Win Probability Added: +20.64
NEP: +8.67
I’ve always been a pro football fan first, but I understand for some people who live away from major-league sports, they still feel their identity represented by a local team. That local team just sometimes is affiliated with a high school or college. I bring this up because I know plenty of Oregonians who watch every Tennessee Titans game with bated breath. Why? Quarterback Marcus Mariota -- a Ducks alum -- has the chance to make magic every time he touches the ball.
Unfortunately for those fans (and Mariota himself, of course), the Titans have avoided passing as much as possible this year and instead are running the ball about 30 times per game. Getting the mobile quarterback’s legs going was anything but magical this time, though. Mariota ran a speed option out of a one-wide pistol set. He faked the toss and kept the ball, but San Diego Chargers linebacker Korey Toomer punched it out of his hand as he sped past. From there, all safety Dwight Lowery had to do was scoop it on an easy Sunday hop and waltz into the end zone, extending the Chargers’ lead to 12 points in the third quarter.