Despite playoff exit, future is bright for Titans, Marcus Mariota

The Titans were inconsistent all season, but still managed to make the playoffs. Still, despite the loss, the future is bright for this young team.

The Tennessee Titans had probably the second-bumpiest road to the playoffs this year behind only the Kansas City Chiefs. Despite everything they managed to do what nobody thought they could in the first round and knock off the AFC West-champion Chiefs in the Wild Card round.

The first round playoff victory actually saved head coach Mike Mularkey’s job for at least one more year, for better or worse. The biggest reason the Titans toppled the Chiefs was Derrick Henry and Marcus Mariota combining for more than 200 rushing yards.

Speaking of Mariota, you may look at his touchdown to interception ratio and think he took a major step backwards. I don’t think that’s the case here.

Mariota will only get better as a pocket passer over the years, and it helps that he has a few good pieces to work with. It would help if Mike Mularkey and Terry Robiskie would put him in better positions to succeed, but to say they aren’t the best of play callers would be giving them too much credit. Hopefully not only Mariota, but his coaches can get better as they head into the offseason.

As for the overall roster, it’s going to mostly remain intact. The only big-name guys that will enter free agency are wide receiver Eric Decker and offensive lineman Josh Kline; Kline being the more important piece. The Titans have one of the best offensive lines in football even though they didn’t look the part Saturday against the Patriots giving up eight sacks to a team that doesn’t have an elite pass rusher.

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Money won’t be a problem for the team because they have the ninth-most cap space at $52.7 million for next season. So not only will they be able to bring back Kline, and Decker should they go that route, but they’ll be able to bring just about anybody else they want to make their team better.

Couple any possible free agency signings with guys like Mariota, Henry, Adoree’ Jackson and Kevin Byard and you have a team that remains in ascension. This first playoff appearance for this group will serve as a great learning experience for the future.

The only thing that doesn’t quite add up is if the Titans front office was ready to fire Mularkey before the playoffs started, why wouldn’t he still be on the hot seat given both he and the teams lackluster performance in New England. Someone such as Josh McDaniels would be a perfect fit for a quarterback like Mariota.

Nevertheless, Mularkey is returning for the 2018-19 season, and hopefully both he and the team can improve on the season they just had.