Mariota, Titans take down Cowboys, 28-14
Marcus Mariota passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another to lead the Tennessee Titans to a 28-14 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night at Arlington, Texas.
Mariota completed 21 of 29 passes for 240 yards and tossed scoring passes to running back Dion Lewis and tight end Jonnu Smith. Lewis had 122 total yards (62 rushing, 60 receiving) and safety Kevin Byard recorded an interception as the Titans (4-4) snapped a three-game losing streak.
Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott was 21 of 31 for 243 yards, two touchdowns and the interception. Amari Cooper caught five passes for 58 yards and a touchdown in his team debut, and fellow receiver Allen Hurns also caught a scoring pass for the Cowboys (3-5).
The Dallas defense repeatedly had issues stopping Tennessee, which converted 11 of 14 third-down opportunities. The Titans outgained the Cowboys 340 yards to 297, sending Dallas to its third defeat in four games.
The Titans took a 21-14 lead when Mariota hit Smith for a 7-yard scoring pass with 5:44 left in the third quarter. Mariota put the ball deep into the grasp of Lewis and pulled it out as Dallas defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence approached, and instead shoveled it ahead to Smith, who darted through the middle of the field for the touchdown.
Tennessee extended the lead to 14 when Mariota rushed for a 9-yard score with 4:38 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Dallas turned the ball over on downs with 1:31 left, and the Titans ran out the clock, sealing the game with Mariota’s 3-yard keeper on third-and-1 from the Tennessee 22-yard line.
Prescott threw two touchdown passes in the first half, and the score was tied at 14 at the break.
The Cowboys struck first four plays after Lawrence strip-sacked Mariota, with linebacker Sean Lee recovering at the Tennessee 15. The touchdown came when Prescott tossed a 4-yard scoring pass to Cooper -- recently acquired from the Oakland Raiders -- with 6:12 left in the first quarter.
Tennessee tied the score with a 15-play, 80-yard drive that was culminated by Derrick Henry’s second-effort 1-yard run with 9:35 left in the half. The Titans moved ahead when Lewis fielded a screen pass from Mariota and navigated for an 18-yard score to make it 14-7 with 4:11 remaining.
The Cowboys countered with a 10-play, 78-yard drive. Prescott connected with Hurns for a 23-yard touchdown to knot the score with 39 seconds left.
(Reuters)