Use your bullpen
THE TITANS BENCHED quarterback Marcus Mariota, the No. 2 overall pick in 2015, midway through a 16-0 loss in Denver that dropped their record to 2-4. His replacement, Ryan Tannehill, has won nine of 12 starts since.
The Titans found a creative way to trade for Tannehill last offseason — the Dolphins sent him and a sixth-round pick to the Titans for a fourth- and seventh-rounder, and then the Titans reworked his contract. Tannehill, who now has 100 career starts, was the perfect backup for a tenuous starter. And because they had options, the Titans weren’t afraid to make a change.
The Bears need to find their own Tannehill to pair with Mitch Trubisky, another No. 2 pick, this offseason — someone who has made more career starts than the five that Chase Daniel, the backup the last two seasons, can boast.
Consider: At the time he was benched, Mariota was 94for-159 for 1,203 yards, seven touchdowns, two interceptions and a 92.3 passer rating. Through the Bears’ first six weeks, Trubisky was 103-for-160 for 839 yards, five touchdowns, two interceptions and an 82.8 rating.
If Trubisky does it again, the Bears need someone in line to take his place.
Relying on a backup isn’t typically good business. The Titans were the only one of 12 playoff teams to enter the postseason with a different starting quarterback than they had in Week 1. But they proved that making a switch — provided the team has the right guy in the bullpen — can save a spiraling season.