NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The edge Mike Mularkey isn't afraid to use in candid assessments of players and situations gets dulled when he talks about quarterback Marcus Mariota.

It's sort of the rule with young quarterbacks in the NFL. Even coaches unafraid of calling out players go a bit easier on young signal-callers. With all the strain on them from fans and media, pass-rushers and defensive backs, maybe it's the right path.

And if you think the Tennessee Titans head coach is going a bit easy on the struggling Mariota, I humbly suggest you think back to the early days of Steve McNair.

At a time when there was no social media, coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Floyd Reese never -- and I mean that literally -- said anything suggesting the slightest doubt in him early on, or really ever.

Monday, Mularkey conceded that some of what isn't happening for the Titans offense was Mariota's throws in Houston, but put more of it on a trust he hasn't developed in the receivers because they haven't proven they will regularly show up in the right spots.

Titans first-round QBs in their first 16 games QB Record Attempts Comp % Yards TDs INTs Sacks Rating Marcus Mariota 4-12 310 506 61.3 3,713 23 15 45 86.8 Jake Locker 7-9 271 466 58.2 3,223 18 12 37 81.5 Vince Young 10-6 216 400 54.0 2,492 14 14 29 70.1 Steve McNair 9-7 224 405 55.3 3,067 17 11 30 82.4 * Courtesy of Tennessee Titans

Mariota has regressed or is slumping or is being held back. Take your pick or create your mix. The first four games of his sophomore season have produced more interceptions (five) than touchdowns (four), and he has lost two fumbles.

He seems uncertain in the pocket, says he's tried to do too much when he is asked to review a mistake, still appears reluctant to run and doesn't seem to be having much fun.

Other young quarterbacks around the league are playing more mistake-free football, which puts even more focus on his errors.

But it's way early still for Mariota, and his critics need to acknowledge that while hashing out what's not going right.

Through his first 16 starts, he's outplayed the franchise's three previous first-round quarterbacks: McNair (1996), Vince Young (2006) and Jake Locker (2011).

Among those four, in what amounted to their first full season, Mariota has the best completion percentage (61.3), the most passing yardage (3,713), the most touchdowns (23) and the highest passer rating (86.8).

He's also the leader in two bad categories: interceptions (15) and sacks (45).

Mariota ranks last among the four in wins, but wins are not an actual quarterback stat, with good reason. Tom Brady would have had a tough time on the 2015 Titans.

Young and Locker didn't pan out. I remain convinced Mariota will in time.

McNair turned into a very good quarterback with a long career. He needed time at the start after playing small-college football.

Mariota came in more NFL-ready but still needs experience. The Titans are most assuredly going to give him that.

His decision-making needs to be better right now. But so do his coaches and receivers.