Year 2 of the Will Levis era in Tennessee is producing some early lowlights for the clip reel.
There was Week 1’s surrender cobra moment after Levis threw a late pick-6 to seal a loss to the Chicago Bears.
Week 2 produced one of the worst turnovers of the early season, drawing the wrath of head coach Brian Callahan from the sideline. The Titans would eventually fall to 0-2, losing 24-17 to the visiting New York Jets.
With Levis’ Titans leading 7-0 in the second quarter, Tennessee was threatening to take a two-score lead. Levis took a shotgun snap on third-and-goal from the 6-yard line.
Jets pass rushers got pressure, and Levis stepped up through the pocket to avoid a sack. But he tripped — and then he panicked. As he fell to the turf, Levis tossed a backward shovel pass toward running back Tyjae Spears — a decision that predictably did not work out well.
Spears couldn’t corral the live ball, which bounced off his hands and onto the turf. Jets Linebacker Quincy Williams eventually secured it for a turnover.
CBS cameras then caught Callahan reacting as one would expect on the sideline. Perhaps the leading guess among amateur lip readers in what Callahan said to Levis was something like: “What the f*** are you doing?”
After the game, Callahan didn’t hide his disappointment in his second-year quarterback, telling reporters, “I was upset. It was dumb,” Callahan said. “It was the same exact thing he did last week and he cost us points in the red zone.”
Levis could only look down to the turf in response. What looked like a sure two-possession lead instead ended with the Jets taking over possession. Fortunately for the Titans, New York didn’t convert. The ensuing Jets drive ended with a three-and-out.
But on the very next Titans play, Levis turned the ball over again. This time, he threw a deep ball into double coverage that cornerback Brandin Echols intercepted. And this time, the Jets converted, driving the ball 73 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 7-7.
