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PITTSBURGH – **Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota shouldered the blame for his four interception game here on Thursday night.
After the contest, his teammates and head coach had his back.
"If you throw four interceptions it is tough to win," Mariota said. "A lot of credit to Pittsburgh, they made a bunch of plays and got the best of us tonight.
"(The interceptions) are on me. When it comes down to it, I am the one that makes the decision to throw, and just bad decisions. I have to do a better job if it's not there to either tuck it away, or throw it out of bounds."
Mariota completed 22-of-33 passes for 306 yards and a touchdown in the team's 40-17 loss to the Steelers. The 75-yard touchdown pass to receiver Rishard Matthews on the first play of the second half was the longest touchdown pass of Mariota's career.
But the Titans were derailed by their own mistakes. Mariota threw two interceptions in each half, and he was sacked five times on the night. Tight end Delanie Walker dropped a would-be touchdown in the end zone.
Titans coach Mike Mularkey said Mariota doesn't deserve all the blame. Some of the team's young receivers could have helped him out, he said. Rookie Corey Davis was the intended target on at least two of the balls that were picked off.
"The first one sailed on him, there's no doubt on that," Mularkey said. "He could've used some help on the other ones, especially from some young guys. Some lessons learned from some young players."
Walker was upset with himself on his dropped touchdown pass. He said he took his eyes off the football.
"I can't say he was skittish or nervous or anything, but sometimes the ball gets away from you and it happened a few times today," Walker said. "I dropped a ball, and I am very upset about that.
"It's not all on him. The quarterback always gets blamed for situations when we lose the game. It's not just Marcus – there's 10 other guys out there that need to make plays. I didn't help him … and a lot of passes were batted up in the air. We can't always put everything on the quarterback."
The Titans return to action on November 26 against the Colts.
Mariota said it will be long stretch.
"But I believe it will be beneficial," Mariota said. "I think it will leave a sour taste -- it will leave a very sour taste in my mouth. But to kind of go over the weekend, to think about it, to learn from it, I think we'll be a lot better."
The Tennessee Titans take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11 at Heinz Field. (Photos: Donn Jones, AP)