While many assumed it was just a matter of time before Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota lost his starting job, in Week 6 the second overall pick in the 2015 draft made history, won NFC player of the week honors, and likely held on to his gig for the rest of the season.
After seven seasons in the NFL, the general view of Mariota’s career is that he is one of the prominent disappointments from the 2015 NFL draft. He was a highly touted talented out of Oregon, who was given ample opportunities to succeed in Tennessee, and never came close to the potential league observers thought he had.
It’s why when the Atlanta Falcons signed him in the offseason to be their starting QB, the expectation by many was that he would just be a placeholder for third-round pick Desmond Ridder or a better long-term fit for the position. Yet, after six weeks in the 2022 NFL season, the Falcons are surprisingly off to a 3-3 start and ranked 11 in our NFL offense rankings.
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Running back Cordarrelle Patterson and rookie receiver Drake London have been the big standouts on offense, however, while his stats don’t impress at first glance, Mariota has been rock solid in leading an offense that has scored 20 or more points in every single game this season. But in Week 6, the 28-year-old hit a Falcons high point that helped him tie an NFL record, win an NFC award, and probably kept his job secure for the rest of the season.
Marcus Mariota’s Week 6 performance for Atlanta Falcons gets NFC player of the week honors
In Week 6 against the San Francisco 49ers, Mariota only threw for 129 yards, but he hit on 13 of 14 passes, threw two touchdowns, never turned the ball over, and had an obscene 144.6 passer rating. He also rushed for 50 yards on six carries and added a third touchdown. This is all the more impressive because he did so against a 49ers defense that’s thought to be the best in the league, and helped the team to a shocking 28-14 win.
- Marcus Mariota stats (2022): 1,261 total yards, 10 total TD, 4 INT, 87.7 rating
In a quiet yet stellar performance, Mariota became just the third player in league history to have at least two passing TDs, a rushing TD, and complete at least 90 percent of his passes (10 attempts or more) in a single game. The historic feat did not go unnoticed and the league awarded his 129-yard passing performance with NFC player of the week honors.
What is really the most important part about what Mariota did in Week 6 is he solidified his spot as the team’s starter for many more weeks ahead, and firmly kept Ridder as his backup. Scoring 27 and 23 against the likes of the Seahawks and Browns’ defense can easily be blown off. But scoring and winning against the 49ers was a statement moment for Mariota and quieted his detractors. He may not be a Pro Bowler in 2022, but Marcus Mariota has been far better than expected for the Atlanta Falcons.