All eyes will be on Titans first-round draft pick quarterback Marcus Mariota when he makes his NFL debut Friday against the Falcons.
The 2014 Heisman Trophy winner will take his shots against an Atlanta defense that stunk last year but looks for improvement under new head coach and former Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.
ODDS
Given the unknowns during the preseason, the spreads typically range from 1.5 to 3 points. That’s where the spread falls for this one with Atlanta using the Georgia Dome advantage to open as 2.5-point favorites while the total stands at 37.
QUARTERBACK ROTATION
The No. 2 pick in this year’s draft will make his NFL debut when Titans take on the Falcons. Marcus Mariota has already been named the team’s starter and he hasn’t’ taken a snap in an NFL game. He’ll get his first opportunity in the preseason opener. Head coach Ken Whisenhunt said he hasn’t decided how much to play Mariota and the first team offense, but that he needs to measure his eagerness to see him against the need to play a lot of younger guys fighting for roster spots. Last year’s starter Zach Mettenberger and Charlie Whitehurst will be Mariota’s backups.
Falcons starting quarterback Matt Ryan will get a few snaps in the preseason opener while T.J. Yates and Sean Renfree continue to battle for the backup job. Head coach Dan Quinn called the competition “back-and-forth” and said both quarterbacks will see significant playing time during the first few preseason games. Yates is more than capable as a backup after handling the duties last season. He threw only four passes last season as Ryan started every game, as he’s done since 2009. Yates went 7 for 16 for 127 yards in the 2014 preseason opener and Renfree was 6 of 15 for 108 yards.
COACHES' MOTIVATION
Dan Quinn has a strong defensive background and he was hired as the Falcons head coach to overhaul a defensive unit that was one of the NFL’s worst in 2014. Quinn came to Atlanta after serving as defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, who have the league’s most-feared unit and reached the last two Super Bowls. Quinn is pushing to have a defense known for its effort and pursuit to the ball. But it looks as though he must deal with a shortage of talent. The Falcons devoted much of the offseason to beefing up the defense, which had been ignored in previous seasons. The defense has now become more of a focus.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“This will be a different arena when you get out on the field. I mean, look, he’s played at a high level, played in a lot of games. It’s just doing it now in a different environment where he has different responsibilities. Where he’s got to take the snap under center, he has to communicate the play in a huddle. You can’t get the do-over like you can in practice.” – Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt on QB Marcus Mariota.
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH
The Titans have a nice battle going for the starting running back spot with five players competing. Bishop Sankey is getting the majority of reps with the first team and fifth-round pick David Cobb has generated some buzz. Dexter McCluster and David Fluellen are also in the competition, but the guy continuing to fly under the radar is Antonio Andrews, who takes a step forward each day toward solidifying a roster spot. We’re not sure how the snaps will be divided and it’s likely at least one doesn’t play. But keep an eye on Andrews.
INJURIES
Atlanta’s running back battle between Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman is officially on hold. Both players are nursing hamstring injuries and will sit the preseason opener. This likely means more carries for Antone Smith, Terron Ward and Jerome Smith to see what they can do.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Everyone is eager to see how Marcus Mariota performs, except for maybe the Falcons. As exciting as it is to have a fine young talent we must realize this is a team that won just two games last season. Mariota isn’t going to lead them to a division title or the playoffs. He’s looked good in practice, but that’s practice, man. You’re talking about practice. It’s another story against live ammo and the Falcons will bring it.
Atlanta 27, Tennessee 13
The NFL odds for this Friday contest were first released by BookMaker and the Falcons were positioned as 2.5-point favorites with a total of 37. Now you can wager in-game while the action unfolds with BookMaker's live betting option.
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