Falcons QB Marcus Mariota Brings 'Winning Attitude' to Atlanta, But Can He Win?

Can the Falcons go back to their winning ways this season?

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota is preparing to start his first NFL game in nearly three years, but the new signal caller is ready to be back in the huddle.

Mariota signed with the Falcons the same day the team traded 14-year starter Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts back in March, and he knew there was a good chance he'd have the opportunity to be a starting quarterback in the NFL once again.

For parts of five seasons, Mariota was the starting quarterback for the Tennessee Titans, who selected him No. 2 overall in 2015. However, towards the end of his Titans tenure in 2019, Mariota was benched in favor of Ryan Tannehill, who led the team to the AFC Championship Game. This pushed Mariota to the bench in Tennessee, and he stayed there when he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders for two seasons behind Derek Carr. But after his last three whirlwind seasons, Mariota is ready for the spotlight.

"When I left Tennessee, I was pretty beat up kind of mentally and physically, but I'm excited to be here now, excited to be part of this team," Mariota told former Falcons quarterback Michael Vick in an interview.

Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints truly represents a rebirth in Mariota's career. In fact, his first NFL start in 2015 came against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who drafted Jameis Winston just ahead of Mariota. Now, Winston and Mariota meet again on Sunday in different uniforms.

Signing Mariota signaled to many around the league that the Falcons were rebuilding, and that signal doubled down when the team drafted quarterback Desmond Ridder in the third round. But even though the Falcons' front office is eyeing the future, Mariota is looking at the season ahead. He revealed what he believes he can contribute most to the team at the moment.

"A winning attitude, man," Mariota told Vick. "I think some people get so caught up in what's going on in the future. Whatever I can do to make this team work and make this offense run, I'm going to do it."

There is so much that goes into an NFL game that is beyond your control, but Mariota and the Falcons are focusing on what they can control. By playing in the right mindset, they give themselves a chance to win. The Falcons aren't the most talented team in the league, or the most experienced ... which will almost certainly cause them to lose games this season. But by preparing to win, they have a chance and will let what happens on the football field happen.

Mariota and the Falcons will look to translate that winning attitude into a win Sunday afternoon against the Saints. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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