NASHVILLE – Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota played a quarter in the team's preseason game against the New England Patriots on Saturday night, and he didn't look half bad.
He looked pretty good, in fact – even as he went head over heels on his flip into the end zone.
His teammates, however, weren't ready to give him a 10.
"I was getting more grief from my teammates – they told me not to do it again," Mariota said. "I was trying to make a play. In the moment, I played instinctively and tried to get the points."
Mariota completed 6-of-9 passes for 63 yards and a touchdown – an 11-yard strike to tight end Delanie Walker to give the Titans an early lead. Mariota added a two-point conversion when he dove into the end zone, which made it 8-0.
Mariota flipped over the goalline after being hit, causing fans – and his teammates -- at Nissan Stadium to hold their collective breath.
"I went up to him and I was like, 'Bruh, you can't do that," Walker said. "But he's a competitor, and I know he is going to give it all he's got."
But it was all good.
Mariota's passer rating was on the night was good, too -- 123.8.
Mariota was replaced by back-up quarterback Ryan Tannehill at the start of the second quarter, with the Titans leading 8-0. The Titans ended up losing 22-17.
Mariota played just one series in last week's preseason opener at Philadelphia.
While the quarterback was happy with the way the first team offense ended the night, he wants to see more consistency. The Titans went three-and-out on their first two drives.
"It wasn't real good to start off," Mariota said. "I thought we put together a nice drive at the end, but we have to come out better."
