The Tennessee Titans took a 10-7 lead into halftime against the New York Jets, but one can't exactly credit QB Will Levis. The sophomore signal-caller made headlines in Week 1 with a particularly egregious interception — a pick-six that led the Chicago Bears to victory despite less than 150 yards of total offense.
It also led to what could be the defining image of this NFL season and Levis' career.
Will Levis did the Will Levis thing again pic.twitter.com/5SIdyb7oOW
— Football (@BostonConnr) September 15, 2024
Lo and behold, Will Levis is back to his old tricks in Week 2. Despite leading an early touchdown drive and putting several impressive passes on tape, it's hard to move past the 25-year-old's propensity for unforced errors.
Under pressure in the pocket, Levis was about to take a sack on third-and-goal. Fine, you take the field goal and move on. No need to force it into tra—no, Will, no, STOP. STOP, WILL.
“It’s Will Levis time.” - Will Levis
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) September 15, 2024
pic.twitter.com/8UJpVb8uw0
Uhhhhh. Oops.
Brian Callahan, the new head coach tasked with cultivating Levis' talents in what should be a potent offense, had an extremely relatable — if not quite suitable for work — response to Levis' boneheaded fumble.
Brian Callahan after the latest Will Levis maniac play:
— Sam Monson (@SamMonsonNFL) September 15, 2024
"Hey, what the fuck are you doing??" pic.twitter.com/vVKuS3aLVG
I am not a professional lip reader, but hey, I am not a professional basketball player either and I can still drain a few shots on a weekday evening. We all know what he's saying.
To make matters worse, Levis threw an interception on his very next drive. So, yeah, Tennessee fans are in a rough state despite what is ostensibly a positive start against a good (?) Jets team.
Will Levis can't help himself when under pressure in Titans-Jets
The Titans probably have some soul-searching on the horizon before a Week 3 showdown against the Green Bay Packers and (potentially) former Tennessee QB Malik Willis. While Levis made a strong case for the starting job last season, the Titans did go out and sign Mason Rudolph, who was under center for the Steelers' postseason game a season ago.
Levis has the talent, but he needs to sharpen his decision-making — and fast. These mistakes are taking points off the board for Tennessee and leading directly to scoring opportunities for the opposition. There's a real chance the Titans end up 0-2 expressly because of Levis' inexplicable missteps.
Simply put, there's a strong case for starting Mason Rudolph next week.
That said, if the Titans stick with Levis, that could instill confidence in a QB who is still learning the ropes at the NFL level. He's supposed to be the long-term guy, and sometimes it's good to let a young quarterback work through his mistakes.
Either approach is valid, but frankly, we should all be rooting for the latter. Why? Well, because the content is glorious.
Normal QB: I got tackled, onto the next play
— subscribe to the state of the league patreon (@JoestarJokic) September 15, 2024
Will Levis: pic.twitter.com/nmHxXQ4kPd
will levis’s brain at all times pic.twitter.com/IWqR1OLvab
— kev mahserejian (@RotoSurgeon) September 15, 2024
Tennessee Titans coaches asked Will Levis to PLEASE stop turning the ball over after throwing the game away last week:
— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) September 15, 2024
Will Levis:
pic.twitter.com/2JfFDxKfmB
If the NFL wants to avoid the 'No Fun League' accusations, there should be a written decree that cements Levis as the Titans' starting quarterback all season, without alternative. That improves the at-home entertainment experience for 29 fanbases.
As for Titans fans, well, sorry, y'all.