Marcus Mariota playing part of Lamar Jackson on scout team

[Poe the Raven]

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Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota hasn’t started since Week Six. He won’t start this week.

But Mariota does have an important role for the Titans this week.

Mariota is attempting to simulate Lamar Jackson on the scout team, preparing the Titans starting defense for what they will face Saturday.

“Well, we’ll need good speed. That’s something that’s critical,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel said, via Terry McCormick of titaninsider.com. “They’re doing a great job [outscoring teams] 128 to 31 in the first quarter, you know. My guess is that that speed looks a lot different during the game than what it did in practice. So, hopefully we can get that speed and get that look as close to what we are going see in the game. It won’t be the same, but it’s going to be, I think, pretty good with what Marcus can do and hopefully the look that we can give our guys.”

Mariota played the part of Tom Brady last week before the Titans beat the Patriots in the wild-card round. He has done his best Jackson impersonation this week.

“I hope it can help out a lot,” Mariota said. “I just try to provide a look for these guys that’s similar to the game. I’m going to do my best and do what they ask. I’m just going to go out there and do what I can.”

Mariota and Jackson are two of the five Heisman Trophy winners on the two teams. Mariota won the award while at Oregon in 2014, and Jackson won it two years later at Louisville.

Mariota, who is scheduled to become a free agent in March, played two snaps in Week 17 and one in the postseason game. He completed both of his passes attempts for 28 yards.