TAMPA, Fla. -- Marcus Mariota shuns comparisons to Jameis Winston, insisting a budding rivalry between the rookie quarterbacks is more about team success than individual play.
Well, one game into their pro careers, the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner has the upper hand in both after throwing four touchdown passes Sunday to lead the Tennessee Titans to a 42-14 season-opening victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The highly anticipated debuts for the first two players selected in this year's draft was one-sided from the start, not unlike many of Mariota's dazzling performances in college at Oregon.
Mariota threw for 209 yards without an interception to join Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton as the only players to throw for four or more TD passes in their first NFL game.
Mariota became the first to do it in the opening half.
Winston, No. 1 overall pick and 2013 Heisman winner, did something rare, too, becoming the first quarterback since Brett Favre in 1991 to have his first NFL pass intercepted and returned for a touchdown.
Winston, like Mariota, played down the personal rivalry angle in the days leading up to the game. The quarterbacks also met once in college, with Mariota-led Oregon trouncing Winston and Florida State 59-20 in last season's national playoff semifinals. It was the only loss Winston suffered in 27 starts at Florida State.
Mariota finished 13 of 16 with no interceptions. He was sacked twice before being replaced by backup Zach Mettenberger with 14:49 remaining in the game.
Winston, meanwhile, was 16 of 33 for 210 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. The Titans sacked him three times.
Winston and Mariota are the sixth pair of quarterbacks to be taken with the first two picks in the draft, joining Jim Plunkett and Archie Manning (1971), Drew Bledsoe and Rick Mirer (1993), Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf (1998), Tim Couch and Donovan McNabb (1999), and Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III (2012).
Fan injured in fall
Denver police say a man was transported to a hospital with serious injuries after falling over a railing at the start of the Denver Broncos game Sunday.
The man, who wasn't identified, fell about 15 or 16 feet in the west stands in what appeared to be an accident. The Denver Police said he was in critical condition, but did not disclose the nature of the injuries.
Late last month, a baseball fan in Atlanta died after falling from the upper deck at Turner Field in a game between the Braves and New York Yankees.
Bills honor Saban
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills made late head coach Lou Saban the 30th member of their Wall of Fame at halftime of Sunday's home opener against the Indianapolis Colts.
The team kept the honor a secret from Saban's four children, who were visibly emotional in celebrating their father's honor during a halftime ceremony.
Saban coached the Bills from 1962-65 and again from 1972-76, leading the team to consecutive AFL championships in 1964-65. In both title seasons, he was AFL Coach of the Year.
An Army veteran, Saban was a four-time champion and two-time All-Pro as a player for the Cleveland Browns from 1946-49 in the All-America Football Conference before embarking on a 50-plus year coaching career in the high school, college and professional ranks.
Saban disappointed late Bills owner Ralph Wilson in 1976 when he abruptly left the team, which led to the coach's belated honor. Saban died in March 2009 at the age of 87.
A 10th-round draft pick out of Indiana University in 1944, Saban also coached the Denver Broncos and Boston Patriots, as well as the University of Maryland, Army and the University of Miami.
Official breaks collarbone
Line judge Gary Arthur suffered a broken collarbone after being hit from behind by a player who was racing down the field to cover a punt during the first quarter in Denver.
Arthur stayed down for several minutes as he was attended to by the Denver Broncos training staff. Arthur was helped to the cart and driven from the field.
Before he left through the tunnel, Arthur tipped his cap to the crowd.
On the CBS broadcast, former official Mike Carey said crews are trained to work with six officials in case something like this happens.
Sports on 09/14/2015