NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis is taking a lot of punishment on the field this season.
The second-year quarterback just started his 17th NFL game and is busy learning a second different offense in as many seasons. His coaches are working fast to help Levis learn how to adjust for the next play.
Levis is coming off his first victory this season in a game he both started and finished. He also was sacked eight times, though first-year coach Brian Callahan says he sees the quarterback taking a different approach to playing the position.
The result is Levis being more efficient even with room for improvement.
“Less hunting of magic plays and big plays and more taking it as it comes, sort of playing each play as it presents itself and when you get a chance to be aggressive, be aggressive,” Callahan said of what he wants to see from Levis. “When there’s a chance to make a play with your feet, make a play with your feet.”
Levis has a 109.3 passer rating over the past three games. He is 53 of 78 for 748 yards passing with five touchdown passes and two interceptions.
Only Derek Carr, Bo Nix, Tua Tagovailoa and Lamar Jackson have had a better passer rating in that span in the NFL.
Levis also will become only the third quarterback in franchise history to start at least nine games in each of his first two NFL seasons, joining Vince Young and Marcus Mariota. Neither of those quarterbacks — both drafted within the first three overall picks — got second contracts with this team.
He said he's getting more comfortable and feels he's growing along with everyone else in Callahan's offense.
“So, we knew that it was going to take a little bit to kind of get into our groove and get a feel of this offensive system,” Levis said. “And it’s crazy to think how much we’ve developed I feel like since Week 1.”
Levis is 5-12 as a starter and 2-6 under Callahan. One of those wins came Sept. 30 when he sprained the AC joint in his right, throwing shoulder. Levis tried to play coming off the bye and admitted after a loss to Indianapolis that his shoulder limited him on a late interception.
He then missed three games to heal up his shoulder.
Now, keeping Levis upright is the big focus so he can run the offense.
He was sacked at least eight times for the second time in his young career in last week's 32-27 win over the Houston Texans. That puts him among 52 quarterbacks sacked at least eight times in a game more than once since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.
Only one quarterback has posted a better passer rating in those games than Levis' 105.4 rating in his two games: Joe Montana at 120.1. The average passer rating for those other quarterbacks is 68.2.
Levis is taking an average of 4.37 sacks a game. Of the quarterbacks sacked more than Levis, Chicago rookie Caleb Williams is going down an average of four times per game. C.J. Stroud of Houston is being sacked an average of 3.25 times a game and Seattle's Geno Smith is averaging being sacked 3.36 times a game.
They visit Washington (7-5) on Sunday with the Commanders 11th in the NFL with 30 sacks entering Week 13.
Offensive coordinator Nick Holz said Thursday that Levis is improving in some areas, opening up some new issues they're coaching him to either throw the ball away or use his athleticism. Levis has a tendency to scramble up in the pocket with two sacks last week coming on such runs.
Holz doesn't see Levis having been hit so much he's becoming skittish.
“It's an ever-growing process,” Holz said.
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Teresa M. Walker, The Associated Press
