Will Levis Faces Critical Challenge as Titans Struggle in 2024 Season
Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis (2-7) is in a fight to prove his potential as the franchise quarterback in Nashville.
At 25 years old, Levis is looking for any edge he can find at this stage of the season.
Despite the team’s 27-17 road loss to the Los Angeles Chargers (6-3), Levis delivered his best performance of the year, showing flashes of improvement, but still has plenty of room for growth.
Levis Prepares for His Toughest Test Yet
In football, there are no moral victories, and Levis’ journey this season has been anything but smooth.
His next challenge comes in Week 11 against a formidable Minnesota Vikings (7-2) defense, set to visit Nissan Stadium.
The Vikings, under defensive coordinator Brian Flores, lead the league in defensive EPA per play (-0.17), rank third in success rate (37.9%), and are first in both EPA per rush (-0.26) and interception percentage (4.0%).
Although Levis has never faced the Vikings in a regular-season game, he is somewhat familiar with Flores’ defensive schemes.
Tennessee participated in joint training camp practices with Minnesota during Levis’ rookie year.
“I remember scrambling in there for whatever, 24 hours before our first practice against Minnesota when we got out there, just like trying to prepare for all the different looks,” Levis recalled on Wednesday.
“Obviously, you’re not going to be able to do that jumping into a practice with them that next day.
But it was cool to get that, ‘Hey, heads up.’ This is one of the crazier defenses you’ll see in this league.
“And (Brian) Flores has done a great job wherever he’s been to make it his own and try to mess with quarterbacks. I’m going to do my best to not let it mess with me.”
Levis’ joint practice experience in 2023 was cut short due to an injury that sidelined him for the rest of his first NFL preseason.
Levis Shows Signs of Progress in Return Game
The expectations for Levis remain low as he navigates a challenging second year in the league. However, his performance against the Chargers provided a glimmer of hope.
Completing 18 of 23 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns, Levis showed progress after missing three weeks due to a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder.
Though he was sacked seven times, he managed to avoid turnovers for the first time this season, earning a quarterback rating of 127.4—his highest of the year.
To date, Levis has thrown seven touchdowns against seven interceptions, completing 68.2% of his passes for 874 yards.
Titans coach Brian Callahan also incorporated Levis into the run game, leading to a career-high 41 rushing yards on five attempts against Los Angeles.
“The ball came out on time,” Callahan said of Levis’ performance. “It was accurate. There were some tight window throws that were aggressive.
That’s what you want to see from him and quarterbacks in general. Will (Levis) did a nice job, and I think that will only get better as he plays more.
He learned some lessons on the sacks about when to hold onto the ball and when to get rid of it quickly. Those are crucial learning experiences for him.
“But overall, I was pleased with many things he did in that game. It showed a lot of growth from earlier in the season, so hopefully, we can build on that. This week’s defense is a tough test, but I’m confident in where he’s at.”
Levis has eight more games to demonstrate significant improvement, starting with Minnesota in Week 11.
Tune in to Titans Radio’s pregame coverage at 9 a.m. CT on 104.5 The Zone in Nashville.
