A day after Los Angeles Chargers Philip Rivers set a completion percentage record by completing 28 of 29 passes for a 96.6 percent percentage against the Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota almost took the record from him.
Mariota was a perfect 19 for 19 headed into the game’s final two minutes before his first, and only, pass of the night bounced off the turf. Mariota misfired wide of running back Derrick Henry on a swing pass to his right with 1:09 left to play. He finished the night with 22 completions on 23 attempts for 304 yards with two touchdowns.
Mariota’s 95.7 percent effort against the Texans is the second best performance in league history behind only Rivers’ effort on Sunday. Rivers and Mariota surpassed the 18 for 19 efforts of Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill in 2015 against the Texans and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith against the Cardinals in 2012.
Mariota and Rivers are the only two of the top completion percentage games to appear with at least 20 passes attempted. Mariota is the only one in the top 10 to get there in a losing effort.