For the final 30 minutes of the AFC wild card game, the Chiefs had no answer for Marcus Mariota. The Titans quarterback led his team on a 19-point run of scoring on the way to a win.

The Titans’ next opponent, the Patriots, better have an answer for Mariota, who finished the wild card game with 205 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, one interception and 46 rushing yards. Not impressed? He also threw a touchdown pass to himself.

There won’t be one Patriots’ player who can single-handedly stop Mariota. But linebacker Marquis Flowers could be instrumental in limiting the mobile quarterback.

Flowers is no stranger to Mariota. He played against him once in the pros when Flowers played for the Bengals. He also saw Mariota in college with Flowers playing for Arizona and Mariota quarterbacking the Oregon offense.

The Patriots have had their good moments against mobile quarterbacks, like when they limited Tyrod Taylor to six carries for 48 yards in his two games against the Patriots. But it has gotten ugly, too. Deshaun Watson had eight carries for 41 yards, but was impossibly elusive in and out of the pocket. Cam Newton had eight carries for 44 yards and a touchdown. Matt Ryan ran for a season-high 37 yards on three carries, all of which went for a first down.

There’s one difference between the Patriots’ defensive outings against Watson, Newton and even Ryan. Flowers wasn’t a starter. This isn’t to say Flowers is suddenly one of the best linebackers in the league. But even his teammates can appreciate what he’s brought to the defense.

Kyle Van Noy was asked how Flowers played while Van Noy was sidelined with injury.

“I mean, how many sacks did he have?” Van Noy said. “Tackles and game-changing plays and him becoming a better player each and every week he steps on the field.”

Van Noy has a point. Flowers recorded 3.5 sacks in the final two regular season games of the season. He also tallied 14 tackles in that span. His impact in Week 16 against Taylor and the Buffalo Bills was particularly large. That’s when Flowers recorded 10 tackles and 2.5 sacks. One of those sack came on a fourth-and-2 with the Bills in the Patriots’ red area.

But Flowers downplayed those performances.

“(Marucus)’s different in a way. Obviously, Tyrod’s a good quarterback, great player, makes thing happens. Marcus is the same way,” Flowers said. “Marcus is actually fast. I don’t want to say he’s faster. I don’t want to say who’s faster. But his speed, his ability to create plays on the run. It’s going to be a challenge for us.”

Mariota is, indeed, different. Limiting him will be the key to getting a lead and keeping it for the Patriots.