Going into the Raiders game, many people, including myself, wondered how Ryan Tannehill would respond after a week filled with quarterback controversy. He responded with a 23 of 31 for 278 yards and two touchdowns. At one point during the game he had completed 14 straight passes. So that leaves to question, why the change?
One theory could be that for the first time in his short career he played with an enormous chip on his shoulder. If we are being real, to this point he has had a silver platter career. First, he was drafted higher than he should have been in the first round with the 8th pick. After being drafted, he was out played during training camp but was handed the starting job once an injury to David Garrard placed him atop the depth chart. He then went on to a lackluster rookie campaign followed by a mediocre season, albeit improved season. There seemed to be complacency and no urgency on his part. That is until head coach Joe Philbin refused to say he was a starter and hurt his feelings in the process. Thus, the urgency and command he showed Sunday led to a win.
The next theory was that it was just the Raiders. The team lacks quality talent across the board. Statistically speaking they were one of the worst teams on both sides of the ball. The way Ryan Tannehill carved up that defense, it was as if he was playing against a practice squad. In doing so he had one of his most efficient games as a pro.
The last theory is that he has finally found a rhythm within this offense. Many former QB’s have said to fully grasp and feel comfortable in a new offense that it takes more than an off-season and three games. It also helps that his receivers were actually catching the ball. If his receivers actually brought in a couple of those drops, then statistically his numbers would drastically look different on the TD and Yardage charts. Outside of throwing, he finally used his legs which kept the defense off guard. With that kind of athleticism it has been head scratching why he hasn’t used it more.
So, what can we expect from Ryan Tannehill going forward? Your guess is as good as mine. That could have been the game that catapults his career to heights he has not yet been. With his talent and intangibles, that is definitely possible. However, that could just have been a great performance sprinkled in amongst mediocre, bad and OK performances. The fact is, no one knows yet, but hope for the best and prepare for the worst and just maybe we can all look back and remember the game that Ryan Tannehill layed claim to the QB position for the next 10-15 years.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
