Ten Thoughts on Colts Game

[code]

#1.  The biggest truth of this game is that one team goes into it confident that they will win regardless of who they have on the field while the other goes into the game uncertain. Too many losses to Indy for too many years. 

 

#2. In general, though the defense played well. The LBs made one big mistake on the long run (filling wrong gaps) and that was all she wrote. Again, the biggest observation difference in this game was that the Colts found a way on 3rd and long on both scoring drives to get a win while the Titans could simply not convert 3rd downs.

 

#3. It's tempting to put the blame on the offensive line for the pressure MM was under, and for the limited running space when the game was on the line. But it seemed to me that we were indecisive in getting the ball out of the QBs hands. At least two of the sacks should have been avoided. Not a perfect game by the O-line, but really, plenty good enough.

 

#4. In total the Titans tackled well. But, for whatever reasons, they couldn't get Brisset down -- and that led to the long scoring drives -- and the third down conversions. I guess he is stronger than most QBs, and the rules of the game protecting QBs have players grabbing and wrapping more than running through the player. Either way, when they look at the film, Colts likely score 0 points if we had executed sacks instead of letting him escape through our hands.

 

#5. Officials blow calls for both teams every game. Today there were several Pass Interference calls that seemed wrong (particularly the Butler call) and the holding on Saffold on the play where Marcus scrambled for the first down was beyond weak.

 

#6. There are QBs that fail in the NFL with all the tangibles - Jameis Winston, Ryan Leaf and Jamarcus Russell come to mind.  They have incredible fast balls. They can throw with touch in practice. They are strong and can take the beating.  But for intangible reasons, they simply fail.

 

#7. Guys like Case Keenum prove that a player can have only limited tangible abilities, but great intangibles make them capable beyond their skill set.

 

#8. Then there is Marcus. Maybe the best set of intangibles of any failing QB in the NFL.

 

#9. Somehow the sum of his parts don't seem to allow him to succeed.  Specifically, he lacks a fastball. And that gets into his head. Because he just won't push the ball downfield - or trust himself to throw into a tight window unless its within the hashmarks. I would argue he is two different QBs. Throwing up the middle of the field, his game works. Throwing the longer balls outside of the hashmarks from the pocket, he struggles. Teams adjust to that throughout the course of the game. Which is why there was no place for him to throw the ball on that final 4th and short. You simply know he isn't going to beat you with a deep ball to the outside of the field. 

 

#10. Marcus is like Greg Maddux, or Zach Greinke. His game is all cerebral because his throwing skills are limited. It puts way too much pressure on him to execute perfectly. And unlike Maddux or Greinke, he lacks the confidence to believe that he can when he hasn't executed successfully throughout the game.  In short, I think he is good enough because of his intangibles. But I don't think he thinks he is good enough. That doubt cripples. 

 

For one game, I would love to see Arthur Smith tell him to let it rip. Avoid the check downs. Forget that you have a TE. Push the ball downfield to Davis and Brown or when we dump down thrown the ball to Humphries on choice routes. Force MM to trust in himself to make big plays with WRs. At this point I am largely convinced that MM will have a better chance to succeed some place other than in TN. It's not the system.  Like with the Colts/Titans 'rivalry', I think the problem is largely in MM head.

[Alcibiades]

Seriously. We have GOT to open up the passing game. It's amazing that Henry gets what he gets in the run game considering how easily other teams can key in on him and stay near the line. We simply must punish them for that.

[OILERMAN]

The Titans defensive front is built to rush the passer with a lead. I saw Jayon Brown did blocked out of the way numerous times. 

[Jonboy]

I love you code and appreciate your posts...but it’s year 5. He’s not going to suddenly “let it rip.”

 

It’s over for Marcus. He’s not the one. 

[AvgJoe]

2 minutes ago, Jonboy said:

I love you code and appreciate your posts...but it’s year 5. He’s not going to suddenly “let it rip.”

 

It’s over for Marcus. He’s not the one. 

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[Supdawg]

Point 9.. There was a place for him to go on 4th & 2. We had an open Corey Davis and MM locked in on AJB... Matter of fact, Davis' guy stumbles. Would have been super easy but he just didn't look. 

 

 

Edited September 16, 2019 by Supdawg

[oldschool]

14 minutes ago, Jonboy said:

I love you code and appreciate your posts...but it’s year 5. He’s not going to suddenly “let it rip.”

 

It’s over for Marcus. He’s not the one. 

Not to mention OCs have been telling him to let it rip for 5 years. 

[C_Train]

30 minutes ago, Jonboy said:

I love you code and appreciate your posts...but it’s year 5. He’s not going to suddenly “let it rip.”

 

It’s over for Marcus. He’s not the one. 

Surely it’s obvious by now?  I can’t believe the amount of fans complaining about YET ANOTHER oc being too conservative and incompetent....

[nine]

In week 1, we saw instances of Marcus making throws  and getting the ball out under pressure or when plays started to break down....which gave me hope that maybe he had turned a corner.

 

Week 2 was 2018 all over again.   When things went off schedule, Marcus didn't trust his arm or his teammates...he held the ball and either tried to run or he went into turtle mode and ducked back into his shell.

 

Hell, at one point in the 4th quarter, Smith called an RPO.   Instead of biting on the inside handoff to Henry, the backside DE was clearly sitting down and playing containment.    But for whatever reason, Mariota keeps the ball and tries to beat the DE around the edge....which gives the LBs time to shut the play down.     The hell of it is, Henry had a nice gap and likely picks up 5-10 yards had Marcus simply done what he was supposed to do based on a basic one-man read.     

[Supdawg]

2 minutes ago, nine said:

In week 1, we saw instances of Marcus making throws  and getting the ball out under pressure or when plays started to break down....which gave me hope that maybe he had turned a corner.

 

Week 2 was 2018 all over again.   When things went off schedule, Marcus didn't trust his arm or his teammates...he held the ball and either tried to run or he went into turtle mode and ducked back into his shell.

 

Hell, at one point in the 4th quarter, Smith called an RPO.   Instead of biting on the inside handoff to Henry, the backside DE was clearly sitting down and playing containment.    But for whatever reason, Mariota keeps the ball and tries to beat the DE around the edge....which gives the LBs time to shut the play down.     The hell of it is, Henry had a nice gap and likely picks up 5-10 yards had Marcus simply done what he was supposed to do based on a basic one-man read.     

 

LOL @ turtle mode...

 

Seriously, Marcus had his worst game as a pro IMO yesterday. Absolutely pathetic. 

[El Guapo]

29 minutes ago, nine said:

In week 1, we saw instances of Marcus making throws  and getting the ball out under pressure or when plays started to break down....which gave me hope that maybe he had turned a corner.

 

Week 2 was 2018 all over again.   When things went off schedule, Marcus didn't trust his arm or his teammates...he held the ball and either tried to run or he went into turtle mode and ducked back into his shell.

 

Hell, at one point in the 4th quarter, Smith called an RPO.   Instead of biting on the inside handoff to Henry, the backside DE was clearly sitting down and playing containment.    But for whatever reason, Mariota keeps the ball and tries to beat the DE around the edge....which gives the LBs time to shut the play down.     The hell of it is, Henry had a nice gap and likely picks up 5-10 yards had Marcus simply done what he was supposed to do based on a basic one-man read.     

Good pickup. Clear as day. If he cant even run RPO, there is no hope at all.

[kgsTitan]

38 minutes ago, nine said:

Hell, at one point in the 4th quarter, Smith called an RPO.   Instead of biting on the inside handoff to Henry, the backside DE was clearly sitting down and playing containment.    But for whatever reason, Mariota keeps the ball and tries to beat the DE around the edge....which gives the LBs time to shut the play down.     The hell of it is, Henry had a nice gap and likely picks up 5-10 yards had Marcus simply done what he was supposed to do based on a basic one-man read.     

 

That play drove me to drinking. Henry had a massive lane.

Mariota is a shattered, broken QB at this point. I bet every team in the league would take Gardner Minshew over him right now.

[tgo]

@code His problem, with the skillset he has, isn’t that he doesnt push the ball down field. He doesnt have the arm for that. It’s that he tries to push the ball down field every play and doesn’t take the checkdowns. Which is what Robinson told him this offseason - start taking the checkdowns and stop holding the ball. 

 

What confounds me is that he’s a very intelligent player - yet his situational football IQ is quite low as we see repeatedly. 

Edited September 16, 2019 by tgo

[TerryBoats]

4 minutes ago, tgo said:

@code His problem, with the skillset he has, isn’t that he doesnt push the ball down field. He doesnt have the arm for that. It’s that he tries to push the ball down field every play and doesn’t take the checkdowns. Which is what Robinson told him this offseason - start taking the checkdowns and stop holding the ball. 

 

What confounds me is that he’s a very intelligent player - yet his situational football IQ is quite low as we see repeatedly. 

He's got no feel for the game.  When to throw the ball, where to go with it, what to do under pressure, how much velocity to use, etc.  It's why LaFluer put him in a box.  Smith surely realizes that now.

[code]

My post was not exactly a ringing endorsement for MM. I will not say over until the season is actually over. But yesterday didn't go into the 'pro' column. Davis, Brown and Humphries are all legitimate NFL receivers. Obviously so is Walker.  Ultimately you have to make plays.