Titans Vow to Decide Between Marcus Mariota and Ryan Tannehill Within '24 Hours' in Unexpected PSA

When quarterback Marcus Mariota was benched during a 16-0 shutout loss on Sunday, there were [...]

By John Newby

When quarterback Marcus Mariota was benched during a 16-0 shutout loss on Sunday, there were immediate questions about who would be the starter for the Tennessee Titans. As it turns out, the team hasn't actually made a decision. They confirmed this fact with a post on Twitter Monday afternoon.

Much to the surprise of many, the Titans' official Twitter account sent out a tweet that showed Mariota and Ryan Tannehill, who served as the replacement on Sunday against the Broncos. There was also a message that said the team would be making a decision between the two QBs within the next 24 hours.

There was a belief that Mariota could be benched for the foreseeable future after struggling on Sunday afternoon, but not many expected the team to actually admit this in a public setting.

As expected, this post caught many off-guard and sparked some fascinating discussions on social media. Veteran tight end Delanie Walker, who finished Sunday's game with three receptions for 83 yards even responded.

"[Laugh my a-- off] why would you post that," Walker wrote. "And you wonder why the [fans] act the way they do."

"I think a decision will be made this evening or tomorrow, and we'll let everybody know – we'll let the players involved know, and let the team know and then let you guys know," head coach Mike Vrabel said during a press conference on Monday. "I just want to make sure we are going through everything that we need to go through and what we are doing offensively, and not use the emotion of the game to make a decision."

Prior to being benched in the third quarter, Mariota completed 7-of-18 passes for 63 yards and two interceptions, compiling a 9.5 quarterback rating. The two picks were his first of the season after he entered week six as the only starting QB in the NFL to avoid throwing an interception.

Tannehill completed 13-of-16 passes for 144 yards with a 78.1 quarterback rating during little more than one-quarter of action. He was unable to generate any points against the stifling Broncos defense and threw an interception to safety Kareem Jackson to end the game.

Neither Tannehill or Mariota found much time to survey the field as the Broncos front seven compiled seven sacks on the day. The Titans' offensive line has struggled to protect the quarterback, which was evident on Sunday afternoon.

Will a change at QB spark the Titans' offense and kick off a winning streak? Considering the struggles on the offensive line, it's unlikely, but the decision could ultimately be made on Tuesday.

(Photo Credit: Dustin Bradford/Getty)

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