Mariani moving forward

Marc Mariani has now played in a real NFL football game.

But before he finds out if he'll be making any appearances in regular season games for the Tennessee Titans this season, he's got three more games and plenty of practices to go.

Such is life for a rookie from the University of Montana in and NFL training camp.

Not only is the future for rookies like Mariani and so many others around the league uncertain, but life in training camp is a whole other way of life.

Still, Mariani says he's adjusted well, and he hasn't even been subjected to as much of the rookie treatment as the NFL is widely known for.

"There hasn't been a lot of that stuff," Mariani said. "I mean, the usual stuff like carrying the vets' pads, their bags, things like that. I've had to provide the veteran guys in our meetings with more candy and food than they could possibly eat. But for the most part, the vets are just on us all the time about getting better, about working hard and about being a professional. I'm learning a lot from those guys."

It shows.

Just two weeks into training camp, Mariani showcased what he's learned in the Titans' preseason opener at Seattle last Saturday. Not only did he grab three catches and a two-point conversion, but he looked very sharp on special teams.

And the three keys to making an NFL roster for a rookie seventh-round pick are special teams, special teams and special teams.

Against the Seahawks, Mariani had several good punt returns and kick returns, but he made several crucial plays on punt cover, and he also played on the kick-off cover team. Those are things that first got Mariani noticed as a freshman at Montana, and they stood out again in his first NFL game.

"Marc was one of those guys that just went out there and played and had fun," Titans' head coach Jeff Fisher said after Saturday's game. "I think he made good decisions in the return game. The balls were all over the place. He got to the right place with the kickoffs, and he was in the right spot on offense, made a couple catches. And he forced the fair catch as a gunner.

"I took a lot away from that game," Mariani said. "I was so anxious to get out there and strap it up and find out what it was like. I've been training for eight months straight so I was more than ready to get out there and play football again.

"As for the biggest differences, obviously the speed was one, but you're prepared for that. We all know the NFL game is fast. But the physicality of it I guess took me by surprise early on. You just can't simulate the speed and physicality, even in an NFL practice. It was just really physical, but I thought I adjusted well to it and I was able to make some plays when I got my opportunities."

What's next for Mariani is more practice and a date with the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football in Nashville. He says as well he felt like he played against the Seahawks, he doesn't really know what that means for his future, or even for the next preseason game, but that he knows as a rookie, he has to continue to work hard and keep making plays whenever and wherever his number is called.

"I'm not sure if how I played in my first game will mean more reps in the next game," he added. "But I learned a lot and the playing time I got and the plays I made will be so beneficial for me as training camp goes on. The biggest thing is, now I know what it's like. Next time, I can go out there and just play fast, I'll know what to expect. But for now, I just have to keep working my butt off, keep learning, and keep getting better each and every day."

Mariani will play his second preseason game with the Titans on Monday night when Tennessee hosts the Cardinals on ESPN's Monday Night Football. The game will start at 6 p.m. M.S.T.

Note: Fans can follow Mariani as he

tries to make the Titans' 53-man roster throughout training camp with the Havre Daily News.