Titans bench Mariota; Tannehill to start Week 7
The Tennessee Titans are making a change at quarterback ahead of their Week 7 matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Ryan Tannehill has been told he'll get the start Sunday, demoting Marcus Mariota to backup duties.
"We're trying to get a little spark," head coach Mike Vrabel said Wednesday morning.
The Titans benched Mariota in the third quarter of Sunday's loss to the Denver Broncos following the quarterback's second interception of the contest. Mariota earned a passer rating of 9.5 and was sacked three times.
The former No. 2 overall pick has garnered heavy scrutiny in recent years for failing to live up to his draft status. His five-year career has been full of ups and downs.
Tannehill, 31, was signed in the offseason after spending the past six campaigns as the Miami Dolphins' starting signal-caller. He quickly outproduced Mariota last week after entering the game:
| Player | Record | Completion % | Yards/Attempt | TD:INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mariota | 29-32 | 62.9 | 7.5 | 76:44 |
| Tannehil | 42-46 | 62.9 | 7.0 | 123:76 |
The benching puts Mariota's future with the Titans in question. The 25-year-old has led Tennessee to the playoffs just once since entering the league and is in the last year of his contract.
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