Mariota steers Titans through
KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Marcus Mariota did everything to help the Titans advance in the playoffs, throwing two touchdown passes, running for crucial first downs and providing the spark needed to rally from a 21-3 halftime hole.
He even caught one of his own TD passes.
It all added up to a heartstopping 22-21 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday, the first post-season win for the Titans in 14 years and one that will provide some relief — for the week, at least — for embattled coach Mike Mularkey and his remarkable bunch of underdogs.
“Special,” said Mariota, whose 205 yards passing included the go-ahead 22-yard strike to Eric Decker with six minutes left. “I’m part of a great team. I’m part of a group of guys that really believe in each other.”
The Titans will find out today whether they’re headed to New England or Pittsburgh next.
Derrick Henry added a careerhigh 156 yards rushing and another score for Tennessee (10-7), while a defence filleted by Alex Smith and the Chiefs (10-7) in the first half pitched a shutout in the second half — dooming Kansas City to another humiliating post-season defeat.
The Chiefs haven’t won a home playoff game since January 1994.
“I’m in shock,” Smith said. “The swing at halftime to the final whistle, definitely a shock. We didn’t feel like we played up to how we’re capable of playing and that’s disappointing.
Smith threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns, but most of that came before halftime. He couldn’t get going in the second half and misfired on fourth-and-9 at the Titans 44 with just over two minutes to go, denying the Chiefs a chance for Harrison Butker to kick a go-ahead field goal.
Adding to the depression was that Henry appeared to fumble as Tennessee tried to run out the clock.
The Chiefs’ Derrick Johnson picked up the ball and returned it for a touchdown with 1:47 to go, and the crowd went wild as fireworks shot off over Arrowhead Stadium. But a replay clearly showed Henry down, the call was overturned and Tennessee succeeded in running out the clock.
“It’s just grit,” Henry said. “We told them we’ve got 30 minutes left, all we’ve got to do is play our game. Execute the plays and everything will take care of itself.”
In the first half, the Chiefs looked every bit the team that had won four straight in convincing fashion, and the Titans looked every bit the team that backed into the playoffs.
“We were feeling good,” Johnson said. “We came in 21-3 and that’s all we were talking about: ‘Finish. Don’t get complacent. We have bigger goals than this game.’ ”
But it was the Titans who finished. Mariota capped a 91-yard TD drive to start the second half in bizarre fashion by throwing a TD pass to himself. His throw to the end zone was batted right back at him by Darrelle Revis, and Mariota hauled it in and dived for the goal line.
LOS ANGELES — Matt Ryan passed for 218 yards and hit Julio Jones for an 8-yard touchdown with 5:48 to play and the defending NFC champion Atlanta Falcons advanced from the wild-card round with a 26-13 victory over the Los Angeles Rams. The Falcons now face the Eagles in Philadelphia on Saturday. —