Quote:<p style="font-family:arial, verdana, helvetica;color:rgb(34,34,33);"><b>Tennessee Titans: How will the DeMarco Murray-Derrick Henry backfield play out?</b>

<p style="font-family:arial, verdana, helvetica;color:rgb(34,34,33);">Murray is being paid handsomely to be a lead back, which is rare these days. Meanwhile, the club spent a relatively high second-round pick on Henry, which is like a first-round pick at other positions. Clearly the "devaluing" of the running back spot hasn't infiltrated the Titans' offices yet. So how will it work? I asked my colleague Jamie Dukes. He thinks head coach Mike Mularkey wants 
Marcus Mariota
only throwing around 25 times per gam
e. Might be a pipe dream, but if the ground game is working, why not? It certainly would help the Titans' D get a blow (the offense finished 24th in time of possession last year). Dukes also says Henry will learn much from Murray, who is probably playing under his last big contract. As for how the touches play out, Dukes thinks Tennessee will ride the "hot hand," not necessarily the guy making big money.

 

 

I think Mularkey may be ruining Mariota.  Sounds like he's still stuck in the past preaching his ball control and conservative play.   25 times a game is fine and all.  But realistically, Blake Bortles threw for 37 a game in 2015.  Andrew Luck threw for 35 a game in his second year.  But for Mariota, "take no chances and throw no interceptions" I bet is the matra.

---