Titans make 2 interesting quarterback moves ahead of Week 17

Jan 11, 2020; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel against the Baltimore Ravens in the second quarter in a AFC Divisional Round playoff football game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: George Walker IV/The Tennessean via USA TODAY NETWORK

The Tennessee Titans have made two notable moves at the quarterback position ahead of Week 17.

The Titans on Thursday placed Ryan Tannehill on injured reserve because of his ankle injury. Being placed on IR means a player is out for four weeks, so Tannehill is now ineligible to play for the final two weeks of the regular season and first two weeks of the playoffs.

The other big move is that the Titans will be starting Josh Dobbs at quarterback against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night. That’s an interesting move considering Dobbs was only signed by the team last week and has had very little time to practice and learn the playbook.

Though the starting quarterback change could be viewed as a commentary on how rookie Malik Willis has been playing, that’s probably not the driving force behind the team’s decision.

The Titans are most likely trying to make sure Willis is healthy and available for the team’s Week 18 showdown at Jacksonville with the AFC South on the line. That’s not saying much though.

Willis has been pretty dreadful in his limited action this season. He threw for just 99 yards and was intercepted twice in a Week 16 loss to the Texans. He did rush for 43 yards and a touchdown though.

The Titans starting a guy they signed last week so they can protect the health of the guy who hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass or for over 100 yards in a game shows you just how bad things are for them. Tennessee is 7-8 and has lost five in a row.