Dixon completed 18 of 26 passes for 236 yards and an interception in his second NFL start, shaking off a series of underthrown passes early in the game to become more accurate in the second half. Even if, Tomlin said Tuesday, "I'd like the throws to be more on target."

"There were some situations early in the game where he was delivering the ball to the appropriate target, but it was falling short," Tomlin said. "I thought as the game wore on, he was creating a little bit. I thought him stepping up in the pocket and hitting Hines (Ward) on a third-and-9-plus was the signature play of the game. Of course, we're going with him because we feel he's going to continue to evolve."

Dixon probably won't have left tackle Max Starks to protect his blind side against the Titans (1-0), who beat Oakland 38-13 behind Chris Johnson's 142 yards rushing.