Will Levis, winless Titans draw Dolphins in ‘Snoop’ spot start
Will Levis, winless Titans draw Dolphins in ‘Snoop’ spot start
Quarterback Will Levis’ most memorable moment of his brief NFL career occurred last season during a Monday night road game against the Miami Dolphins.
Levis will be seeking a repeat performance in the same setting on the same night of the week when the winless Tennessee Titans battle the Dolphins in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Tennessee scored 15 points in 51 seconds last December to turn a 14-point deficit into a stunning 28-27 victory over the Dolphins. Levis, then a rookie, passed for a career-high 327 yards.
“It was a lot of fun,” Levis said of the comeback win. “But different team, different season for both of us. Any time you play on Monday night, the whole world is watching, and it gives a little bit of extra excitement, so we’ve got that. That was a good win for us, and we’re just hoping to go get another win down there at a point of the season where we really need one.”
The Titans (0-3) haven’t looked too stout this season while being outscored 78-48.
The Dolphins (1-2) have different issues after standout quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained a concussion in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills. He is on injured reserve and the earliest he can return is Oct. 27 against the Arizona Cardinals.
Skylar Thompson started last week’s 24-3 road loss against the Seattle Seahawks and completed 13 of 19 passes for 107 yards and was sacked five times before exiting with a rib injury in the third quarter. Tim Boyle was 7 of 13 for 79 yards and sacked once as Miami finished with just 205 yards of total offense.
Thompson was still limited in practice Friday and Miami coach Mike McDaniel said Thompson’s rib injury is “pretty painful.”
On Saturday, McDaniel confirmed that Tyler “Snoop” Huntley will start against the Titans with Boyle serving as the backup. The Dolphins acquired Huntley from Baltimore’s practice squad on Sept. 17.
“We targeted him for a reason,” McDaniel said Thursday of Huntley, who made 10 starts (including the playoffs) in four seasons with the Ravens. “And it’s a player that we’re very familiar with from the opponent’s standpoint.”
Miami ranks last in the NFL with a scoring average of 11 points per game. It hasn’t scored a touchdown in its last seven quarters and has been outscored 55-13 during its two-game skid. Star wideout Tyreek Hill has just six catches for 64 yards and no scores in the two setbacks. He didn’t practice on Friday, but the Dolphins cited rest as the reason.
Hill said the Dolphins are ready for the spotlight showdown with the Titans no matter who starts at quarterback.
“Very confident. We have a heck of a coaching staff who’s able to put together a crazy gameplan,” Hill said Friday. “It’s going to be a crazy game Monday night.”
Hill began watching film of Huntley when he joined the team.
“I seen it. This dude can make every throw,” Hill said. “This dude is special with his legs. He’s a special talent, man.”
The Titans are 28th in scoring (16.0) and 29th in total offense (260.3 yards per game). Levis shares the NFL lead with eight individual turnovers (five interceptions, three lost fumbles). He has thrown four touchdown passes.
Veteran receiver DeAndre Hopkins believes Levis will work through turnover issues.
“I wouldn’t want anyone else out there on the field the way he prepares and goes about his day,” Hopkins said. “I think he’s going to learn from his mistakes. He hasn’t even played a full season. It’s going to come with time.”
Levis is 3-9 as a starter entering Monday’s contest.
Tennessee will be without cornerback Chidobe Awuzie (groin) for at least four games after he was placed on injured reserve on Friday. He was hurt in last Sunday’s 30-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Standout defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (elbow) missed practice Friday for the second straight day.
For Miami, McDaniel said that left tackle Terron Armstead and cornerback Kendall Fuller both remain in concussion protocol. Linebacker David Long and cornerback Siran Neal missed Thursday’s practice with hamstring injuries but Siran returned on a limited basis on Friday.
–Field Level Media
QBs get healthy, Aaron Jones leaps for Green Bay return with Vikings
QBs get healthy, Aaron Jones leaps for Green Bay return with Vikings
Aaron Jones knows exactly what he will do if he scores a touchdown at Lambeau Field, where he spent the first seven years of his career.
“I’m definitely leaping up there,” Jones said this week.
Would Packers fans embrace him in his Lambeau Leap? Boo him? Maybe both?
Jones is in his first season with the rival Minnesota Vikings (3-0), who will visit the Green Bay Packers (2-1) on Sunday afternoon in an NFC North battle that is expected to include the return of Packers quarterback Jordan Love from a knee injury in the season opener.
The Packers released Jones during the offseason and the Vikings wasted little time in adding him to their roster. He has responded with 325 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns in his first three games for Minnesota, which is one of five remaining teams in the NFL that have yet to lose.
Green Bay has been nearly as impressive to start the season, particularly considering that it lost Love to an MCL sprain in his left knee in the final moments of the 34-29 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 6 in Brazil.
Backup Malik Willis has stepped in and helped Green Bay do more than just stay competitive. The Packers beat the Indianapolis Colts 16-10 in Week 2 before following that up last week with a 30-14 road win against the Tennessee Titans.
This week, Love said that his knee is feeling better and he is moving without as many limitations. He is officially listed as questionable for Sunday, but multiple media reports on Saturday afternoon said Love is expected to start ahead of Willis.
“I’m trying to push it, and I’ve been trying to get back as fast as I can no matter who the opponent was,” Love said. “But definitely, you look at this week — an NFC North opponent, 3-0 team, really good team — so definitely it would mean a lot to get back and push myself to get back for this game.”
Love practiced in full pads Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, a sign Packers coach Matt LaFleur called “encouraging.” Love was listed Friday as questionable on the injury report, the same status he had the previous two weeks but was inactive for both games.
Willis has proved to be a capable backup plan. He posted a 120.9 passer rating last week against Tennessee, against whom he completed 13 of 19 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown.
The Vikings also have benefited from a comeback story at their most important position. Sam Darnold has thrived in his first season with the team, completing 67.9 percent of his passes for 657 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions.
Darnold briefly left last week’s contest against the Houston Texans because of a knee injury but returned one play later. He was back at practice without limitations by Thursday and did not appear on the final injury report Friday.
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said he was grateful that Darnold escaped serious injury.
“I’ve been very excited about the start that Sam has gotten off to,” O’Connell said. “I’m having an absolute blast coaching him. So when I saw him go down in the moment, there was the initial feeling. … And then he comes back in the game, and I’m holding the call sheet, so I can’t clap like everybody else did.”
Both teams also have benefited from playmakers on defense to start the season.
Patrick Jones II and Jonathan Greenard lead the Vikings with four sacks apiece. Teammate Andrew Van Ginkel has three sacks to go along with a pick-6.
Green Bay is led by Devonte Wyatt with three sacks. Safety Xavier McKinney also has shined in the secondary with an NFL-best three interceptions. The Packers do have starting cornerback Jaire Alexander (quadricep, groin) listed as questionable and corner Carrington Valentine (ankle) down as doubtful.
This will be the 128th all-time meeting between the rivals, including playoffs. Green Bay leads the series 66-58-3.
Jones cannot wait for the next matchup.
“I’m definitely excited to go back, that’s where it all started for me,” he said. “Just a moment of gratitude, a full-circle moment.”
–Field Level Media