NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee Titans want wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham to show he can play well every game, not just in spurts.
Green-Beckham initially benefited when the Titans changed coaches. The rookie had a big performance in interim coach's Mike Mularkey's debut that helped Tennessee beat New Orleans, but he was a non-factor Sunday in a 27-10 loss to Carolina.
Green-Beckham didn't catch a pass against the Panthers. Mularkey noted Green-Beckham shortened his route on one play during that game, allowing Kurt Coleman to go behind him for a diving interception.
"A lot of that is he is a young player," Mularkey said. "I think it was really a good lesson for him, and unfortunately a tough lesson for our team. But I think it's a good lesson. That's a throw that is a timed throw, a spot throw, that if you're running that thing and coming out of it that would have dropped right in his lap.
"He's got to understand that as a receiver that's why Marcus is so accurate and so efficient. (Mariota) doesn't wait for guys to get open. He knows where they're going to be and he's going to throw it there. And they need to be there."
It is a lesson that will have to be learned on the fly, beginning Thursday night when the Titans visit Jacksonville.
Green-Beckham figures to play a bigger role for the rest of the year with Justin Hunter lost for the season due to a fractured ankle and Kendall Wright's status uncertain with his injured knee.
At times it has been a slow process for Green-Beckham, who didn't play college football last year after transferring from Missouri to Oklahoma.
But in other instances, such as the victory against the Saints, Green-Beckham has flashed the raw talent that prompted the Titans to decide to use a second-round pick on him in this year's draft.
Although he has only 12 receptions for 181 yards this season, Green-Beckham seems aware of what is expected of him going forward.
"Yeah, I feel like now it's definitely put a target on my back and knowing that these guys see what I'm capable of doing on Sunday," Green-Beckham said. "They're going to expect that this week and they're going to expect it constantly."
That is something offensive coordinator Jason Michael has been preaching to him. He said Green-Beckham took a step in the right direction against New Orleans.
Michael added, "Now he's got to build on that and continue to do it week in and week out, practice and the games to get better to where we want him to be."