Well, folks, the Tennessee Titans’ rollercoaster ride of a season—more downs than ups—may have found a glimmer of hope in Will Levis. Rookie quarterback? Sure. But watching him navigate the gridiron tonight, I thought, “Is this guy channeling his inner NFL maestro, or is he just good at dodging sacks?” Besotted? Oh, Tennessee fans are swooning alright.Facing the Steelers, and particularly that beast, TJ Watt—(ever tried escaping a charging rhino?)—Levis, in parts, looked axiomatic. It’s rumored he’s got an arm akin to a medieval catapult. Off-balance? Wrong foot? No problem! That elastic arm can still hurl a missile. And, while it’s a joy watching Derek Henry mow down enemies at 4.2 yards a pop, Levis, perforce, mustn’t rely solely on the running game. He has the courage to throw the rock down field.
Thursday night’s Steelers face-off on Amazon Prime? Mixed bag. While I loved his rush-awareness and line-of-scrimmage reads, I couldn’t help thinking, “Those velocity issues with throws being short to all-pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins? Sad” Still, the kid’s a chameleon with his throws—different angles, high velocity, you name it. But alas, the cherry on top of this rather disappointing season—getting picked off in the end zone. Steelers 20, Titans 16. Ouch. Tragic.
Amidst the highs and lows, Levis’ grasp of the offense and patience (especially given that, let’s be frank, “worn down” O-line) is commendable. He even outplayed the Steelers’ main man. But magic with his legs? Devoid. And, oh boy, that footwork! Gives me conniptions. But, echoing the sentiments of many, it’s time the Titans kick it old-school. Bye-bye, Tannehill. Hello, future.
Endnote? Rookie or not, with a tad more polish, Levis might just lead the Titans out of this quagmire. Fingers crossed!
