It was always going to be hard for Will Levis to match the production of his first bit of NFL action. Few quarterbacks have had as impressive of a start to their playing career as Levis did against the Falcons, a game in which he laid siege to Atlanta's weary secondary to the tune of four touchdowns.
Levis was bound to fall back down to earth at some point. And with a matchup against the Steelers — and their ravenous defense — it seemed that fall would be precipitous. Not many teams offer the threat of T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward and Alex Highsmith in the front seven, after all.
It wasn't easy sailing for Levis, who certainly found himself cut adrift amid a cavalry of Steelers pass rushers at various points in Thursday's game. But he fared decently against Pittsburgh's stout backline. And, more vitally, he did enough to give the Titans a chance to capture a win.
Levis' numbers pale in comparison to the ones he put up last week: he completed just 22-of-39 passes for 262 yards, failing to throw a touchdown while tossing one game-clinching interception as the Titans fell 20-16 to the Steelers. But for those who watched, such as Amazon Prime analyst Ryan Fitzpatrick, Levis showed enough in his bag of tricks to prove he could be a pro for a long time.
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Fitzpatrick was extremely complimentary of Levis postgame, saying he expected the Kentucky alum to shine under center in some capacity for the long-run.
"I walk away from this thinking this dude has a chance in this league," Fitzpatrick said during Amazon Prime's postgame show.
Fitzy certainly knows what it takes to find sustained success in the league. The former NFL veteran spent 16 years turning out for professional sides, accruing knowledge as both a starter and backup. His adoration for Levis certainly holds weight.
But he was far from the only one willing to offer insight into some of the good they saw from Levis in primetime. Tennessee head coach Mike Vrabel dropped musings on Levis' showcase in the postgame. And although it was far from a perfect performance, there was plenty of good to build on, said Vrabel.
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"[Levis played] fairly well. No delay of games," Vrabel said. "Again, there were some things that all have to be better directionally but ... there were some good throws."
Levis came into the league known for his lively arm. He showed it off in bunches on Thursday, captivating fans across the country with the occasional funky yet effortless release.
.@will_levis put some zip on this throw.#TENvsPIT on Prime Video
— NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2023
Also available on #NFLPlus https://t.co/SEBKoOkzMq pic.twitter.com/Y6Cep1pdkE
Will Levis senses pressure and makes an off-platform throw to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for a first down!#TENvsPIT on Prime Video
— NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2023
Also available on #NFLPlus https://t.co/SEBKoOkzMq pic.twitter.com/cN1oW4GuaH
In all, it was a solid, if unspectacular showing for the Titans' newly-anointed starter. He's still got plenty to do to cement his status in the league. But if he can find more consistency with his timing and decision-making, he certainly could have a bright future in the game.
Will Levis stats today
Levis wasn't able to stuff the stat sheet quite in the way he did against Atlanta. He completed 22-of-39 passes for 262 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception on Thursday. Levis was also driven to the ground on four separate occasions.
It wasn't the most eye-opening of displays. But beyond the stats, there was certainly reason for optimism. Levis made some impressive throws, namely in the game's waning moments. And if not for a game-clinching Kwon Alexander pick, perhaps Levis could have had the Titans in victory lane postgame. After all, he had Tennessee inside Pittsburgh's red zone before he led his target astray.
