Marcus Mariota looks comfortable in Titans' new offense

Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota drops back to pass during the team's preseason opener Thursday night at Green Bay.
Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota drops back to pass during the team's preseason opener Thursday night at Green Bay.
photo Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota drops back to pass during the team's preseason opener Thursday night at Green Bay.

NASHVILLE - Mike Vrabel wanted his head coaching debut to begin on offense.

He got his wish, along with an impressive beginning, in the Tennessee Titans' preseason opener Thursday night at Green Bay.

Quarterback Marcus Mariota and the Titans wasted no time providing a glimpse of what they can do in their new offense, driving 71 yards for a touchdown on the first series despite having four regular starters sidelined. Three-time Pro Bowl tight end Delanie Walker was a healthy scratch, wide receivers Corey Davis and Rishard Matthews were out with undisclosed injuries and right tackle Jack Conklin is recovering from a torn ACL.

"It was an efficient drive, it was a good drive," Vrabel said Friday, "and it was good to see that group go down there and kind of do what they did in in the (intrasquad) scrimmage, the one Friday night scrimmage that we had, and then be able to carry that over now into this week."

The Titans wound up losing 31-17 to the Packers, with the second-team offense settling for a field goal after Vrabel let new backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert throw on fourth-and-4 at the Green Bay 12.

The attention is on Mariota, though, as the fourth-year pro takes controls of the offense being installed by coordinator Matt LaFleur. Putting the No. 2 overall pick of the 2015 draft in a better scheme is one reason why the Titans fired Mike Mularkey in January and replaced him with Vrabel.

Mariota, healthy all offseason for the first time since his rookie year, was sacked on the second play of the opening series but later scrambled for 7 yards. He finished 2-of-3 passing for 42 yards.

Davis, who has not practiced since leaving a session early last weekend, dressed and warmed up but did not play. Matthews is the lone veteran of the receiving corps, and he remains on the physically unable to perform list.

That left Mariota with Taywan Taylor - a third-round pick in 2017 - and Darius Jennings as his starting receivers. Jennings originally signed with Cleveland in 2015 as an undrafted free agent out of Virginia and started one of the four games he played that season with the Browns. The Titans released Jennings last November before bringing him back again.

"Overall it is a young group, so it is exciting to see those guys get a chance to play," Mariota said. "With that being said, these guys have an opportunity, and they need to make the most of it. We are really going to have to count on some of those guys throughout the year, and that is good to see that in live game action."

Jennings, who is working to earn a roster spot, capped the opening drive with a 4-yard touchdown catch. Derrick Henry, the new starter at running back after the Titans cut DeMarco Murray in the spring, had an 8-yard run on an outside zone play that will be a feature of this offense.

The Titans still have plenty to work on before hosting Tampa Bay for two joint practices before their preseason game Aug. 18. Running back Dalyn Dawkins was flagged for one of three lowering-the-helmet penalties on the Titans, and they lost the time-of-possession battle in the final three quarters. They held the ball for only 2 minutes, 10 seconds in the third quarter.

"Always room for improvement," Vrabel said.

Some already has been made off the field.

The Titans went 1-3 in the preseason a year ago under Mularkey. Whether it was Vrabel's debut or the Titans playing their first game in their new uniforms, TV ratings in Nashville jumped 39 percent over the opener a year ago, from an 11.9 rating to 16.6.

In Friday moves, the Titans agreed to terms with safety Steven Terrell and waived injured outside linebacker Gimel President and defensive lineman Johnny Maxey. Terrell has played 42 career games in stints with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs.

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