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TAMPA, Fla. -- Rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota threw four touchdown passes in the first half, looking like a pro in his NFL debut as the Tennessee Titans had an easy opener, throttling the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jameis Winston 42-14 at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday. "We worked hard all week and to be able to be successful and execute was good for us," Mariota said after the game. "The entire offense played well. I'm very fortunate to be a part of the group that I am."
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The game was eagerly anticipated as the first-ever meeting of quarterbacks drafted first and second overall making their NFL debuts, but it wasn't ever a close contest. Mariota got most of the fourth quarter off, pulled for backup Zach Mettenberger.
"They made more plays than us. A lot more plays than us," Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy said. "We started the game with a turnover, and then they kind of just had their way with us."
The Titans led 14-0 in the first four minutes, with Mariota throwing a 52-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kendall Wright. Then Winston, on his first career throw, was intercepted by Titans cornerback Coty Sensabaugh and it was returned 26 yards for a touchdown.
Mariota marched the Titans 63 yards on their next drive, hitting running back Bishop Sankey for a 12-yard touchdown pass and a 21-0 lead, just 8:11 into the game.
Mariota finished 13-for-16 for 209 yards and four touchdowns with a perfect passer rating of 158.3 for the day.
"I'm not surprised. He's the No. 2 overall pick," Bucs corner Tim Jennings said. "They had a good game plan. Look one way, get rid of the ball. He was able to do that. We didn't get enough pressure on him, didn't knock him off his track. That's easy for any quarterback."
The Bucs put together a touchdown drive, with Winston scrambling to convert a fourth-and-1 and hitting tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins for a 5-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the second quarter, the first of two touchdowns between the two.
"I want to win. I want the W, so personally, when my head hits the pillow, I'm thinking about how we're going to get better for the New Orleans Saints," Seferian-Jenkins said. "I'm not worried about my stats. What I did is great, but we all saw the scoreboard. We lost, and the most important thing is winning."
Momentum shifted back to Tennessee on another fourth-down call. Bucs running back Doug Martin was initially ruled to have a first down near midfield, but a review re-spotted the ball and it was measured short. The Titans went 56 yards for another touchdown, with Mariota hitting receiver Harry Douglas for his third touchdown and a 28-7 lead.
Winston was intercepted again -- a similar screen pass, short and picked off by rookie linebacker Deiontrez Mount. On third-and-goal from the 1, Mariota hit tight end Delanie Walker for a 1-yard score and a 35-7 lead.
Mariota's four touchdown passes broke a 55-year-old Titans record for a rookie in his first start. He went to halftime 10-for-13 for 175 yards and four touchdowns.
Winston struggled on third downs. The Bucs went 1-for-6 in the first half and he had both his interceptions on third-down plays. The Bucs had just 134 yards of total offense after three quarters, and Winston finished 16-for-33 for 210 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Bucs had allowed 40-plus points in a home game just one other time in 17-plus seasons at Raymond James Stadium -- a 48-17 loss to the Ravens last season. The franchise record for points allowed was 49, to the Vikings in 1988.
GAMTE NOTES: Bucs WR Mike Evans was inactive for Sunday's season opener against the Titans with a hamstring injury, taking away a top target for rookie QB Jameis Winston in his NFL debut. The Titans had two defensive starters inactive with injuries as well in CB Jason McCourty (groin) and DT Sammie Hill (knee). ... Evans has been sidelined since Aug. 24 after injuring his hamstring against the Bengals, missing the last two preseason games. ... The Bucs' other inactives were CB Mike Jenkins (hamstring), DE T.J. Fatinikun (shoulder), RB Mike James, QB Ryan Griffin, C Eric Kush and DE Kourtnei Brown. ... Titans inactives were QB Charlie Whitehurst, RB Antonio Andrews, G Quinton Spain, TE Chase Coffman and DE Ropati Pitoitua.
