Titans Film Room: Malik Willis' Performance Against the Ravens Was Good, Bad & Ugly
The Tennessee Titans will likely be without starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill for the next few weeks, at minimum, due to an ankle injury sustained against the Baltimore Ravens. That means one of the young quarterbacks, Malik Willis and Will Levis, will get valuable reps in the coming weeks.
With the 2024 starting quarterback job in the balance, this opportunity is massive. Every single snap these quarterbacks get while Tannehill is sidelined is a proving ground for their future. Malik Willis got the first opportunity in Week 6 after Tannehill went down.
Willis played 18 snaps total to Tannehill's 37. Willis finished 4-5 on his throws for 74 yards, just two less than Tannehill. Willis was aided by a 46-yard scamper from Tyjae Spears on a short screen pass where Spears made a dynamic play.
Overall, Willis didn't make any game-ending mistakes, but he also didn't make some of the makeable explosive plays that were on the table due to the same old issues he's dealt with. Willis struggles to put all three together — timing, decision, throw.
Throughout the film you see occasions where Willis does two of the three or one of the three, but hitting all three together consistently, which is what NFL quarterbacking requires, is the key. Willis not only doesn't do it consistently, he does it rarely.
Coincidentally, the first play I discuss shows all three, but it's one of the only times. The second and third play discussed are disasters. Plays you simply cannot miss. It's the bad and the ugly.
However, you aren't being honest if you don't show the plays where there is truly nothing open or the pressure is so quick Willis can't be expected to operate. Sometimes both things happen on the same play. Willis' issues can't be ignored, but the surrounding factors can't either.
With all that being said, Willis is just moving too slowly. Being open in the NFL is different than any other level of football and Willis just isn't trusting or isn't seeing NFL-open because the ball isn't coming out on some plays.
I still think Willis gets the first shot with Tannehill likely out. It would be interesting to see a full game plan built around Willis featuring designed quarterback runs as a focus point. Running the same Tannehill offense with Willis wouldn't be the correct utlization.
Would he feel more comfortable getting a full two weeks of reps with that in place? Would the Titans even accommodate that sort of change? We can't be certain, but what I do know is, Willis isn't able to do the job he is being asked right now and that's just what the tape shows.
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