Marcus Mariota leaves Titans game with hamstring injury

Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota had already thrown two interceptions against the Houston Texans before leaving the game with a hamstring injury.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota left Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium due to a hamstring injury.

Mariota did not start the second half of the game, with Matt Cassel taking the snaps after the Texans opened a 37-14 lead with a grinding 17-play drive that ate up 8:09 at the start of the third quarter.

The former Heisman Trophy winner had scored both of Tennessee’s touchdowns in the first half on running plays. Mariota scored on a 34-yard run early in the second quarter and later got into the end zone with a dive at the pylon from 2 yards out.

Mariota was just 6-of-10 for 96 yards and threw two interceptions in the first half, to go with 39 rushing yards on four attempts. By contrast, rookie Deshaun Watson was 24-for-32 for 275 yards with three touchdowns and an interception through the first three quarters. Watson also added 24 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Mariota, in his second NFL season from the University of Oregon, was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Last season, in 15 starts, Mariota threw for 3,426 yards and 26 touchdowns against just nine picks and ran for 349 yards and two scores.

Prior to Sunday, Mariota had completed 60 percent of his throws for 696 yards and three touchdowns with one interception in the season’s first three games for the 2-1 Titans.

Next: 15 fastest 40 times in NFL scouting combine history

The appearance Sunday marked the first of the season for the 35-year-old Cassel, in his 13th season overall and his second as Mariota’s backup in Tennessee. Last season, Cassel played in four games and made one start.