Marcus Mariota debut among greatest in NFL history

Marcus Mariota might have had the greatest debut of any quarterback in NFL history on Sunday. | Getty Images

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Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota?

That was the question on everyone’s mind heading into the 2015 NFL Draft.

Coming out of Week 1 of the NFL season, the clear-cut answer is Mariota, who was selected second behind Winston.

The two squared off against each other on Sunday and Mariota’s Titans got the best of Winston’s Bucs, 42-14 in Tampa.

The individual stats were even more one-sided.

Mariota: 13-of-16, 209 yards, 4 TDs, 0 int., 95.7 QB rating, 158.3 passer rating.

Winston: 16-of-33, 210 yards, 2 TDs, 2 int., 6.7 QB rating, 64.0 passer rating.

Statistically, Marcus Mariota's debut might be the best in N.F.L. history. http://t.co/IV2nlr5I9l pic.twitter.com/9PglzIl5h6
— NYT Sports (@NYTSports) September 14, 2015

Thing is, Winston wasn’t all that bad, it’s just that Mariota was literally perfect. Consider some of these historical records from the New York Times:

Mariota became the youngest player in N.F.L. history to throw for four touchdowns in the first half of a game. Just one other rookie quarterback has thrown four first-half touchdowns in a single game: Johnny Green of Buffalo in 1960. Mariota also joined Matthew Stafford, Drew Bledsoe, and Fran Tarkenton as the only players since 1950 to pass for four touchdowns in a single game before turning 22 years old, and he and Tarkenton are the only rookie quarterbacks to throw for four touchdowns in their team’s first game. It was perhaps the greatest statistical performance by a rookie quarterback in his first game in N.F.L. history.

In addition, Mariota’s perfect passer rating was the third recorded by a rookie (Robert Griffin III in 2012 and Drew Bledsoe in 1993) since 1960.

One more key stat to consider in the Mariota vs. Winston comparison:

NERD NOTES:
Jameis Winston W-L against opposing QB (college & pro):
• vs Marcus Mariota: 0-2
• vs all others: 26-0 pic.twitter.com/RH4PV6gfJi
— Keyshawn, JWill & Max (@KeyJayandMax) September 14, 2015

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