Mariota Enjoys Record-Setting Debut With Titans
by Rob Moseley
Editor, GoDucks.com
TAMPA, Fla. — Four days shy of 54 years removed from Fran Tarkenton’s four-touchdown debut in 1961, another NFL rookie finally matched his feat Sunday.
That rookie: Marcus Mariota, out of Oregon. Yes, the island kid with ice water in his veins can play at the next level. If any doubters remained entering Sunday, surely they were convinced after Mariota’s record-setting day.
In leading the Titans to a 42-14 victory over the Buccaneers and No. 1 overall draft pick Jameis Winston, Mariota did more than become just the second NFL quarterback to throw four touchdowns in his debut. He became the first to throw for two scores in his opening quarter of professional action, and the first with four passing TDs in a half.
Or, for those preferring a more succinct description, Mariota’s debut could be summed up with just one word: perfect. In going 13-of-16 for 209 yards and four touchdowns, Mariota put together a pass efficiency score of 158.3, the highest possible in the NFL’s rating system. He is the first player in NFL history to do so in the opening week of his rookie season.
Three incompletions. Four touchdowns. That’ll justify making a guy the No. 2 pick in the draft.
“He’s been pretty consistent,” Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “He’s a good football player, and we’re excited to have him on our team.”
Afterward, Mariota was asked whether the performance exceeded his own expectations. Humble to the end, he searched for a way to deflect the praise. Ultimately, it might have been the only time all night that he came up short.
“You know, I … yes,” Mariota admitted. “The entire offense played well. Again, I’m very fortunate to be a part of the group I am. The entire group just went out and executed, and we had some success today.”
That summary did little justice to how overwhelming the Titans looked behind their new leader. Mariota drove Tennessee to a touchdown on the opening possession of the game. Winston’s first NFL attempt resulted in a pick-six, and Mariota orchestrated another touchdown drive.
Just like that, it was 21-0 in the first quarter. The league had been taken by storm.
A career isn’t made in one week, and it’s worth remembering that Mariota was playing against the team that drafted No. 1 overall this year. You get that pick for a reason. But that did little to stem the enthusiasm for Mariota’s debut performance.
“He’s been on this big stage before,” Whisenhunt said. “He’s worked very hard. I think what he did in camp, working out of the pocket, it’s helped him, prepared him. He threw it accurately, made good decisions.”
The Titans have helped Mariota, too. He split time under center and out of the shotgun, where he thrived in leading the Ducks to three bowl victories and a national championship game berth over the last three years.
Of Mariota’s 16 pass attempts Sunday, 10 were out of the shotgun. He completed all 10 of those throws, for 176 yards and two touchdowns.
The Titans even stole a play directly from Oregon’s playbook, a run-pass option in the third quarter on which Mariota faked a handoff then threw a screen out to his tight end. “It was very comfortable for me to go out and do that,” Mariota said, “and it was good to see success with it. … The coaches have done a great job of helping my transition.”
Whisenhunt made particular mention of Mariota’s first professional completion. It came on third-and-10 during Tennessee’s opening drive, as Mariota split two defenders with a laser over the middle to Delanie Walker.
“That was an in-the-pocket throw to Delanie that got us going,” Whisenhunt said. “That was huge.”
More common, though, were routes such as the touchdown pass to Kendall Wright on the next play. Mariota again used play action, faking a read-option exchange, before hitting Wright on a quick slant. Wright ended up running 52 yards for a touchdown.
“One of my biggest strengths is when I get the ball in my hands, after the catch, and he has a quick release, likes to get the ball out early,” Wright said. “So I’m just working on being in the right spots, because I know once I’m in the right spot, he can get the ball there.”
Because of the circumstances, it was difficult not to contrast Mariota’s day with that of Winston. The No. 1 overall pick had a decidedly different debut, going 16-of-33 for 210 yards with two touchdowns, two interceptions and a rating of 64.0.
The two likely will be linked throughout their careers; so far Mariota is 2-0 in head-to-head matchups, the only two defeats Winston has suffered as a starter in both college and the NFL.
“You know, I don’t put much thought into that,” Mariota said. “Jameis is one of those guys, he’s a great competitor. Even in college, they were never out of it. Jameis is going to probably bounce back from this, and I’m sure he’ll be ready to go next week.”
That’s where Mariota says his focus remains as well. And it figures to be another matchup thick with narrative, as Mariota and the Titans stay on the road to face the Cleveland Browns and the quarterback with whom Mariota was once committed to Oregon at the same time, Johnny Manziel.
If form holds, Mariota will avoid that narrative too, and remain focused on his development with the Titans. That focus served him well Sunday, in record-setting fashion, and provided hope for a franchise ready for a leader to take it back to the postseason.
There was no talk of that after Sunday’s game. But Mariota’s play, and that of his teammates, resonated loudly.
“The entire offense was on the same page,” he said. “If we can continue to do that, we’re going to be pretty good.”
