Titans and QB Will Levis working through growing pains under new coach

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans and quarterback Will Levis are going through some growing pains.

First-year coach Brian Callahan’s challenge is speeding up Levis’ learning curve after a very painful lesson, blowing a 17-point lead to lose the season opener 24-17 in Chicago.

Making it worse? Callahan just talked with Levis at the end of the third quarter that the Titans could win protecting a 17-10 lead by just punting with how well Tennessee’s defense was controlling the Bears.

Then Levis, in his 10th NFL start, turned it over three times in the fourth quarter.

“Tough lesson to learn in a moment like that that loses you a game,” Callahan said Monday.

The Titans know well enough they let a season-opening win on the road slip away. Center Lloyd Cushenberry said they also know they have a lot of room for improvement and need to put their foot down when up by double digits.

“We just have to learn not to beat ourselves,” Cushenberry said.

What’s working

The defense under new coordinator Dennard Wilson. Tennessee held Chicago to 148 yards. The Titans held the Bears to an average of 2.79 yards per play. Chicago was the first NFL team in 32 games to win averaging fewer than 2.8 yards per play and first since Seattle beat Dallas 21-12 on Dec. 24, 2017. Teams had been 70-534-3 when being held to fewer than 2.8 yards per play.

It was the best defensive performance since Sept. 19, 2010, when Tennessee held Pittsburgh to 127 yards and the franchise’s best defensive performance to open a season since 1995 when the then-Houston Oilers held Jacksonville to 146 yards in 1995.

What needs help

The offense. Callahan was hired to rev up a group that averaged 17.9 points a game last season. The group looked efficient enough in scoring the first 17 points with free agent signee Tony Pollard averaging 5.1 yards on 16 carries.

Callahan, who is calling the offensive plays, said he can be better. The Titans also hurt themselves with eight penalties for 50 yards. Communication also needs to improve. Callahan noted one play where Levis threw to a spot where he expected receiver Calvin Ridley to be when the veteran was somewhere else.

Stock up

RG Dillon Radunz. The second-round pick out of FCS North Dakota State in 2021 earned the starting job this preseason, helped when Saahdiq Charles abruptly retired. He took a hit that left him with injured ribs in the second half. Radunz tried to return after going to the locker room, then left the game.

Stock down

Levis. Yes, the 33rd pick overall in the 2023 draft has had to learn his second offense with a second new coach and coordinator in as many offseasons. But Tennessee still had a 17-10 lead when the quarterback turned it over three times — twice in the span of less 4 1/2 minutes in the fourth quarter.

Levis drifted left almost into a defender instead of moving up in the pocket, and Callahan said Levis reverted to some footwork issues the coach thought had been fixed. That’s when Levis threw the pick-6 instead of taking the sack.

The Titans had a final chance to force overtime when Levis’ final pass on fourth down was picked off. Levis had only four interceptions in nine starts as a rookie.

Injuries

Radunz may be limited, but Callahan said the guard should be ready for Sunday’s home opener.

Key number

2 — Number of rookies who started of the seven who played for Tennessee. Left tackle JC Latham gave up some pressures, including on the strip-sack of Levis. T’Vondre Sweat was the other rookie who started and he had a couple of quarterback pressures in 38 defensive snaps.

The Titans host Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets on Sunday with the Jets not only playing a second straight road game. The Jets also played Monday night in California with a long plane ride back home. Then Green Bay visits with Malik Willis, traded by Tennessee just before the final roster cut deadline, possibly starting with Jordan Love injured late in the Packers’ season opening loss.

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