The Tennessee Titans saw starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill go down with a high ankle sprain in Week 6 against the Baltimore Ravens. After returning from their bye last week, the Titans announced that they would go with rookie Will Levis as their starting quarterback for their Week 8 game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Levis was probably the most polarizing quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft class. He was the prototypical style quarterback that teams would crave to have on their roster, but his game tape was far from perfect. Even so, there was buzz that he would be selected high in the first round. Instead, he tumbled out of the first round of the draft. But, the Titans believed enough in the former Kentucky Wildcat to trade up in the second round to draft him.
On Sunday, Levis proved them right, as he led the team to a 28-23 victory. over the Atlanta Falcons. Levis had thrown for 238 yards and four touchdowns in his very first NFL game.
Will Levis shines in debut, leads Titans to victory over Falcons
Late in the first quarter, Levis threw his first official touchdown pass to veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Yes, Hopkins was battling and spinning around with cornerback A.J. Terrell, but he was able to get the better of the one-on-one battle, track down the football, and catch it for a 47-yard catch-and-run touchdown.
The rookie was praised for his arm strength throughout college and the pre-draft process. He showed off said arm strength once again on a deep bomb to Hopkins again for a 61-yard touchdown for his third of the game.
But perhaps his best throw of the afternoon was his fourth (viewed in the first tweet above), which saw Levis roll to the right and hurl a cross-body pass to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for a 33-yard touchdown.
It is early on in the season, but the top quarterback prospects have all shown flashes that they could be the face of their respective franchise. Bryce Young picked up his first win for the Carolina Panthers in Week 8. C.J. Stroud is the favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year as the quarterback for the Houston Texans. Anthony Richardson showed that he can be a superstar for the Indianapolis Colts prior to his season-ending shoulder injury. Now Levis showed what he can bring to the Titans.
Yes, it's only one game, but so far, so good for Levis.
