Timothy T. Ludwig/USA Today Sports
Mariota won't fret over fumble numbers
Marcus Mariota does not believe that fumbles are a particular problem for him.
Maybe he is right. At the very least, they have started to add up for the Tennessee Titans’ fifth-year quarterback.
Through 60 career games, Mariota has fumbled the football 33 times, which ties him with George Blanda for fifth among all-time Titans/Oilers quarterbacks and makes him one of nine players in franchise history with 30 or more. His total includes three in the first four games of this season, none of which resulted in turnovers.
“Sometimes the ball’s going to pop out, it happens,” Mariota said this week. “You’ve got to give credit to the defense for popping it out.
“I can do a better job of securing it and putting it away, but I think there’s several instances that I have fumbled, it was a result of the other guys on the other team.”
A rundown of the Tennessee Titans/Houston Oilers career leaders for fumbles by a quarterback:
| Player, years | Games | Fumbles |
|---|---|---|
Warren Moon, 1983-94 | 141 | 116 |
Steve McNair, 1995-06 | 139 | 84 |
Dan Pastorini, 1971-79 | 125 | 61 |
Vince Young, 2006-10 | 54 | 38 |
George Blanda, 1960-66 | 98 | 33 |
Marcus Mariota, 2015-present | 60 | 33 |
Ball security has been a consistent topic this week as the Titans prepare for Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills at Nissan Stadium.
Buffalo’s defense is tied for fifth in the league in points allowed at 15.8 and is tied for fourth in total takeaways. Among the seven teams that have forced eight or more turnovers, the Bills are one of just two with more fumble recoveries (five) than interceptions (three).
“It’s a good scheme,” coach Mike Vrabel said. “They play with really good technique, fundamentals. [It’s a] really good on first down with a good third-down package. It’s a really good challenge. They’re a consistent top-tier defense for a reason.”
Seven quarterbacks have coughed it up more often thus far in 2019 than Mariota, whose fumble numbers have been fairly consistent throughout his career. Three times in the previous four years he was among the NFL’s top 10 for most fumbles, including the top five each of his first two seasons.
Since he entered the league in 2015, his 33 fumbles are seventh-most among all quarterbacks. Those who have lost it more often include Jameis Winston (40), the only player drafted ahead of Mariota, and two Super Bowl winners, Russell Wilson (42) and Eli Manning (38).
When he has gotten the ball out of his hand intentionally, though, he has been impeccable. Mariota enters the week with a streak of 169 consecutive passes without an interception, a run that dates back to Dec. 6, 2018. That broke Kerry Collins’ franchise record of 161 set in 2008. It also ranks as the NFL’s longest active streak without an interception.
“Honestly, I don’t think about a whole lot of stats,” Mariota said. “I just do my best to execute. I do know the turnover margin is a huge indication how well your team does. If I can take care of the football and give our guys chances and opportunities to make plays, it’ll give us chances and opportunities to score points and win games.”
