man. However, for a most consistent threat, McCluster is quickly earning a name for himself.
