Tennessee Titans Are Putting Marcus Mariota in a No-Win Situation

When the Tennessee Titans drafted Marcus Mariota second overall in the 2015 NFL draft, many believed they had found their quarterback of the future. He had fewer off-the-field issues than the first pick in the draft, Jameis Winston, and was less prone to interceptions, as well.

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Through 11 weeks, Mariota has shown the talent that made him a first round pick, but it's the talent surrounding him that should have Titans fans worried. Winston has led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to more wins than Mariota so far, but much of that has to do with the team lining up around each quarterback.

While Winston's Buccaneers feature a plethora of young talent in Mike Evans, Doug Martin and Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Mariota is forced to throw to the likes of Harry Douglas and Dorial Green-Beckham on a consistent basis.

Douglas is a solid slot receiver, and Green-Beckham has the athleticism to have success in the NFL, but neither is a reliable deep threat or red-zone target. Kendall Wright has proved to be a legitimate option for the Titans, but his injuries, along with Delanie Walker's inability to stay healthy, have made it difficult for the Titans offense to grow as the season has progressed.

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In total, the Titans wide receivers have caught just 50.9 percent of the team's passing yards on the year, and that's if you include Dexter McCluster, who often lines up in the backfield. This lack of receiving depth makes it much more difficult for Mariota to throw the ball downfield, which forces many short throws that are typically easier to defend.

Can you imagine how much easier things would be for Marcus Mariota if he had Mike Evans as a target in the red zone? Or how much more balanced the Titans offense would be with a downhill runner like Doug Martin? 

Running back Antonio Andrews has been a pleasant surprise in Tennessee for the most part, but he has yet to break the 100-yard barrier in any game this season. Until opponents begin to respect the run game, the Titans' passing game will continue to throw the ball downfield with little success.

The Titans offensive line hasn't done any favors for Mariota, either, as it has allowed its rookie quarterback to be sacked 24 times in the eight games he has started. For comparison, defenses have sacked Winston only 17 times in 10 games, a much more favorable rate than Mariota and the Titans' patchwork offensive line.

Despite all of these issues, Tennessee has lost four games by less than a touchdown, showing that there is enough talent to compete, especially in the lame AFC South.

However, the growth of Marcus Mariota will be dependent on the skill players who are placed around him in the coming years, players that can help their quarterback overcome these close losses by stepping up and making plays in key moments.

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It remains to be seen which quarterback will produce more in the long term, although it is clear that both Winston and Mariota have immense talent. The difference could be which one is put into a more favorable situation to succeed. As of right now, that favorable situation doesn't describe what Marcus Mariota faces in Tennessee.

However, with successful draft picks and free-agent signings in the coming years, along with more coaching stability, Marcus Mariota could be put into a situation where he can thrive as an NFL quarterback.

If the Titans choose to target a skill player in next year's draft, Utah running back Devontae Booker could be an intriguing option, while TCU's Josh Doctson or Laquon Treadwell from Ole Miss could step right into a starting wide receiver role and potentially make an impact.

While picking an offensive lineman early in the first round isn't very exciting, offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil out of Ole Miss could help stabilize the struggling offensive front in Tennessee.

There are plenty of talented options for Tennessee to choose from in both the draft and free agency, but finding upgrades on offense has to be a top priority for whoever is named the head coach next season. Stability at the head coaching position is something that the Titans haven't had since Jeff Fisher left in 2011, but that will be an important factor in Mariota's development going forward.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk speculated that Chip Kelly might make his way to the Titans sideline next year to coach up the same quarterback who masterfully ran his offense at Oregon. However, it remains to be seen if Kelly's system can thrive in the NFL, so this might not be as natural of a fit as it might seem.

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Until there is more stability in both the coaching and personnel departments, Titans fans must continue to get by with the knowledge of the tremendous upside Mariota possesses and enjoy watching his development each week.