NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Being among the NFL's first teams having their bye week isn't something the Tennessee Titans liked when the league issued schedules in May.
After losing the first three games?
The Titans (1-3) are embracing being among the four teams with a bye at Week 5, hoping the time off helps with lots of new starters and a new coach settling in.
“It’ll be a good time to kind of catch our breath and regroup a little bit and get ready for the long haul of the next what, 13 games," left guard Peter Skoronski said. "So obviously our early bye’s not great. You don’t love it, but take advantage of it that much you can.”
Coming off a victory certainly helps, and coach Brian Callahan made clear the Titans are sticking with Will Levis to ensure the 33rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft has a chance to develop. The quarterback is why Tennessee ranks last in the NFL in turnover margin at minus-9. Levis has been picked off six times — two more than in his nine starts as a rookie.
“He needs to play better for us,” Callahan said of Levis who also has lost three fumbles. “And at the end of the day, I believe that he will. That’s where I’m at with that whole thing. There’s no controversy. There’s no second-guessing. That’s what’s happening. So that’s probably as clear as I can state it.”
Levis was knocked out of Tennessee's 31-12 win in Miami on Monday night after hurting his right, throwing shoulder stretching the ball out at the end of a scramble trying to make a first down. He tried throwing on the sideline, wincing in pain. Mason Rudolph finished off the game and showed why the Titans signed him to back up Levis guiding them to their first 30-point performance since Jan. 2, 2022.
Callahan had cautioned the Titans would need at least a month to put all these pieces together after a major offseason makeover. Tennessee fired coach Mike Vrabel after the Titans lost 18 of 24. After they hired Callahan, general manager Ran Carthon spent tens of millions in his second offseason remaking the roster for the man who had been Cincinnati's offensive coordinator.
The Titans took the field Monday night with 12 new starters — five on offense and seven on defense with a mix of draft picks, pricey free agents and a major trade acquisition in cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. Levis has been sacked 15 times behind an rebuilt offensive line anchored by rookie left tackle JC Latham, the seventh pick overall out of Alabama, Skoronski who was the No. 11 pick in 2023 and free agent signee Lloyd Cushenberry at center.
The defense clicked almost immediately under first-time coordinator Dennard Wilson, and the Titans lead the NFL in allowing a league-low 243.8 yards per game and just 124 yards passing per game. Outside linebacker Harold Landry has four sacks, tied for fifth most in the league. They also notched a safety against the Dolphins.
The Titans had a league-worst six interceptions in 2023 and are still looking for their first pick. Linebacker Arden Key recovered Tennessee's first takeaway against Miami.
“We’re very confident in who we are," safety Quandre Diggs said of his new teammates. "We're confident in what we do. And know no matter what, we’re going to go to work. We’ll put our hard hat on, and we’re going to be ready to go.”
Offense is where Tennessee has struggled. Levis' turnovers haven't helped with the Titans blowing a 17-point lead in the season-opening loss in Chicago and an early lead in the home-opening loss to the Jets. Levis has had at least one turnover in each game, not that he was helped as he was sacked a career-high eight times in a loss to Green Bay.
Callahan has his father, Bill, working to mold the offensive line as quickly as possible. The Titans also need more from wide receiver Calvin Ridley, one of their big free agent signees. He has a team-high 141 yards receiving, catching nine of 19 passes thrown to him. Five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins has bounced back from an injured left knee that slowed him the first two weeks and now has 10 catches for 121 yards.
The Titans still have yet to play a divisional opponent, though they host Indianapolis on Oct. 13. Callahan said finally winning can help with confidence and he hopes Levis is ready for the Colts so the Titans can start to climb out of the hole they dug for themselves.
“If you want any chance to make the playoffs, any chance to be a competitive team, you got to win your divisional games, as many of them as you can,” Callahan said. “And this is a really important one after the bye.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Teresa M. Walker, The Associated Press
