NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Marcus Mariota flashed, Taywan Taylor dashed, and the Titans provided some more positive vibes on Saturday night vs the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Of course, like most preseason games, there were some not-so-great moments as well.
The Titans lost to the Buccaneers 30-14 in preseason game No.2 at Nissan Stadium.
Mariota played just two series, and finished the night 4-of-7 for 80 yards, and a touchdown, with a passer rating of 136.9. He's now played three drives this preseason, including Week One at Green Bay, and guided the team to two touchdowns in those appearances.
Mariota engineered a six-play, 75-yard drive that was capped off with a 47-yard touchdown pass to Taylor to give the Titans a 7-3 drive at the end of the first quarter.
"Taywan made a huge play," Mariota said.
Taylor caught two touchdown passes in the contest, and finished the night with four catches for 95 yards, with the two scores. He caught a three-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Blaine Gabbert in the second half.
Running back Dion Lewis was also among the stars of the night on offense, albeit in limited time.
"We are always, every week trying to get better," receiver Nick Williams said. "You are either getting better, or you are getting worse, so we are always going to be critical of ourselves. Whether it's good or bad you move quickly and keep showing up and working.
"And that's what we have to do."
Lewis caught a pair of passes and showed his elusiveness along the way on to spark the team's first scoring drive, and the Titans led 7-3 at the end of the first quarter before back-ups entered the contest.
In the second quarter, facing Titans reserves, Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston got on a roll, throwing for 226 yards and two touchdowns – an eight-yard pass to Chris Godwin and a 21-yard strike to Justin Watson – as Tampa Bay raced to a 20-7 lead.
That's when Taylor caught his second touchdown pass of the night, which cut the lead to 20-14 in the third quarter. The Buccaneers stretched the lead to 23-14 before Luke Falk entered the game at quarterback for the Titans. The Buccaneers made it 30-14 on a Ryan Griffin touchdown pass to Sergio Bailey in the fourth quarter.
The Titans travel to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers in preseason game No.3 next Saturday.
Players know there's work to be done. The Titans committed 11 penalties for 134 yards against the Buccaneers.
"At the end of the day we are still not where we want to be – we have a lot of work to do," Titans defensive lineman Jurrell Casey said. "We definitely still have work to do. I don't think we are anywhere near where we want to be. There's a lot of things we need to continue to build on."
The Tennessee Titans prepare to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the the second preseason game for both teams Saturday night at Nissan Stadium. (Photos: Donn Jones, AP)
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Corey Davis (84) takes the field before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski
Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski
Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
A Tennessee Titans fan watches as players warm up before a preseason NFL football game between the Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota, center, greets teammates before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Chandler Catanzaro warms up as Bryan Anger (9) holds before a preseason NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Tennessee Titans defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (90) warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Tennessee Titans cornerback Adoree' Jackson warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Tennessee Titans cornerback Adoree' Jackson warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Tennessee Titans linebacker Derrick Morgan warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski))
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski))
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski))
Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski))
Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski))
Tennessee Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk walks on the field as players warm up before a preseason NFL football game between the Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski))
Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel watches as players warm up before a preseason NFL football game between the Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski))
Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, center, watches as players warm up before a preseason NFL football game between the Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski))
Tennessee Titans fan Jennifer McCurry watches as the pieces of a giant Jenga game fall outside Nissan Stadium before a preseason NFL football game between the Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
Tennessee Titans rookie punter Austin Barnard warms up before a preseason NFL football game between the Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy kneels on the field before a preseason NFL football game between the Buccaneers and the Tennessee Titans Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski))
Tampa Bay Buccaneers punter Bryan Anger warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Jerita Richardson wears lipstick to match the Tennessee Titans colors before a preseason NFL football game between the Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
Tennessee Titans offensive guard Josh Kline takes the field before a preseason NFL football game between the Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski))
Michael Serwinowski, 9, plays outside Nissan Stadium before a preseason NFL football game between the Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
Tennessee Titans payers, including Jayon Brown (55) and Jurrell Casey (99) stand for the national anthem before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel watches from the sideline in the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
Tennessee Titans offensive tackle Dennis Kelly (71) takes the field before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) takes the field before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) takes the field before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
Tennessee Titans players stand for the national anthem before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Darius Jennings warms up before a preseason NFL football game between the Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski))
Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry takes the field before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski))
Tennessee Titans defensive back Demontre Hurst (20) and linebacker Sharif Finch (56) take the field before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel stands between Rico Gafford (40) and Jayon Brown (55) during the national anthem before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
Players from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, left, and the Tennessee Titans, right, wait for referee Clay Martin to toss the coin before a preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski))
Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel talks with field judge Dave Meslow (118)in the first half of a preseason NFL football game Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jurrell Casey (99) waits to take the field before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
Players from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, left, and Tennessee Titans, right, shake hands before a preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski))
