Getting into this week’s winner-take-all recreation to determine the AFC South, it had been an open query regarding who the Titans would begin at quarterback. Head coach Mike Vrabel put the difficulty to relaxation on Monday, naming Joshua Dobbs
the crew’s Week 18 starter.
The transfer comes as little shock given the truth that the veteran got the nod for Tennessee’s Thursday night time loss to the Cowboys. That call, in flip, got here simply over one week after the veteran was signed off the Lions’ practice squad to present the crew one other wholesome choice beneath middle.
Dobbs accomplished 20-of-39 passes final week, totaling 232 yards, one landing, and one interception. The loss in opposition to Dallas carried zero playoff implications for the Titans, in order that they rested a number of key gamers to guard in opposition to harm prematurely of their essential matchup with the Jaguars. One starter who was sidelined out of necessity, in fact, was beginning signal-caller Ryan Tannehill.
Tannehill suffered an ankle harm in Week 15, and his availability for the rest of the season stays very a lot unsure. Whereas the Professional Bowler has not been shut down this season, he’s not anticipated to see the sector once more till subsequent yr. That pointed to rookie backup Malik Willis taking up for final week’s recreation as a way of gaining much-needed expertise, however Dobbs was Vrabel’s most well-liked alternative.
Right this moment’s announcement confirms that Vrabel trusts Dobbs extra at this level in his profession than the third-rounder for a must-win contest, regardless of the shortage of familiarity the previous has inside the crew’s offense. In three begins this yr, together with Week 16, Willis has tried solely 49 passes and totaled 234 yards. He has added 95 yards on the bottom over that span, at instances demonstrating the dual-threat skill which made him one of many high choices within the 2021 QB draft class.
Willis will as soon as once more stay on the sidelines for on Saturday, nevertheless, with the Titans’ playoff hopes resting on their skill to halt a six-game dropping streak. There’s a situation through which the Jaguars may make the playoffs as a Wild Card crew, however for Tennessee, the one path to the playoffs is a division title which appeared all however sure till not too long ago. Their skill to win the AFC South can be determined in no small half by Dobbs’ skill to additional acclimate himself to his latest crew within the coming days.
