Mariota's outlook for the 2018 season received a major boost following the Titans' hiring of offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur, Jason Wolf of The Tennessean reports.
LaFleur held the same job with the Rams this past season, but he'll now handle offensive play-calling duties with Tennessee after ceding those to head coach Sean McVay in Los Angeles. Tennessee's willingness to part with head coach Mike Mularkey and his staff after the season despite reaching the divisional round in the playoffs suggests the franchise believes getting Mariota back on track is the key to the team's future success. The 24-year-old quarterback regressed overall this past season despite an improved team context, though he led the league in passer rating (122.8) and yards per attempt (11.1) on play-action passes. It's no coincidence that LeFleur relied heavily on play-action passing in the past while tutoring Matt Ryan and Jared Goff.