NASHVILLE - The Tennessee Titans want to jump-start an offense that has just one touchdown over the past 10 quarters, so they're turning to Ryan Tannehill as their starting quarterback and benching Marcus Mariota.
At least for Sunday.
"We're trying to get a little spark, trying to evaluate what we're doing and how we're functioning as an offense," coach Mike Vrabel said Wednesday.
Tannehill, who is in eighth NFL season and started 88 games for the Miami Dolphins before being traded this past offseason, will make his first start for the Titans as they host the Los Angeles Chargers in a matchup of 2-4 teams.
"I just felt like now was the time ," Vrabel said.
Vrabel, who is in his second season as coach, said he "just felt like now was the time" to make a change behind center. Not that Mariota, the No. 2 pick overall in 2015 after winning the 2014 Heisman Trophy at Oregon, is necessarily benched for the final 10 games left on his $20.9 million contract.
"I wouldn't rule anything out," Vrabel said of Mariota starting again this season. "This is a decision that we made for this week. We're going to need Marcus in some form or fashion throughout the season, but I think the most important thing is this week."
Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said his team will prepare for both quarterbacks. He coached against Tannehill when he was in the AFC East and noted Tannehill played against the Chargers a couple years ago, too.
"He's a good player," Lynch said of Tannehill. "He can move around, create, throw the ball."
Vrabel said controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk, general manager Jon Robinson and other Titans coaches were part of the decision. The Titans have scored just 98 points through six games - and their defense, the NFL's No. 5 unit in terms of points allowed, contributed an interception return for a touchdown to that total.
Now Tannehill is getting his shot after being acquired in March in a move originally made to upgrade the backup quarterback position. He has a quarterback rating of 87 for his NFL career, having compiled 20,578 passing yards with 123 touchdowns and 76 interceptions. The eighth overall pick out of Texas A&M in 2012, Tannehill is being paid $1.75 million in a one-year deal.
"It's been a little while since I was a starter, right? Almost half a year?" Tannehill said. "But it's nothing new for me to go out and play football. It's what I love to do. I love competing and being on the field. So nothing new, just different colors."
Tannehill was 13-of-16 for 144 yards with one interception on 30 snaps coming off the bench in this past Sunday's 16-0 road loss to the Denver Broncos. He was sacked four times and has been sacked 252 times in his career.
The Titans have allowed an NFL-worst 29 sacks this year despite an offensive line in which they have heavily invested.
Taylor Lewan became the league's highest-paid left tackle last year, left guard Rodger Saffold was the fourth-highest paid lineman signed in free agency, center Ben Jones received a contract extension Aug. 30 and the team used draft picks on rookie right guard Nate Davis (third-round pick) and right tackle Jack Conklin (No. 8 pick overall in 2016).
"This isn't a fail by Marcus," Saffold said. "This is a fail by this offense, and we just have to understand that."
Vrabel benched Mariota in the third quarter in Denver after 40 snaps, the first time in his NFL career he had been pulled not due to injury. Mariota was 7-of-18 for 63 yards with two interceptions. Mariota said he was disappointed at not taking advantage of his opportunity.
"I can learn and grow from this situation," Mariota said. "This isn't going to bring me down. This isn't going to end my career. This is an opportunity for me to grow, and I'm going to make the most of it."
Tannehill is 42-46 as an NFL starter with one winning season - 10-6 with Miami in 2016 - while never playing in a postseason game. Mariota is 29-32 as a starter, and he is 1-1 in the playoffs.