Glaring Will Levis issue evident in his return to Titans lineup

Tennessee Titans starting quarterback Will Levis returned to the lineup in Sunday's Week 9 defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers. Levis had been sidelined for the team's previous three contests with a shoulder injury. Unfortunately, one negative habit was evident throughout his performance.

Levis was sacked on seven occasions by a Chargers defense that routinely overwhelmed him. This represented regression for a Titans offensive line that forfeited just five sacks in backup quarterback Mason Rudolph’s three starts from Weeks 7 to 9. In the previous two games, split decisions against Detroit and New England, Rudolph was sacked just one time apiece. Sunday's result proved that it's largely a Levis issue.

Pro Football Focus is still finalizing its advanced metrics, but Levis' first five sacks averaged 4.6 seconds from snap-to-sack, per Zach Lyons. Following the late afternoon window, that was the longest time among all Week 10 quarterbacks. It's an eternity in the pocket by NFL standards.

Levis' overall numbers indicate it was arguably his best performance of an uneven season. The former Kentucky standout completed 18-of-23 passing attempts for 175 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions. He added 41 rushing yards via five scrambles to his offensive totals. It was Levis' first turnover-free game of the campaign.

But feeling pressure in the pocket continued to be an issue that hampered Levis' overall play. A failure to consistently go through his progressions and make quick, efficient decisions is a skill that has eluded Levis all season long. On one particular sack, he appeared to have missed a wide-open Josh Whyle, with the sophomore tight end separating himself from coverage for a potential big-play opportunity.

Levis' pressure-to-sack (P2S) rate has been an issue for Brian Callahan's offense throughout the entire 2024 season to date. With PFF still updating Sunday's metrics, approximately 43.8 percent of pressures faced by Levis result in sacks. For comparative purposes, Rudolph's pressure-to-sack rate in his recent three starts was just 11.1 percent.

The 2-7 Titans have eight games remaining in their disappointing 2024 campaign. They'll spend the remaining portion continuing trying to answer the question regarding Levis' franchise quarterback prospects. Sunday's performance should have done little to earn him good favor, despite the fleeting moments of encouragement, including his two touchdown passes to Calvin Ridley.

The Titans will play the Brian Flores-led Minnesota Vikings defense in Week 11. Minnesota currently owns the league's third-best scoring defense, allowing just 17.4 points per outing. Levis will once again have his hands full.