Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota threw his first NFL touchdown pass in the first quarter of their final preseason game against Minnesota on Thursday night.
It goes down in the box score as a 59-yard touchdown pass to Harry Douglas, but Mariota's pass was actually just a 2-yard dumpoff on a crossing route. Douglas did all the work from that point on after the catch, following his blockers up the sideline and all the way to the end zone.
On the play, Mariota showed the ability to progress through his reads, checking down with a quick release to the open man on the short route when his deeper options were covered.
Mariota only played on the opening drive, as naturally the Titans wanted to protect their opening day starter from possible injury. However, Mariota was efficient in his limited action, going 2-for-3 passing for 74 yards.
Mariota's first regular season game will provide for an intriguing matchup, as the Titans will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Jameis Winston, the only player selected ahead of Mariota in the 2015 NFL Draft. Although the showdown should provide an early benchmark to measure the progress both players have made so far, it would still be premature to scrutinize the rookies after a single regular season game. Still, both Mariota and Winston have had their share of moments in the preseason that give fans of their teams hope for a bright future.
Video via NFL.
It goes down in the box score as a 59-yard touchdown pass to Harry Douglas, but Mariota's pass was actually just a 2-yard dumpoff on a crossing route. Douglas did all the work from that point on after the catch, following his blockers up the sideline and all the way to the end zone.
On the play, Mariota showed the ability to progress through his reads, checking down with a quick release to the open man on the short route when his deeper options were covered.
Mariota only played on the opening drive, as naturally the Titans wanted to protect their opening day starter from possible injury. However, Mariota was efficient in his limited action, going 2-for-3 passing for 74 yards.
Mariota's first regular season game will provide for an intriguing matchup, as the Titans will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Jameis Winston, the only player selected ahead of Mariota in the 2015 NFL Draft. Although the showdown should provide an early benchmark to measure the progress both players have made so far, it would still be premature to scrutinize the rookies after a single regular season game. Still, both Mariota and Winston have had their share of moments in the preseason that give fans of their teams hope for a bright future.
Video via NFL.
Moonlighting as a blogger to pursue my interest and enjoyment of sports. Former high school and Division I athlete (now a "retired" family man) that loves watching and discussing all sports. Follow me on Twitter (@HoldoutSports) and like Holdout Sports on Facebook.
