Mariani giving the Titans what they needed

Remember when Marc Mariani was making a name for himself returning kickoffs and punts for the Tennessee Titans? Remember that Pro Bowl season of 2010?

Seems like a long time ago now.

But to Mariani, and Tennessee fans, it doesn’t seem that way anymore because the former Havre High and Montana Grizzly star is doing it all over again.

On Sunday, Mariani had five returns for 40 total yards in the Tennessee Titans’ win over the Miami Dolphins. That followed a game in which Mariani had over 100 all-purpose yards against the Houston Texans, so, to say the least, the former Titan is back in Nashville, giving Tennessee the exact boost it was looking for in the return game.

“The return game, that’s the first thing, it’s ball security,” Mariani said. “Your job is to give the ball to the offense. That’s the first step, and the second step after that is to make plays. That’s a huge thing in my game. It’s really important to me. It’s something that I take very serious, ball security, and giving the ball back to the offense.

Mariani has been doing just that for a young, but improving, Titans’ squad.

Through five games back in Tennessee, now wearing No. 87, Mariani ranks fourth in the NFL in kickoff returns. He’s taken 11 returns thus far for 256 yards, and is second in the league with his 23.3 yards per return average. His long return this year is 33 yards.

In looking at the stats, that number might be below the 27 yards per return he averaged during his rookie season in Tennessee, but that season came before the NFL changed kickoff rules, and moved the kicker’s up five yards.

Mariani has been equally as good on punt returns, and in ball security. He has 11 punts this season for 80 yards and a 7.3 yards per return average. Mariani, who has three career returns for touchdowns, all coming in his first stint with the Titans, has also had zero turnovers so far this season, and that’s something that remains important to him.

“I think that’s one of the real keys and reasons why I’ve been able to do it so long, is just because I take pride in it,” he said about ball security.

Of course, Mariani hasn’t seen any time with the Tennessee offense yet, after having a breakout season with the Chicago Bears a year ago, when he set career highs in both catches and receiving yards. Nevertheless, he’s making a big difference in the return game, and overall, for the second time in his career, he’s making a big difference with the Tennessee Titans.

Mariani and the Titans are set to host the Cleveland Browns this Sunday at LP Field in Nashville.