It’s rookie Willis time for Titans as Tannehill heals
Can the Titans beat the Texans without QB? Yes
We have to assume it’s too soon for Malik Willis. That it isn’t his time yet for the Titans. Maybe one day, sure, but not now. Not six games into his rookie season.
If the Titans truly believe that— and, look, they probably do — it’ll be apparent this week to everyone, including Willis.
And that, to me, is what this week means.
It isn’t about Ryan Tannehill. It’s not even about his sprained ankle and the illness that will keep him out of Sunday’s game.
Tannehill had already been limited in practice this week before the injury and illness prevented him from traveling with the team to Houston. He has said if there was any way for him to play Sunday against the Texans that he would. I believe him wholeheartedly.
But it never really was about Tannehill’s toughness or how badly the Titans’ already-depleted offense needs him. Both of those, by now, should be obvious. You’d rather rush Tannehill back out there at quarterback, clearly. And he would clearly have done everything to be out there, even if he shouldn’t have been.
He shouldn’t have been, though. It’s time to see what Willis can do, even for one game.
It looks like the correct decision. Even if it goes poorly, it’d be better than the season-changing disaster the Titans would have risked in Game 7 had an immobile Tannehill played behind a shaky offensive line that can’t be counted on to protect him.
My sense has been that Tannehill’s ankle sprain is healing nicely and isn’t particularly serious, but those injuries also don’t completely heal in one week.
So the in-house Titans question — one that’s not to be uttered publicly— becomes: Can you beat the Texans without Tannehill? The answer: Yeah. They
have the worst run defense in the NFL. Plus, Derrick Henry has run through them for years now. No matter who was at quarterback, this game sets up as a fantasy football showcase for No. 22.
And if I’m the Texans, I’d actually rather face a 75% Tannehill that’s a sitting duck behind that offensive line than I would Willis, a wild card who’d be able to extend plays against pressure and hurt a defense in different ways. I’d probably want to sit back defensively and put a spy following Willis. I’d come
after an ailing Tannehill.
Willis needs to be ready on a moment’s notice. He’s not going to get ready by standing on the sideline — or by playing wide receiver or taking handoffs or however they’d want to make use of his ability.
Willis is an NFL quarterback. He can only learn by playing quarterback.
And the Titans would be advised to demonstrate confidence and a little faith in letting Willis operate — even if it’s premature and everyone knows it — if they legitimately view him as their quarterback of the future. Whether that future arrives next week or next season or the season after that may not be up to the Titans. Football is going to find out when players are ready or not — on its own timetable.
The Titans have been lucky with Tannehill. He hadn’t been banged up since becoming the starter in 2019, a remarkable run that — quite honestly — defies reason given how much he has been knocked around in 2021 and 2022.
They were fortunate with him this past Sunday, too. It wasn’t an injury major enough to keep him from finishing the win over the Colts. He’ll be healthy soon. The Titans just need a serviceable No. 2 quarterback to get by in the meantime. This is a valuable opportunity to see how much Willis has grown since a preseason in which he showed flashes of brilliance but a lack of consistency running the offense.
If they believe Willis isn’t capable of more, then they need a new backup.
And perhaps another quarterback of the future, too.
Either way, I’ve seen enough of Willis’ ample ability to be curious about what the Titans really have in him. And it’s time to start finding out.