Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Will Levis must BOUNCE BACK v Malik Willis, Dolphins Backups & Making the Playoffs

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Tennessee Titans can absolutely not lose to Malik Willis and the Green Bay Packers. That and more on today's edition of Locked on Titans. You are Locked on Titans, your daily Tennessee Titans podcast. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome to the Locked On Titans Podcast. I am your host, Tyler Rowland, Titans fans. Today's edition of the Locked On Titans Podcast is brought to you by FanDuel. Now through September 22nd, all FanDuel customers can bet $5

Starting point is 00:00:42 and get a three-week free trial of NFL Sunday ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV. Visit FanDuel.com to get started. On today's show, I'm going to tell you why the Titans are perfectly positioned to bounce back this season. And it starts with a game against a familiar face in Malik Willis. But the Titans are also looking at backup quarterbacks when they play the Miami Dolphins

Starting point is 00:01:06 in week four, and that should give the Titans an opportunity to get back to 500. Before we begin, I do want to thank you for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen each and every day. Remember, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year round, always for free. You're not going to beat that anywhere else. Make sure that you get subscribed. Stay subscribed.

Starting point is 00:01:29 It's your team every day. Speaking of every day, shout out to my everydayers out there tuning in Monday through Friday. Couldn't do it without you guys. If you aren't an everydayer, well, you need to be one. Tomorrow, going to be crossover Thursday. We're going to be talking with Peter Bukowski from Locked On Packers about exactly what this game is going to look like.

Starting point is 00:01:47 I'm going to have my preview on Friday. And, of course, I'll be live here as soon as the game finishes. Well, a little bit later than normal. I am going to the game this weekend. So I'll be live a couple hours after the game ends, I would imagine. But still, I'm going to be here with you guys on Sunday night breaking it down. But overall, my point here is the Titans got lucky. The Titans are in an incredibly lucky position right now

Starting point is 00:02:11 to be able to get their season back on track. They're going to play two backup quarterback situations two weeks in a row before they head to the bye week. And that starts, obviously, with a familiar showdown or a familiar face in Malik Willis. A showdown between Malik Willis and Will Levis. And look, there's obviously a lot going on with the conversation around this matchup. There are people within the Titans fan base

Starting point is 00:02:39 who are going to stay committed to Malik Willis and love Malik Willis no matter what. I'll let you decide why he's got such stands in the fan base based on what he did here. It's hard to believe and fathom, in my opinion, but the reality is it's there. There are Titans fans who will be rooting against the Tennessee Titans this weekend because they love Malik Willis for whatever reason. But you look at how Green Bay played last week, and of course I've seen it in the comments. Malik was able to win, blah, blah, blah.

Starting point is 00:03:10 Well, look at the way Green Bay won last week. 53 carries. The Green Bay Packers ran the ball 53 times. Malik Willis threw it 14 times. Completed 12 of those, 122 yards. And a lot of it is screen passes, design plays. They had a backup quarterback game plan in Green Bay. Honestly, I would call it a high school football game plan.

Starting point is 00:03:40 This is the game plan that a good high school football team would have. 53 runs to 14 passes. Alright, so you've got to give Malik Willis credit for operating the way that the Packers wanted to play the game, but the reality is the Tennessee Titans cannot, they simply cannot drop to 0-3 against a high school football offense from the Green Bay Packers. They can't do it. And the other side of that is,

Starting point is 00:04:10 the only way that Green Bay is going to be able to win this game in Tennessee with Malik Willis is if the Titans turn over the football. Is if Will Levis makes the same mind-numbing, face-melting mistakes that he's made in week one and week two. Make sure that you check out my Will Levis breakdown on the Tic Tac Titans film channel on YouTube. I go over the good and the bad from Will Levis and how the big mistakes that everyone's talking about aren't even the things that concern me the most with Will Levis from his performance in week two against the Jets. The Tennessee Titans would have to absolutely stab themselves,

Starting point is 00:04:48 shoot themselves, take a bazooka to their foot, drop a nuke on their feet to lose this game to Malik Willis and the Green Bay Packers. And again, you drop to 0-2. Things are about as ugly as they could be. Back-to-back punt blocks, the mistakes that Will Levis made to make those turnovers, the way things that played out in those games, and you have been gifted an opportunity to get that back,

Starting point is 00:05:09 to set that right, to play Malik Willis in this Green Bay Packers offense, and then to be able to go, and we'll talk about it, and play the Dolphins in week four. The Titans are uniquely, and look, I know what's going to happen. If the Titans do come out of this two and two and we look up and we say the Titans are two and two at the bye week,

Starting point is 00:05:32 everyone's going to say, well, it was fraudulent. They played Malik Willis and the Green Bay Packers. They played whoever the Dolphins are going to roll out there in week four, and we'll talk about them in a second. But the Titans are uniquely positioned to get this thing right and then head in the bye week and we'll talk about them in a second. But the Titans are uniquely positioned to get this thing right and then head in the bye week and hopefully play better football overall

Starting point is 00:05:50 going forward the rest of the season. But if they drop to 0-3 and lose at home to Malik Willis, the quarterback that they traded away, this is going to be an outright disaster. Like, right now, I'm still, I don't know what faithful is the word you want to use or hopeful, I guess is the better word, but I'm still hopeful that the Titans can turn this thing around. I said it for the week, two weeks before the season started that this team was probably going to start slow. New pieces, young quarterback, young offensive line, new offensive system.

Starting point is 00:06:25 This team was probably going to start slow. Now, I will admit, the way that they have lost these games, I didn't think that that would be how it happened. I didn't think that Will Levis would make some of the dumbest decisions I've ever seen on a football field at any level in my entire life. I didn't think that they would get a punt block with only four guys rushing for the New York Jets. I didn't think the Titans would be as stupid as they have been. But the reality is

Starting point is 00:06:56 I expected a slow start from this team and the opportunity that's been presented to them to go up against Malik Willis and the Green Bay Packers and then go up against the backup quarterbacks that are waiting in Miami in back-to-back weeks, and then heading to the bye week at 2-2, the opportunity that is ahead of them is incredibly lucky. And they just simply cannot afford to lose to Malik Willis. And the only way, the only way that they lose to Malik Willis is if Malik Willis plays better football than Will Levis.

Starting point is 00:07:25 And if that happens, I mean, I don't know how anybody can have any faith that the Titans are going to be anywhere close to a good football team this year. I would just lose complete faith that the Titans will resemble anything other than one of the worst three football teams in the NFL. That's how important, that's how much is at stake for the Titans in this game with Malik Willis coming back to Tennessee. They simply cannot afford to lose.

Starting point is 00:07:52 And honestly, I don't know who it would be, but somebody's got to get fired if the Titans lose at home to Malik Willis. I don't know who it needs to be, but it's got to be somebody. So let's talk about the Miami Dolphins, because again, it's not just this game against Malik Willis. The week four game is something that the Titans cannot afford to lose as well. Before we dive into it, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by DoorDash. Look, I love DoorDash. Okay, it's just so convenient, so

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Starting point is 00:09:08 greatness. Your door to more. Download the DoorDash app now to order your game day favorites. Must be 21 plus to order alcohol. Drink responsibly. Alcohol only available in select markets. Today's episode is also brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook, America's number one sportsbook. Look, we've talked a ton about FanDuel, but I got something a little bit different for you now. Now through September 22nd, all FanDuel customers can bet $5 and get a three-week free trial of NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV.

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Starting point is 00:10:16 FanDuel.com and download America's number one sportsbook today. Titans fans, let's continue today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. Looking at the Tennessee Titans' ability to bounce back from their 0-2 start and how lucky they've gotten with how things have fallen for them. They're going to play Malik Willis in Week 3. At home, you have to win that game. But then also, they get to play the Miami Dolphins in Week 4. And the Miami Dolphins are 1-1 after a miraculous comeback

Starting point is 00:11:03 in Week 1 over the Jacksonville Jaguars. But they looked awful for a lot of that Jacksonville game in week one. They got absolutely bullied by the Buffalo Bills. And this is before Tua even went out. Tua went out at the end, but the game was already in hand for Buffalo, and Miami was losing that game. But Tua being out is obviously the biggest factor here. Now, before I get into it, I do want to thank you guys again

Starting point is 00:11:29 for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen each and every day, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year round, always for free. Make sure that you check out the Tic Tac Titans film channel here on YouTube. I have a Will Levis breakdown up from Tuesday. I'm doing a JC Latham breakdown on Wednesday, and then an Ernest Jones breakdown on YouTube. I have a Will Levis breakdown up from Tuesday. I'm doing a JC Latham breakdown on Wednesday and then an Ernest Jones breakdown on Thursday. We'll have a game plan episode

Starting point is 00:11:51 on Friday to show you what to look for when the Titans take on the Packers. Nobody's putting out better Tennessee Titans content than me right now. So you gotta get subscribed. Stay subscribed to Locked on Titans, Tic Tac Titans as well. But with that being said, the Titans are going to go to Miami in week four. I believe it's Thursday night football.

Starting point is 00:12:12 And they're going to take on either Skylar Thompson or Tyler Snoop Huntley. I don't care who plays in that game. The Titans cannot afford to lose to a backup quarterback. They can't. They cannot. Especially a team like the Dolphins, who I was just explaining, have been getting bullied.

Starting point is 00:12:34 Okay? They've been getting bullied. Look, they lost Christian Wilkins up front. Their offensive line lost a bunch of pieces as well. They have smaller running backs who don't run with power. Explosive, Devin Achan, Raheem Mostert, even Jalen Wright, I would throw in there. Explosive players, but none of them are going to run with power.

Starting point is 00:12:56 The Miami Dolphins are a soft football team. And if the Titans want to be the team that they are telling us that they want to be, they cannot lose to the Miami Dolphins in that game. I don't care that it's on the road. I don't care about any of that. The Titans should bully the Miami Dolphins physically. On defense, on offense, no questions about it.

Starting point is 00:13:26 And one of the big things that makes Miami dangerous is the explosiveness of their wide receivers. It's Monday night football once again, okay? Monday night football once again, not Thursday. Monday night. The Titans have experience with this process, playing in Miami on Monday night football. Not only that, but again, Tyreek Hill and Jalen Waddell, super explosive.

Starting point is 00:13:49 But when you have a backup quarterback throwing to them, they're going to have to scheme things up, not just run their regular playbook. Which is going to mean shorter throws, quicker throws. Tyreek Hill's not catching the ball 30 yards down the field. He's catching it three yards down the field. And then you've got to be the more physical team and wrap up and tackle. That's what it comes down to. But you look at Taylor Thompson, one and one in his career, 57% completion percentage,

Starting point is 00:14:15 has one touchdown and three interceptions. I think that the Dolphins should play Snoop Huntley personally. He gives you more mobility, and I think when you play with your backup quarterback, having that quarterback be able to run and scramble and make things happen when the passing lanes aren't there, that is very valuable. Like with Malik Willis.

Starting point is 00:14:40 Malik ran the ball for 40 yards on six runs against the Colts in week two. He's not going to throw the ball all over the place because he's a backup quarterback, but he can help you with his legs. So I think that if the Dolphins were smart, they would go with Snoop Huntley. But Snoop Huntley is three and six in his career in his starts. He's thrown seven interceptions and only eight touchdowns. He's thrown seven interceptions and only eight touchdowns.

Starting point is 00:15:10 His success percentage on his throws is 41%. So, I guess I am just at a point where if the Titans cannot find a way to come out and beat a Packers team with Malik Willis and a Dolphins team with Skylar Thompson or Snoop Huntley, who are they?

Starting point is 00:15:43 Who are they at that point? So you go into Miami and no matter what you run the ball down their throats just like the Buffalo Bills did. Period. You run the ball down their throats. James Cook dominated that game.

Starting point is 00:15:59 Now one of his touchdowns was on a throw but Buffalo was just the more physical team and they bullied the Dolphins. So the Titans should be able to do that anyway. Now, one of his touchdowns was on a throw, but Buffalo was just the more physical team, and they bullied the Dolphins. So the Titans should be able to do that anyway. I had the Titans beating the Dolphins before Tua got hurt. And now that Tua is hurt, there is absolutely zero excuse from the Titans to lose in Miami.

Starting point is 00:16:22 None. They're going to be missing. A bunch of their top pass rushers. The defensive line already was hurt. Already lost Christian Wilkins. You got a small linebacker in David Long Jr., which how funny was it that Josh Allen was looking back at David Long Jr.'s nameplate, like, who is this guy talking crap to me?

Starting point is 00:16:43 I don't even know who you are. They have a good secondary in Miami. Jalen Ramsey, Javon Holland. So you don't need to throw the ball. You just run it down their throats. And if the Titans aren't able to do that and dominate the line of scrimmage

Starting point is 00:17:02 when they're on defense against this Dolphins team, then they are absolutely not who they think they are. and dominate the line of scrimmage when they're on defense against this Dolphins team, then they are absolutely not who they think they are. They are absolutely not who we thought they were. The fact that they got bullied by the Jets four-man front last week was concerning in and of itself. But at the end of the day, they're going to play Skylar Thompson and Snoop Huntley. If Titans lose that game,

Starting point is 00:17:24 there's no way that I will expect them to have anything less than a top five pick in the draft. So, we've talked about the Green Bay Packers game. We've talked about the Dolphins game. Now I want to look at just the overall picture here and where the Titans can go from there if they can get to 2-2 and how important it is at the end of the day. Before I do, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by Game Time.

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Starting point is 00:18:47 Again, create an account. Redeem the code L-O-C-K-E-D-O-N-N-F-L for $20 off. Download GameTime today. What time is it? GameTime. Titans fans, let's cap off today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. We looked at the matchup against Malik Willis, looked at the matchup against the Miami Dolphins. Now I just want to kind of overall look at where the Tennessee Titans are at.

Starting point is 00:19:26 So if the Tennessee Titans can bounce back and get to 2-2, beat the Packers at home, beat the Dolphins without Tua, then they head into their bye week. I hate that they have an early bye week in week five. I despise the early bye. I would prefer the bye to be later in the game or later in the season so that after the Titans are beat down from playing football the first few months, they can get a little bit of a break before the stretch run. Not what they got from the schedule makers for two seasons in a row. I think their bye week was week six last week. It's even earlier this week in week five. Hate that, but if the Titans can get to 2-2, they go to the bye, and they come back out

Starting point is 00:20:09 with a home game against the Colts. The Titans should be able to go on a three-game win streak with a bye, and then they have their two most difficult games of the year, in my opinion, At Buffalo Bills, at Detroit Lions. Very difficult. But if they can find a way to win one of those, when they come back from that road trip, they play the New England Patriots at home,

Starting point is 00:20:35 which should be a win. So the Titans, realistically, if they handle their business before the bye and can steal one from the Bills and the Lions, the Titans should be 5-3 going into a game against the New England Patriots at home. 6-3 maybe. And let's just say the Titans lose both the games

Starting point is 00:21:01 against the Bills and the Lions, which I'm sure they're not going to be the favorites in those games. They're probably going to be pretty big underdogs in those games. So let's say they lose those. The Titans go to 2-2 before the bye. Beat the Colts at home 3-2. Lose back-to-back weeks, Bills and Lions 3-4. Win against the Patriots.

Starting point is 00:21:26 They're still 4-4 with five division games left. And remember this, the Indianapolis Colts and the Jacksonville Jaguars are both 0-2. The Texans may be 2-0, but in my opinion, the Texans were always going to win the division. The Titans were never beating the Texans for the division. That was never a realistic outcome for me. I didn't think that that was possible. Even if the Titans hit their ceiling I didn't think that they were going to take the division from the Texans.

Starting point is 00:21:56 So it was always about a wild card spot for me. In my opinion it was always about a wild card spot for the Titans. So if you're 4-4 and you have five division games left, you absolutely, and remember, division record, big tiebreaker for the wildcard. You absolutely, at 4-4 with five division games left, have a fantastic chance to still make the playoffs. I know it sounds crazy that playoffs, talking about the playoffs,

Starting point is 00:22:28 I understand. The Titans are 0-2. They've looked miserable. Levis looks uncertain. The special teams mistakes. All of that. I get it. But at the end of the day, if the Titans can go 2-2 before the bye, everything is still in play. Everything that we hoped for. A playoff berth. A winning record. All of that is still on the table.

Starting point is 00:22:50 They just have to handle their business these next two weeks. If they lose either of these games against the Dolphins or the Packers, to me, I'm calling it. The playoffs are done. The Titans cannot make the playoffs if they lose one of these games. And they wouldn't deserve it at that point either. Titans cannot make the playoffs if they lose one of these games. And they wouldn't deserve it at that point either.

Starting point is 00:23:09 But if they can do that and get to the bye week at 2-2, win that game against the Colts at home, they are still in a great spot to accomplish everything that you hope that the Tennessee Titans can accomplish. And that's what really matters. So overall, they got really, really lucky with the way that things have broken out for them. And they have to. They have to take advantage of the next two weeks. If they don't, it's going to be hard,

Starting point is 00:23:39 I think, to keep the culture high in the locker room. Because those would just be unacceptable losses. And after the deflation of the first two losses and how that went, again, there's no way that the team can rally back from that. There's no way. So they've got to win these next two games and they're still going to be in a great spot to accomplish their goals. But

Starting point is 00:23:57 with that being said, that is going to do it for me today, folks. I'll be back with you guys tomorrow for Crossover Thursday. Make sure to get subscribed. Stay subscribed. Throw a thumbs up on the video. Throw a tighten up down in the chat. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland.

Starting point is 00:24:12 And this was Locked on Titans.

Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Will Levis must BOUNCE BACK v Malik Willis, Dolphins Backups & Making the Playoffs

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