KANSAS CITY — Down one point, with just over a minute left. No timeouts.
Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota knew what needed to be done.
Mariota then guided a six-play, 40-yard drive in the final 1:07 of Sunday's game against the Chiefs. He was then among those celebrating in the end when kicker Ryan Succop's 53-yard field sailed over the crossbar as time expired as the Titans pulled out a dramatic 19-17 win.
"I was kind of pacing back and forth on the sideline,'' Mariota said, "and I ended up toward the back half of the sideline next to Tajae (Sharpe) and Harry (Douglas). And once (Ryan) kicked it and I saw it go through, I might have been on the field before even the refs put their arms up.
"All in all it was such a great team effort. For us to pull that one off was huge and we just have to keep the momentum going."
Trailing 17-16 with 1:07 left, the Titans took over at their own 25-yard line.
Mariota completed a 19-yard pass to receiver Rishard Matthews, and then a pair of passes to tight end Delanie Walker to get the Titans to the Kansas City 35-yard line.
"We knew that we had to get down and get into the 50-yard range for Ryan,'' Mariota said. "So we knew if we could get a couple of big plays we would have a chance at it. Rishard and Delanie made great plays to get us down there, and Ryan did a great job if finishing it off at the end."
Mariota completed 19-of-33 passes for 241 yards, along with an interception. Running back DeMarco Murray ran for 89 yards on 18 carries while Derrick Henry ran for 58 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries for the Titans.
In the contest, Mariota became just the seventh player in NFL history with at least 6,000 passing yards and 600 rushing yards in his first two NFL seasons.
In the coldest day in franchise history – it was one degree with a wind chill of minus-9 at kickoff – Mariota didn't wear gloves and said he didn't have any issues throwing the football. Mariota lost a fumble in the first half, one of three turnovers committed by the Titans.
The Titans trailed throughout, but they rallied in the second half and had a chance to win it after a one-yard run by Derrick Henry made it 17-16 with just 3:12 remaining. The Titans tried to win it with a two-point conversion, but Mariota's pass was incomplete.
Mariota loved the call.
"I love it. I love it,'' Mariota said. "To have the confidence in us, and to have the opportunity to go and win it, I didn't question that call at all, and I hope coach (Mike) Mularkey continues to be that way and continues to believe in us.
"For us, we all wanted (another) opportunity. (We said) if we get an opportunity we're going to go down there and win the game."
The Tennessee Titans take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 15 action at Arrowhead Stadium. (Photos: Donn Jones, AP)
