The Sports Xchange

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The biggest question facing the Tennessee Titans in Week 2 is what do they do for an encore.

Rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota stunned the entire NFL with four touchdown passes to four different receivers in a Week 1 rout of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 42-14.

In the process, Mariota was selected the AFC Offensive Player of the Week.

Now, Mariota and the Titans are on the road again to face the Cleveland Browns. The challenge could be a little tougher this week, if only for the fact that there is now solid game film for teams to dissect from the Titans and Mariota.

For Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt, it is about continuing to build and progress, not only with his rookie quarterback but the overall roster.

“We’ve got a lot to improve on, that’s for sure,” Whisenhunt said. “There are a couple things that we’re trying to do better. That’s really what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to get better each week.”

For his part, Mariota was staying low key as usual.

“Defenses will always try to find ways to make it hard for you,” the quarterback said. “For me, it’s always taking it one day at a time and trying to improve myself, so that when defenses do change up and there’s some wrinkle, I’ll be prepared for it.”

The biggest test for the Titans this week might be trying to repeat a triumph. Last season, Tennessee also opened the year with a road win and then fell with a major thud, losing 14 of the next 15 and the final 10 in a row.

“We won a game in Tampa this week, we expected to go down there and win, and we moved on. I’m happy for our fans,” Whisenhunt said. “They deserve for us to play a little better. But I’ve said all along, we’ve got to build up equity with our fans. We’ve got to show them that we can do this more than once a year, so that’s what our focus is.”

Mariota, who wasn’t even around for last year’s disaster, understands that the same thing can’t happen again and that one win doesn’t necessarily complete the needed culture change.

“It is a confidence-booster, but I think these guys understand it’s just the first game,” he said. “I wasn’t here last year, but a lot of the guys in the locker room continue to talk about how they won the first game (last year) and then it didn’t go so well.”

SERIES HISTORY: 63rd regular-season meeting. Browns lead series, 34-28. The Titans must feel as if they owe the Browns one. Last year, the Titans had a 28-3 lead, lost QB Jake Locker to an injury and eventually lost the game 29-28 as the Browns executed the biggest road comeback in NFL history.

INJURY NOTES

–RB Antonio Andrews, who sat out Sunday’s game due to a hamstring injury sustained last week, did not practice Wednesday.

–CB Jason McCourty plans to step up his rehab this week, but his chances of playing following groin surgery at the end of the preseason still appear to be remote.

–TE Delanie Walker missed practice Wednesday due to a sprained right wrist sustained in Sunday’s win over the Bucs.

–DT Sammie Hill remains out with a knee injury, and he could miss a few more weeks.

–CB Cody Riggs was held out of Wednesday’s practice with a minor knee injury.