The Tennessee Titans’ thrashing of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wasn’t just a near-perfect performance from Marcus Mariota, it was near perfection for the coaching staff and players.
For all the critique coach Ken Whisenhunt faced after a dismal 2014 season, his abilities to get this team prepared were on full display Sunday. Kendall Wright’s touchdown during the first drive was a perfect example. With the Buccaneers’ Cover Two defense built to stop the pass, Whisenhunt played to his quarterback’s strength and the weakness of the Cover 2 defense. He used Mariota’s accuracy to find those short-to-mid-range throws in the holes of the defense. Wright and company took it from there.
Whisenhunt also showed a number of different looks, including some read-option plays. The threat of Mariota using his speed was an added effective wrinkle that will have future opponents taking notice as well. But it was Whisenhunt’s decision to challenge the spot of the ball on a critical Buccaneers 4th and 1 play that might have been his most important decision.
With the game still within reach early, a conversion could have led to a Buccaneers score and a shift in momentum. Instead, Whisenhunt’s challenge led to the ball being respotted and a turnover on downs. The Titans would never look back. There were still some issues (continue reading at Fox17)