NEW ORLEANS » "Sometimes," Marcus Mariota acknowledged with a grin, "it is better to be lucky than good."

Sunday he was plenty of both.

Returning from two weeks on the sidelines due to an injured knee, Mariota passed for four touchdowns, including the walk-off game winner in overtime, to guide the Tennessee Titans past the New Orleans Saints, 34-28, in the latest chapter of his growing legend.

While the victory ended a six-game losing streak for the 2-6 Titans, who underwent a tumultuous week with a head coach change, it also underlined in dramatic fashion what they have long suspected about their rookie first round draft choice from Hawaii. Namely, "We’re always in the ballgame with Marcus," said Titans interim head coach Mike Mularkey. "This just kind of reinforced it, not just for him, but our whole team."

In nine quarters without the Saint Louis School graduate, who had suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee after a controversial hit Oct. 18, the Titans scored one touchdown.

Sunday the Heisman Trophy winner made his mark before 73,075 in the Superdome completing 28 of 39 passes for 371 yards and a two-point conversion without suffering an interception.

Yet for all his passing acumen, including the well-executed roll out, across-the-field 5-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Fasano for the win in overtime, it was a toss that got away from Mariota that the game turned on. A toss that honesty compelled Mariota to concede was targeted for "the stands."

Trailing 14-3 in the first quarter, Mariota faced a heavy rush from the Saints. "I mean they brought pressure, they had an extra (pass rusher) we weren’t able to pick up and, really, I was just trying to throw it away," he said.

"Right when I threw it, it was like, ‘I didn’t put enough on (the throw),’" Mariota said.

But a ball that was up for grabs between two New Orleans defenders was tipped up in the air, where tight end Delanie Walker hauled it in and ran 61 yards for the touchdown.

"Delanie made a good, heads-up play, tracking the ball and coming up with it, "Mariota said.

Walker said, "To be honest, I lost the ball in the lights when he threw it up. But he got it up there and gave me an opportunity to make a play. They (the defenders) ran into each other, I turned around and saw the ball pop out, grabbed it and ran for the touchdown."

Saints coach Sean Payton said, "There’s not a lot I can say to you guys when something like that happens."

While Mariota called it "a lucky break," Mularkey termed it "an ignitor" for the previously down-on-their-luck Titans.

One big reason they were in such straits was their ability to protect their quarterbacks — Mariota and, when he got injured, backup Zach Mettenberger. The Titans had given up 28 sacks — most among NFL teams that had played seven games entering this week. In 19 of them Mariota was the victim. Often painfully so.

The fact that the Titans had been unable to protect their $23 million investment and the previous head coach of two seasons, Ken Whisenhunt, had left Mariota exposed to additional punishment, were reasons said to be behind the abrupt coaching change last week.

Mularkey reconfigured the offensive line, benching some starters, promoting new ones and switching positions on others. And he also called upon Mariota to do his part in getting rid of the ball faster. "Coach said pass protection takes all 11 (men)," Mariota said. "I had to do a better job, too."

It paid off: Mariota wasn’t sacked Sunday.

Left tackle Taylor Lewan said, "Marcus is a warrior out there and what today showed is that it is a lot better having him standing up than being (knocked) on the ground."

"For (Mariota) to come back and come out here today off an injury and do what he did says a lot about him," Walker said. "That just excites me for him and his future — and what we can become."