Filling in for a hurt Ryan Tannehill, Will Levis fires four touchdowns in first game to finally bring light to a Titans offense that’s struggled
NASHVILLE, Tenn.– A fumbled snap by Malik Willis was all it took for the Titans to hand over the reins of the offense to rookie Will Levis from Kentucky. Then he threw four touchdowns and 238 yards. It was just what the Titans so desperately needed.
New questions arise as the Titans seem to enter a new era of offensive football. After searching for answers between veteran quarterback Ryan Tannehill and second year Malik Willis, was the true solution Will Levis after all? Maybe, or maybe not– depending on what way you look at it.
It was all boom or bust for the strong-armed former Wildcat, throwing the long ball, emphasizing the vertical portion of offensive coordinator Tim Kelly’s offense we haven’t ever seen before. While Levis tossed four touchdowns in his first NFL game action, supposed starter Ryan Tannehill only has 2 throughout the previous six games.
“Not a bad debut,” Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said on Sunday, via ESPN‘s Turron Davenport. “We hit some shots down the field. The opportunities to move the ball down the field were there, and we hit ’em.”
“This is a dream come true for sure,” Levis said on Sunday. “I dreamed of this moment as a kid, and to get a win is incredible. But we have a few more minutes to celebrate it today, then we’re on to Pittsburgh, as Vrabel would say.”
Levis looked like a true gunslinger out there, making most of his passing yardage on the four touchdowns and a couple other big plays. But for the most part, he played without issue and made throws on time– a big gripe cited by analysts in the scouting process.
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Levis’ performance reversed some ugly trends in Tennessee. The win marked the Titans’ first win in 11 attempts against a team with a winning record. It was also the first time Tennessee scored more than 28 points in 23 games.
Levis’ four-TD performance in his first career start is one off the NFL record of five, set by Gary Cuozzo for the Baltimore Colts in 1965. It’s the first four-touchdown debut since Marcus Mariota did the same thing for the Titans in 2015.
Ryan Tannehill’s injury paired with the usage of DeAndre Hopkins could open up the door for more opportunities for Levis to start, along with the probability he will be given the keys next week. While it’s too early to dictate whether or not Levis can retain the starting job for good, his 19-for-29 completion ratio sure looks like a winner.
As Derrick Henry put it, “He was ballin’, huh?”
