Titans QB Will Levis gives jarring answer after turnover-filled loss to Jets

NASVILLE -- The Tennessee Titans (0-2) did it again, and quarterback Will Levis' decision-making is at the root of the issue. After getting a 7-0 lead at home against the New York Jets (1-1), Tennessee let a beatable opponent walk out with a win.

Five series that went three-and-out coupled with a passer that is becoming known for bone-headed turnovers saw the Titans lose to New York by a score of 24-17.

Will Levis Coughs Up Another Disastrous Turnover

It is the same score they lost by in Week 1.

"It's got to be something that's more second nature to me," Levis said. "I'm going to do everything I can to rewire my brain to make sure that when I'm in those situations, I'm not making those decisions. I think throughout my career, I've gotten a lot better of not forcing things, or at least forcing balls into windows, but that's a different kind of play. That's something that is not going to show up as much but is obviously much more important because the ball is put in jeopardy, and an opportunity for the other team to get the ball. So I'm going to keep working to just be better for my team."

A 25-year old quarterback with 11 starts to his name in his second NFL season talking about rewiring his brain chemistry is not what Titans fans thought they'd be getting in 2024.

An ill-advised Pick Six against the Chicago Bears (1-0) allowed the opposition to complete a comeback of 24 unanswered points without scoring an offensive touchdown was strictly on Tennessee's quarterback. There were incremental improvements from Levis against the Jets, but still marred by the fact that Levis' first turnover on Sunday looked almost exactly like the Bears game. Levis finished the Jets game 19-of-28 for 192 passing yards with one touchdown, one interception and an incredibly costly fumble.

He was sacked four times for losses of 22 yards and also rushed four times for 38 yards.

With the Titans in the red zone and on the verge of going up by double digits on New York, Levis had the offense in position with 3rd-and-Goal from the Jets 6. Levis lept to his left as New York's pass rush closed in around him, but tripped while trying to heave the ball backwards in the direction of running back Tyjae Spears. The play was ruled a sack-fumble that Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams recovered. Levis was promptly greeted on the sideline by his first-year head coach as captured by the CBS cameras.

"Hey, what the f*** are you doing?!"

Titans Loss To The Jets Not All On Levis, But Plenty of Concerns

Taking the sack would have been preferable. Throwing the ball out of bounds immediately and attempting a field goal would have been ideal. Instead, it was exactly the kind of decision-making that Tennessee's quarterback is already under the microscope for.

Levis proved his doubters wrong for a second straight week.

"I'm not going to point to one play as to what lost the game," said Levis on Sunday. "Obviously, I can look internally as to what I can do better and, you're right, something that I wanted to clean up that didn't get done this week. Disappointing for sure. I'm going to work my tail off to be better for my team this week.

Levis is correct in his assessment. The loss was not suffered on just that one play as it was against Chicago. Collectively, the Titans offense accounted for five three-and-outs that were not all on the quarterback. A defense that played excellently through the first six quarters of the season ran out of gas with an offense unable to sustain drives. For the second straight game, the Titans did not produce a turnover while allowing two Jets touchdowns in the second half that the offense was not capable of matching.

The fact remains that this season is primarily about the evaluation of Will Levis as the future Tennessee quarterback, not just its present. Through two games, the second-year starter's ability to handle critical moments in games is only further in question.

Callahan did express his continued belief in Levis, however, on Sunday. The coach noted that he still believes that the Titans have not played anywhere close to their best football yet.

"Yeah, it's miserable, to be honest," said Callahan of the loss. "It's hard to overcome it when you're getting outscored like that. And we're putting ourselves in good position. We had opportunities and we're not doing a good enough job capitalizing on when we have them. And so ultimately, I think it's just disappointing, not how I thought the start of the season would look. And here we are."

Tennessee hosts the G reen Bay Packers (1-1) in Week 3 at Nissan Stadium. Watch /listen to Titans Radio's pregame coverage starting at 9am CT on 104.5 The Zone in Nashville.

Related: Will Levis gets real about his role in the Titans week 1 loss to the Bears

Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.