Will Levis, winless Titans seek more success against host Dolphins

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), of course, 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 missed Wednesday’s practice and Miami coach Mike McDaniel said Thompson’s rib injury is “pretty painful.”

So the Dolphins appear to be deciding between starting Boyle and Tyler Huntley, who was just signed on Sept. 16.

Huntley is getting up to speed with McDaniel’s offense. McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier will be watching his practice performances closely.

“We targeted him for a reason,” McDaniel said Thursday of Huntley, who spent four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. “And it’s a player that we’re very familiar with from the opponent’s standpoint.”

The experience factor — Huntley has made 10 NFL starts, including one in the postseason — could have McDaniel leaning toward Huntley over Boyle.

“I have in my mind what I think, how it could play out,” McDaniel said. “However, it’s a little premature for a multitude of reasons. And the very last being the competitive advantage.”

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.

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 is confident Levis will work through the 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 multiple weeks after he was hurt in last Sunday’s 30-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Standout defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (elbow) also missed practice.

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.

–Field Level Media

Lions tired of losing to Seahawks, their opponent on Monday night

The Detroit Lions haven’t moved to the NFC West. Their early-season schedule just makes it seem that way.

Detroit (2-1) edged the Los Angeles Rams in overtime in its opener. The Lions topped Arizona 20-13 in their first road test last weekend.

They’ll now host undefeated Seattle on Monday night.

Lions coach Dan Campbell knows full well how much of a challenge the Seahawks (3-0) present, even with a new coaching staff led by Mike Macdonald. Seattle has won the last six meetings, with Detroit’s last victory over the Seahawks coming in 2012.

“I would be lying though if I told you that I don’t know that we’ve lost to them three years in a row,” said Campbell, Detroit’s head coach since the 2021 season. “I do know that. So, you get tired of that. You get tired of that after one loss, much less three.”

Detroit didn’t score in the second half against the Cardinals, but its defense was stout and the offense was well-balanced. Quarterback Jared Goff completed 18 of 23 passes for 199 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Running backs David Montgomery (one TD) and Jahmyr Gibbs combined for 188 yards.

Campbell anticipates that his offense will need to be more dynamic to head into a bye week on a winning note.

“We have to be very efficient, first and second down, and then, honestly, I think we have to win the explosive battle,” he said. “We have to get some explosives on offense, and we have to shut theirs down.”

Goff threw for 323 yards and three touchdowns last season against Seattle, but the Seahawks pulled out a 37-31 overtime win. However, Goff sees a lot of changes on film between last year’s Seahawks defense and this year’s group.

“It’s a completely different scheme,” he said. “I’m sure there’s a couple players that are still there, but as far as what you’re looking at schematically, it’s entirely different.”

Seattle quarterback Geno Smith passed for 328 yards and two touchdowns against the Lions last season.

Smith connected with DK Metcalf on a 71-yard scoring pass in last week’s 24-3 home victory over Miami. Zach Charbonnet, filling in for injured Kenneth Walker, rushed for 91 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries.

Metcalf has produced two consecutive 100-yard games. He worked during the offseason on snagging more passes in traffic.

“That definitely was a focus for me this offseason,” he said. “Contested catches or 50/50 balls going up and attacking the ball, instead of trying to let it come down to me and catch it over my shoulder.”

One way the Lions can neutralize Seattle’s passing offense is to get pressure on Smith. Detroit’s top defensive player, Aidan Hutchinson, has already recorded 6.5 sacks.

“We’ve got to find 97. He’s off to a great start,” Smith said of Hutchinson. “Obviously, he’s a high draft pick and he’s a guy who they’re going to rely on. So if we can stalemate him, keep him from making big plays and getting in the backfield, getting (tackles for losses) and sacks, then we’ll make it hard on their defense.”

Detroit will be without starting center Frank Ragnow, who has a partially torn pectoral muscle. Tight end Sam LaPorta missed Thursday’s practice due to an ankle injury. Linebacker Alex Anzalone, who missed Sunday’s game due to a concussion, fully participated in practice.

Walker (oblique) was limited in Seattle’s practice on Thursday. Defensive starters Leonard Williams (ribs) and linebackers Uchenna Nwosu (knee) and Jerome Baker (hamstring) sat out.

–Field Level Media