Where Are the 'Wow' Throws from Titans' Will Levis?

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The best feature of 2023 Will Levis -- the one that made him appealing to fans and, presumably to the offensive-minded new head coach Brian Callahan – is hardly showing up this season.

Last year, Levis’ quick release and ability to make some terrific throws sure seemed to be what his NFL promise was based on.

Throws like this.

When Callahan arrived we heard from him and Levis about the potential for explosive plays out of the new offense. But we’ve also heard about mastering the mundane, taking the safe stuff, and boosting his completion percentage. In efforts towards that, the miracle throws have about disappeared. 

Now Levis thinks about many of those wow throws from his rookie year and sees unneeded plays.

Callahan said he thinks Levis made a few more of those throws last year than he has so far this year. I’d argue as a percentage they are certainly fewer. 

And that’s with a big free-agent price in Calvin Ridley bringing the Titans a speed and big-play dynamic they had nothing close to a year ago, though they have not figured out how to get him the ball. He’s got nine catches on 19 targets through four games.

“We'll keep trying to find places for him to make those (throws),” Callahan said. “I thought that the throw that got intercepted against the Jets was an aggressive throw that ... had you come down with it, you feel pretty good about. He made a really nice throw to Calvin on a bench route in that game too, late in the game. Beautiful timing, anticipation, accuracy.

“And he's thrown a couple other balls that may not be as exciting as some but are still really, really good throws. So yeah, we're still trying to find ways to unlock that too, try to get more balls down the field, a little more explosive when we can. But yeah, those are the things that makes Will an exciting player and got to keep finding ways to let him do that.”

Levis’ completion percentage is up dramatically, from .584 (35th) to .684 (11th). With that come obvious tradeoffs. His average yard per completion is down from 12.1 (fourth) to 9.0 (29th).

All of it has translated to this: The passing offense produced 180.4 yards per game in 2023. It's down 35.4 yards a game.

Of course, Levis wants more. But the way he talked about some of his best work in his nine starts as a rookie actually indicted it.

“I could argue that some of those throws were not necessary last year and maybe I had an opportunity to make those dangerous throws this year that I haven't,” he said. “I feel like that's one of the areas I’ve improved on the most is just not throwing it into just team meetings and just cloudy windows.

“And then I would just say I felt like I was throwing the ball the best that I ever was in my entire career as of last week. So, it wasn't like an ability thing where I feel like I didn't have it anymore. I just feel like the opportunities haven't presented (themselves), but I know I’ve got it in me. I know that they'll come.”

I don’t know. There were some bad throws into defensive team meetings and cloudy windows last year, sure.

But there were also some throws like this.

Have we seen anything like that this year?

Maybe this system requires some backward movement before Levis springs forward. That seems like the hope and it’s possible.

Unfortunately, the Titans aren’t getting those moments while enduring six interceptions, three lost fumbles and severe growing pains for Levis.

“There's a lot of factors that go into it,” Callahan said. “The biggest one probably is that our opportunities have been limited in some senses, especially with the turnovers and the protection. Some of those throws require some time and we have probably not done a good enough job in that realm to provide some of the time necessary to make those.

“And then, some of it's just me calling more plays that allow him to do that, too. So, there's a lot of factors that go in. I'm hopeful that we can continue to unlock that stuff as we keep moving forward.”

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