Marcus Mariota throws first career postseason TD to himself after deflection

ByCAMERON WOLFE
January 6, 2018, 7:29 PM

— -- KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- It'll go down as Marcus Mariota to Marcus Mariota for a touchdown in the box score, and no, that isn't a typo.

On a third-and-goal from the Kansas City Chiefs' 6-yard line in Saturday's wild-card game, Tennessee Titans quarterback Mariota scrambled to his left, attempting a pass toward the back of the end zone. Chiefs defensive back Darrelle Revis batted the ball in the air, and Mariota smoothly caught it and dived into the end zone for six points.

"I tried to throw it in to [receiver]? Corey Davis?-- Darrelle made a good play, he batted it up -- I was just kind of right place, right time," Mariota said of the play.?

The score trimmed the Chiefs' lead to 21-10 midway through the third quarter, and Tennessee would go on to score 12 more unanswered points to beat Kansas City 22-21 and advance to the next round of the postseason.?

Mariota is the first player in the Super Bowl era with a pass TD and receiving TD in a single playoff game, and Mariota did it on the same play. He is also the first player to catch a touchdown from himself since Minnesota Vikings QB Brad Johnson in Week 7 of the 1997 season.

It was the ultimate "I'll do it myself" play for a Titans offense that struggled to get much of anything going in the first half. To make matters sweeter, it was Mariota's first career playoff touchdown.

On the touchdown, the ball was tipped by Revis, a defensive player, and according to the NFL rulebook, all offensive players are eligible receivers once that happens.

Including college, Mariota has caught four touchdown passes. He had two at? Oregon?and one with the Titans. Saturday's was the first pass he threw to himself.

Mariota finished Saturday's game 19-of-31 passing for 205 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed for 46 yards and had a key block on a? Derrick Henry?run to seal Tennessee's win.?