ARLINGTON, Texas — The score was 27-27, and you could feel things going south for the Tennessee Titans.
One week earlier, they had faded badly in the fourth quarter in a loss to Denver. It was the kind of game that leaves a mark, chipping away at a team's confidence and perhaps foreshadowing more struggles to come. High on a change of momentum and fueled by a frenzied crowd at Cowboys Stadium, Dallas kicked off to Marc Mariani. That's when the game — and dare we say the season — took a definite turn in the Titans' favor.
Mariani caught the kickoff and sprinted upfield, zipping through the Cowboys' coverage. By the time it was all over — a 73-yard return and a face-mask penalty — the ball was on Dallas' 6-yard line. Chris Johnson scored three plays later as the Titans won 34-27 late Sunday afternoon.
It was a key play at a crucial moment. Not bad for a seventh-round draft pick from the University of Montana. "It's a tie ballgame late in the fourth quarter, on the road, in this stadium," Mariani said. "We were excited about our chances. I'm just fortunate to be the guy whose number was called."
That's the story of this game. An underrated prospect makes an unexpected play to set up an underdog's victory on the home turf of America's Team.
There were plenty of heroes to go around. Vince Young threw for 173 yards and two touchdowns as the coaching staff opened up the playbook for him. Wide receivers made big plays. Johnson zipped off a 42-yard gain on his way to a 131-yard rushing day. The defense bent big time, giving up 406 passing yards and 511 total yards, but came away with three interceptions.
