A fistfight turned into a shootout on Sunday at Nissan Stadium, and the Titans had more bullets.
A strong second half lifted the Titans to a 33-27 win over the Seahawks, and a 2-1 record.
Quarterback Marcus Mariota completed 20-of-32 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns in the game. Running back DeMarco Murray ran for 115 yards and a touchdown – a 75-yard run.
After a defensive battle in the first half, the Titans provided a bunch of fireworks in the second half.
It started with a 55-yard touchdown pass from Mariota to receiver Rishard Matthews, who picked up a key block from tackle Taylor Lewan close to the line of scrimmage and then a clearing block from tight end Phillip Supernaw – on two Seahawks — downfield.
On the team’s next possession, rookie tight end Jonnu Smith scored his second touchdown in as many weeks by catching a pass from Mariota and racing 24 yards for a touchdown to make it 23-14.
Then came the big run from Murray, who raced 75 yards to his left and then downfield for a touchdown to make it 30-14 with 1:34 left in the third quarter.
After a touchdown pass from Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson to tight end Luke Willson trimmed the lead to 30-20, Titans kicker Ryan Succop made his fourth field goal of the lead to give the Titans a 33-20 lead in the fourth quarter. A touchdown pass from Wilson to Paul Richardson made it 33-27 with 1:50 left.
The Titans scored 24 points in the second half of this one. The Titans scored 31 of their 37 points in the second half last week in a win at Jacksonville.
The two teams exchanged punches in the first half.
The Titans took a 3-0 lead early in the second quarter on a 24-yard field goal by Succop, which capped off an 11-play, 61-yard drive. Receiver Eric Decker’s 17-yard catch on third-and-15 kept the drive alive, but a pair of penalties on Decker caused the drive to stall near the goalline.
Decker was called for holding on what would have been a 14-yard touchdown run by Mariota.
The Titans stretched the lead to 6-0 on another Succop field goal, this one from 37 yards. On the drive, a scrum erupted on the Tians sideline after Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman hit Mariota late and out of bounds, which resulted in several players being penalized.
The Seahawks took the lead late in the first half, scoring on a four-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to receiver Doug Baldwin to take a 7-6 lead.
But the Titans quickly drove down the field, and Succop made his third field goal of the game, from 47 yards, to give the Titans a 9-7 lead on the final play of the half.
An 80-yard punt return for a touchdown by Adoree’ Jackson was called back because of an illegal block by running back David Fluellen.
The Titans travel to Houston next Sunday to face the Texans.
