As the Titans enter their playoff game this Saturday against the Bengals, I'd like to come to the defense of QB Ryan Tannehill. Many people have rolled their eyes or just shrugged their shoulders when they hear Tannehill's name. But hey, I will just say this, many of those same people that shrug at Tannehill end up pulling their hair out when Tannehill and the Titans are on their favorite team's schedule.
As the injuries piled up in 2021, the Titans once again fell off everyone's radar and were ignored. Nothing new here. But one player who stayed uninjured and kept the Titans ship afloat was none other than Mr. Ryan Tannehill.
People have pointed to Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, they've pointed to the Titans defense, as to why the Titans have kept winning. But nobody wanted to point to the Titans QB Ryan Tannehill. The media will spazz over pretty much any other QB, but they refuse to say Ryan Tannehill's name.
I think I know why.
Ryan Tannehill is every analyst's worst nightmare. He is an NFL zombie. He will not die. Countless analysts wrote this man off probably all they way back in 2013 or 2014, why is he still around? LOL. I really honestly get the vibes that some people are actually upset this man is resurrecting his career and playing pretty well.
The world wants everything sped up nowadays. Instant gratification. You can't find an analyst in 2022 that doesn't think rookie QBs should start immediately. If the rookie doesn't succeed in like 4-6 games, he is a bust in the eyes of a lot of people.
'Why isn't Justin Fields starting!!!! Why would you draft him in the first round if you aren't going to play him????'
Insert almost any young quarterback's name in place of Justin Fields. This happens every single season. Who knows how many young quarterbacks have been ruined by this stupid mindset.
There is absolutely no patience left in this world. In the early 2000's and before it was much more common to let a QB sit back and learn for one, two, even up to three years before being thrust into professional football.
Everyone learns at a different rate. Everyone also has a different ceiling. One QB may shine early, but have a lower ceiling than another QB who needs more reps and studying and maturing.
I don't know if it's pressure from the public or what but I do find it insane sometimes to expect an amateur to just snap their fingers and succeed as a rookie week one in the NFL. Pro football is not College football.
This guy Ryan Tannehill man, he is absolutely wrecking narratives that NFL Quarterbacks must succeed immediately. Ryan's years 7-9 have been so much better than years 1-3. Maybe because he gained knowledge and experience and is in a better organization than he was in in Miami? I mean, it's not like Miami is a pillar of success. They literally just fired their solid head coach for like no good reason LOL. That franchise has BEEN dysfunctional.
Ryan may be a slightly older dog, but he's absolutely learned some new tricks throughout his career. That's a narrative that probably dumbfounds a lot of NFL folk. I can hear the brains exploding.
Looking at this Saturday's matchup got me thinking. How does Tannehill stack up against the NFL's newest golden child, Bengals QB Joe Burrow?
Many people might assume Joe is MUCH better than Tannehill. Many people simply make playoff predictions based on which team has the better QB. Well, I wanted to use that silly logic against those people.
Let's compare Tannehill and Burrow's 2021-22 stats.
Keep in mind, Tannehill put up his numbers literally without his top three weapons for much of the season. Whereas the Bengals offensive weapons have been MUCH healthier this season.
Derrick Henry, A.J. Brown, and Julio Jones are all expected to play for the Titans this Saturday though. 😉
| Ryan Tannehill | 2021-22 Stats | Joe Burrow |
|---|---|---|
| 3,734 | Passing Yards | 4,611 |
| 21 | Passing Touchdowns | 34 |
| 14 | Interceptions | 14 |
| 89.6 | QB Rating | 108.3 |
| 67.2 | Completion % | 70.4 |
| 270 | Rushing Yards | 118 |
| 7 | Rushing Touchdowns | 2 |
I am not gonna pretend that Burrow did not have a good year or a better season than Tannehill, but considering what I mentioned above about injuries between these teams, and the fact that the Bengals are more of a pass heavy team, these stats are not insanely different.
Both quarterbacks have the same amount of interceptions and relatively similar completion percentages. Also, Tannehill is clearly more skilled at carrying the ball as a rusher than Burrow. Tannehill is a legit athlete. Much more so than Burrow.
So before everyone immediately crowns Burrow as the better QB in this matchup, I just ask this, are you sure Burrow is better? Or are we simply falling for narratives since Burrow is the young shiny new NFL QB? Perhaps Burrow is better, I agree it's definitely debatable. But, how much better exactly?
Once again I will mention, Tannehill will have most of his weapons back for the first time in a long time. Tannehill had Brown and Jones last week. Now enter King Henry.... Tannehill might have himself a DAY in Nashville.
I'll save the game preview for later this week but I just wanted to rant a little bit about Tannehill. This guy has been a steady leader and performer for this team. He kept the team winning and has been a huge part of capturing this #1 seed.
I am a fan of Tannehill no matter what. A lot of teams are dying for a decent QB, and the Titans have a GOOD one.
I'll be looking forward to watching Tannehill perform Saturday!!!!
