NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The best ovation Will Levis got Sunday came when first-year Tennessee coach Brian Callahan benched the second-year quarterback.
That sums up not just Levis’ performance in a 37-27 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, but the dilemma the Titans find themselves in right now.
They need to play the 33rd pick overall from the 2023 draft to see what they have to work with before what is likely to be their highest draft selection since No. 5 in 2017 next April.
Levis had shown signs of improvement. He came into Sunday without being intercepted once the past two games, though both were losses.
“We’re not getting enough positive plays in a row from the quarterback position and that, to me, is the hard part,” Callahan said of Levis.
Levis was at his worst Sunday.
He lost a fumble when Bengals end Trey Hendrickson came in untouched. Then Levis was picked off three times — the last returned 39 yards by Geno Stone for a pick-6. It’s the fourth off Levis this season, which leads the NFL. Those turnovers led to 24 points for Cincinnati.
Callahan said Levis struggled, which is why he pulled the quarterback hoping for a spark from backup Mason Rudolph. The veteran was 21 of 26 for 209 yards and two touchdown passes, but also had an interception inside the Cincinnati 20.
