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When it comes to NFL Preseason games in the National Football League they usually don’t mean a lot. It is in effect a glorified practice game with another team, that is unless your former college Quarterback was drafted and is the starter for one of those teams. On Friday evening social media was a buzz as were televisions across the Willamette Valley to watch former Oregon Quarterback Marcus Mariota as the Starter for the Tennessee Titans against the Atlanta Falcons in the first preseason game for both teams. Entering the game Mariota had not thrown for an interception once in Fall Camp, that changed right off the bat on Friday.
The First Quarter for Tennessee and their new QB was one to forget. Call it nerves, call it jitters or just call it bad. Mariota’s first few series did not go well and included a sack, a fumble recovery for a Falcons touchdown(they won the game 31-24) and the former Oregon Ducks first unofficial interception. Field Yates of ESPN made a valid point for Marcus Mariota’s early issues. For those of us who watched him in college, not much can frazzle the young man and he came back in the second quarter and brought his ‘A’ game.
Something different: Marcus Mariota took just 5 snaps under center during final year at Oregon. He took 9 in his 1st preseason NFL quarter.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) August 14, 2015
He rebounded nicely to finish 7 for 8 for ninety four yards. The missed pass accounted for the fumble and Atlanta touchdown. Not a bad first day at the office.
WR @HDouglas83 calls Mariota a "gamer": No matter what happens, he stays level-headed and calm. pic.twitter.com/H8ox8l95Dh
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) August 15, 2015
Mariota commented on his performance and it sounded oddly familiar. There were moments at Oregon where the sentiment was similar, but not very many.
Mariota: "There were some ups and downs, but I think as an offense, it was good that we went through some adversity and fought back."
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) August 15, 2015
Marcus Mariota will get his next chance on Sunday, August 23rd at 5pm Pacific time. This time the Eugene/Springfield area will get to watch as the game will be nationally broadcast on FOX.