Marcus Mariota slam dunks game-tying TD vs. Chargers (Video)

Marcus Mariota tied Thursday night’s game with an awesome rushing touchdown.

Marcus Mariota faced the tough task of coming off the bench Thursday night once staring quarterback Derek Carr went down with an injury. The Las Vegas Raiders desperately need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive, and fans are looking to Mariota to be the savior.

He has looked great since coming on and he even tied up the game at 24-24 with a fourth-quarter rushing touchdown that featured a thunderous slam dunk finish in the end zone.

Marcus Mariota slams it home to tie the game

Mariota brings a whole new dynamic to the Raiders offense. Not to say Carr deserves to be benched moving forward, but it has been fun to watch Mariota play like his old self Thursday night.

He also threw for a touchdown before running it in for a score. This is why the Raiders brought him in this offseason and why he was paid like a mid-level starting quarterback. He signed a two-year deal worth $17.6 million with extra incentives built in as well.

The former No. 2 overall pick should be kept by the Raiders in 2021. However, he is also auditioning to prove he deserves to be a starter somewhere next season if that is not a possibility in Las Vegas.

The Raiders cannot afford to lose Thursday night. Carr going down early could have been a death sentence if the team was not prepared. Now it is up to Mariota to keep scoring and prove he can lead this team if Carr is not able to go for an extended period of time.