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Game Notes: Titans vs. Chiefs

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FIRST PLAYOFF WIN IN 14 YEARS:** The Titans earned their first playoff victory since a Wild Card Round win at Baltimore on Jan. 3, 2004.  The franchise's all-time playoff record is 15-19, including a 6-6 postseason mark in the "Titans era" (1999-present). 

MULARKEY PICKS UP PLAYOFF WIN: The win at Kansas City improved Mike Mularkey's record as Titans head coach to 21-21, including regular season and playoffs.  It was Mularkey's first playoff win as an NFL head coach.  He became the seventh head coach in franchise history to win a playoff game, joining Lou Rymkus (one win), Wally Lemm (one), Bum Phillips (four), Jerry Glanville (two), Jack Pardee (one) and Jeff Fisher (five).

ROAD COMEBACK: The Titans were down 21-3 at the start of the second half.  Their comeback tied for the second-largest by a road team in NFL playoff history.  The only road comeback to top the Titans' performance was a 20-point comeback by the Lions in the Divisional Round against the 49ers in 1957.  In 1972, the Cowboys came back from an 18-point deficit in the Divisional Round to defeat the 49ers. 

CONTROLLING THE CLOCK IN THE SECOND HALF: The Titans won the time of possession with a mark of 32:28. It included holding the ball for 19:04 in the second half, compared to 10:56 by the Chiefs in the second half.  

POSTSEASON TEAM RUSHING RECORD: The Titans rushed for 202 yards at Kansas City, with Derrick Henry (23 attempts for 156 yards) and Marcus Mariota (eight attempts for 46 yards) accounting for all of the team's carries.  The rushing yardage total set a new franchise single-game postseason record, surpassing the previous benchmark of 197 rushing yards at Indianapolis on Jan. 16, 2000.  

THIRD DOWN IN THE SECOND HALF: After converting only one third down in five attempts in the first half, the Titans converted seven times in eight attempts in the second half to finish the game 8-of-13 on third down (62 percent).  

TITANS TOTAL 397 YARDS: The Titans offense accumulated 397 yards against the Chiefs.  The total was the seventh-highest in franchise postseason history and the club's highest since a 430-yard output against Pittsburgh on Jan. 11, 2003.  

FOUR CONSECUTIVE SCORING DRIVES: The last five times the Titans offense possessed the ball, the drives resulted in a field goal, three consecutive touchdowns, and finally a ball-control drive that ended the game.  

SCORING AT ARROWHEAD: With 22 points, the Titans became the first opponent in the 2017 regular season or playoffs to score more than 20 points against the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.  Philadelphia and Washington held the previous high with 20 points apiece. 

MARIOTA MAKES PLAYOFF DEBUT: In his first career playoff game, quarterback Marcus Mariota recorded his first career playoff victory with a 19-of-31, 205-yard passing performance that included one touchdown and one interception (88.8 passer rating).  He added 46 rushing yards on eight carries, including three runs that converted third downs. 

MARIOTA COMPLETES TOUCHDOWN PASS TO HIMSELF: In the third quarter, on third-and-goal from the six-yard line, Marcus Mariota attempted a pass into the end zone, only to have the ball batted by cornerback Darrelle Revis.  However, it came right back to Mariota, who caught it on the run and extended to the pylon for a touchdown.  Mariota became the first quarterback to catch a touchdown pass in a playoff game since the 1970 AFC-NFC merger.  He also became the first quarterback in league history to complete a touchdown pass to himself in the playoffs.   Including regular season games, Mariota became the second quarterback in NFL history to complete a touchdown pass to himself.  The only other time it happened was when Minnesota Vikings signal caller Brad Johnson accomplished the feat against the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 12, 1997.

ANOTHER GAME-WINNING DRIVE: With the team's go-ahead drive that culminated in Marcus Mariota's 22-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Eric Decker, Mariota was credited with his ninth career game-winning drive and his fifth in the 2017 regular season and postseason.  

HENRY RUSHES FOR 156: With DeMarco Murray inactive due to an injury, running back Derrick Henry recorded his first career postseason start and rushed for 156 yards on 23 carries.  His rushing yardage total finished second in franchise postseason history for a single game behind only Eddie George's 162 rushing yards at Indianapolis on Jan. 16, 2000.

HENRY SCORES: In the fourth quarter, Derrick Henry scored on a 35-yard run.  He tied Earl Campbell (Dec. 31, 1978 at New England) for the third-longest playoff rushing attempt in franchise history.  The franchise's only postseason runs that were longer were Eddie George's 68-yard touchdown at Indianapolis on Jan. 16, 2000 and Steve McNair's 51-yard scamper at Jacksonville on Jan. 23, 2000.

HENRY'S SCRIMMAGE YARDS: In addition to his 156 rushing yards, Derrick Henry caught two passes for 35 yards.  His 191 scrimmage yards set a new single-game postseason record for the franchise, breaking a 57-year-old record.  Billy Cannon established the previous playoff benchmark with 178 scrimmage yards against the Los Angeles Chargers on Jan. 1, 1961.  

HENRY DOMINANT IN FOURTH QUARTER: During the regular season, Derrick Henry ranked second in the NFL with 390 rushing yards in the fourth quarter.  Against the Chiefs, he picked up 85 yards on eight carries.  The total included runs of 12 yards and 22 yards for first downs on the team's final, clock-eating drive.

DECKER SCORES: Wide receiver Eric Decker scored what proved to be the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter on a 22-yard pass from Marcus Mariota.  It marked Decker's first career touchdown reception in the playoffs.   

WALKER LEADS: In his fifth career postseason game, tight end Delanie Walker set career postseason highs and led the Titans with six receptions for 74 yards.   

DEFENSE STRENGTHENS IN SECOND HALF: In the second half, the Titans defense limited the Chiefs offense to zero points, three first downs, 61 total yards, 28 rushing yards and one third-down conversion on five attempts.   

SACK SPLIT BY WOODYARD AND ORAKPO: In the second quarter, linebackers Wesley Woodyard and Brian Orakpo were credited with an eight-yard sack of Alex Smith.  It was Woodyard's first career half sack.   

ORAKPO LEADS TEAM WITH 1.5 SACKS: In addition to his shared sack with Wesley Woodyard in the second quarter, Brian Orakpo registered a sack in the fourth quarter (zero yards) during Kansas City's final drive. 

WILLIAMS NOTCHES SACK: In the first half, nose tackle Sylvester Williams forced quarterback Alex Smith out of bounds for no gain to record his first career postseason sack.  

SACK BY MORGAN: During Kansas City's final drive, outside linebacker Derrick Morgan took down Alex Smith for no gain on third down to record his first career postseason sack.  

SUCCOP CONNECTS: Playing against his former team, Ryan Succop made a 49-yard field goal in the second quarter.  It was the kicker's second career postseason field goal in two attempts and his first since 2013 as a member of the Chiefs.

POSTSEASON DEBUTS: The Titans entered the contest with 18 players on their roster with previous playoff experience.  Against the Chiefs, they had 29 players make their NFL postseason debuts.  

INACTIVES: The Titans' inactive players were quarterback Brandon Weeden, running back DeMarco Murray, defensive back Curtis Riley, outside linebacker Josh Carraway, linebacker Nate Palmer, guard/center Corey Levin and wide receiver Harry Douglas.  Murray (knee) was listed on the injury report leading up to the game.

The Tennessee Titans take on the Kansas City Chiefs in an AFC Wild Card playoff game on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018 in Kansas City. (Photos: Donn Jones, AP)

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