Redskins vs. Titans: 5 keys to victory in key Week 16 battle
By Kyle Hundley
2. Redskins must not let Marcus Mariota beat them with his legs
The jury is still out on Marcus Mariota, as there are some who still do not feel as though he is a true franchise quarterback. Regardless, Mariota is exceptionally athletic for a quarterback and can beat a team with his legs as well as his arm.
Mariota is elusive, quick, and moves well within the pocket. When he does break the pocket, he does an excellent job of keeping his eyes downfield, still looking to make a play with his arm. A lot of athletic quarterbacks don’t do this, opting to instead run it once they’ve broken the pocket.
The Redskins must be ready to face a quarterback with this kind of athleticism. When going after Mariota, they must look to contain him first and pressure him second. This means maintaining rush lanes. Cody Kessler was able to make a couple of plays last week with his legs despite his poor performance with his arm.
The Redskins must force Mariota to beat them from the pocket and with his arm. If he has a big game running the ball, the ‘Skins will be in trouble. Jonathan Allen and Ryan Kerrigan both had monster games last week and must step up again this week as they are both impact players. If Washington does a good job limiting Mariota and makes him one-dimensional, they will be in great position to win this game.