Titans rally from 21-3 hole to beat Chiefs 22-21 in NFL playoffs
Mariota big star of amazing comeback
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In his first NFL playoff game, Marcus Mariota did just about everything he could to help the Tennessee Titans advance. He threw two touchdown passes, ran for crucial first downs and provided the spark needed to rally from an 18-point halftime deficit.
He even caught one of his touchdown passes.
It all added up to a heart-stopping 22-21 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday, the first postseason 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 passing yards 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. And it’s something special.”
Today the Titans will find out whether they’re headed to New England or Pittsburgh next.
Derrick Henry added a career-high 156 rushing yards and another score for Tennessee (10-7), while a defense fileted 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 postseason 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. Yeah. 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 more than two minutes to go, denying the Chiefs a chance for Harrison Butker to kick a go-ahead field goal.
Adding to the depression? 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.
“Grit. 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.
Kareem Hunt, the league’s top rusher this season, plunged in from 1 yard for a 7-0 lead. Smith hit Travis Kelce, who later left with a concussion, with a 13-yard touchdown pass. And he added another touchdown toss to Demarcus Robinson on the final offensive play for a 21-3 lead at the break.
But it was the Titans who finished strong, and it was Mariota who led the way. The third-year pro capped a 91-yard drive to start the second half in a most bizarre fashion, throwing a touchdown pass to himself.
His throw to the end zone
was batted right back at him by veteran defensive back Darrelle Revis, and Mariota hauled it in and dived for the goal line.
It was the first time a player has thrown a touchdown pass to himself in the playoffs, and the first time in any game since the Vikings’ Brad Johnson did so during the 1997 season.
“Right place, right time,” Mariota said with a smile.