NFL Playoffs: Divisional round quarterback rankings
By Joe Romano
6. Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans
When the Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots take the field the age gap between Tom Brady (40) and Marcus Mariota (24) will be the biggest between two starting quarterbacks in NFL playoff history. If you watched Mariota last weekend, you would be hard pressed to guess he was 24 years old.
The dual threat former number two overall pick showed guts and playmaking ability in the team’s win against the Kansas City Chiefs on the road.
Mariota’s first playoff game will be remembered for two plays. The first being an improbable play where he threw a pass, it got batted down by a defender, Mariota caught it and ran into the end zone for a touchdown. The next will be a strong block on a Chiefs’ linebacker to spring Derrick Henry for a big run to ice the game.
Those two highlights also show why Mariota comes in at number six. Despite the Titans spending assets on players that should help him this past offseason and having an elite running game, the leap many expected from the third year quarterback did not come this year. He is still an inconsistent passer and it feels like his team’s offense is holding him back a bit.
When Mariota is at his best he is an elite athlete with a strong arm who can make almost every throw. Both will be tested against the Patriots this weekend.
The Titans had a great run, but it will likely come to an end against the Super Bowl favorites in New England this weekend.