Will Levis made one of those boneheaded plays once again on Sunday.
The Tennessee Titans quarterback cost his club in a tight game for the second consecutive week. In Sunday’s 24-17 loss to the New York Jets, Levis was under siege inside the 10-yard-line in the second quarter, and instead of giving up on the play, he attempted to lateral the ball. The Jets scooped it up, wiping out a field-goal chance.
Cameras caught first-year Titans head coach Brian Callahan perplexed by Levis’ decision, appearing to demonstratively ask, “What the f— are you doing?”
“I think the camera got it pretty clear, if I had to guess,” Callahan said after the game when asked what he told the QB in the moment. “Yeah, I was upset. It was dumb. It was the same exact thing he did last week, and it cost us points in the red zone. That is what it is. He’s a grown-up, and he knows better. I was really irritated that he cost us three points in a game that we probably needed it.”
It’s the second consecutive week that a Levis turnover has cost the Titans a chance to win. In Week 1, it was a late pick-six on a ball he shouldn’t have thrown. Sunday, he should have just eaten the sack.
“We can’t have it. He’s got to protect our team better,” Callahan said. “He’s got to protect the ball better. It’s inexcusable to do those types of things.”
Levis admitted after the game that he should have just taken the sack. The second-year signal-caller added that he has to do a better job eliminating the bad plays when things break down.
“Yeah, it’s tough. But everything’s tough about this sport and this position,” the QB said. “It’s just something that might not have crossed my brain in the offseason. When I’m preparing mentally, I’m more so focused on the playbook and obviously watching film to see how guys are playing and running games. I just can’t let that happen.”
Despite the blunder, it wasn’t all bad for the QB, who started 8-of-8 passing and kept the game tight in the third quarter with a 40-yard connection to Calvin Ridley for a touchdown. However, the turnovers continue to trouble. The first play following the fumble was an interception.
Levis’ five giveaways through two weeks are the most in the NFL entering Monday Night Football. It marks the most giveaways through Week 2 for the franchise since Warren Moon in 1992 (five interceptions, all in Week 1).
Despite the flubs, Callahan said he still has faith in Levis.
“I got plenty confidence in Will,” he said. “I believe in everything he’s done so far. We just got to keep working to get better. And he’s made some mistakes that are costly. And I think he’s learning from them. It’s a painful lesson and there’s things that I’m learning about him that are helping me call the game better for him. We’re just going to keep at it.”
The question for Callahan is how much longer the leash will be if the quarterback continues to cost his club points in close games.
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