NASHVILLE — Coach Mike Vrabel is trying to guide the Tennessee Titans (3-5) through a quarterback controversy for the second time in his six-season tenure. Rookie Will Levis has done enough in two starts to put incumbent Ryan Tannehill's job security in question.

Tannehill has missed Tennessee's last two games dealing with a high ankle sprain.

"No, I'm not ready to do that yet," Vrabel told reporters on which passer would lead the team coming out of its mini bye weekend. "I think we'll have a conversation with the depth chart over the weekend. We'll have a depth chart or something close to it available when we talk to you on Tuesday.

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"To be able to go through the moving parts of not only Ryan's (Tannehill) health, but whatever there (is) going on the offensive line, which there is coming out of that game, which there would be in the defensive secondary. So, there'll probably be some moving parts here over the weekend."

Levis has performed admirably in relief of Tannehill.

The Titans beat the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8, then fell on the road to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a Thursday Night Football clash.

Levis has completed 60.3% of his passes in the two contests, throwing for 500 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. All four scores came in the win against the Falcons, while Tennessee was held to a total of 16 points in Pittsburgh. The former second-round pick did, however, provide an undeniable spark to a football team that had swung from listless to lifeless and back again through the first six weeks of the season.

The Titans were 2-4 with the veteran under center.

Tannehill has often been the subject of Tennessee fans' frustrations since his epic collapse against the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2021 postseason. To start 2023, he had completed 62.0% of his passes for three total touchdowns and six interceptions. Offensively, the Titans managed only 17.3 points per game with Tannehill in the line-up.

At 35-years old and in an expiring contract situation, Tannehill's time in Tennessee is certainly closer to the end than the beginning.

The question becomes whether or not Vrabel and the coaching staff truly believe that Tannehill gives his team the best chance to win games whenever he returns. Fans have expressed their frustrations with the Titans coach's unwillingness to publicly declare Levis as the guy moving forward. Tannehill has yet to even return to practice since the team's London loss to Baltimore three weeks ago. 

Levis does seem like the obvious choice, but there is absolutely nothing that prevents Vrabel from at least taking the full practice week to determine so.

Tennessee's Thursday Night loss dropped it back into the basement of the AFC South. Vrabel and Co. can make up ground, of course, with five of the annual six divisional games still yet to be played. While it is likely more practical for the Titans to play more for their future than their present, the franchise values week-to-week competitiveness over all. 

Vrabel will play whomever he thinks gives the team the best chance to do just that. 

"I think with any position, you look for who gives you the best opportunity to win, where you're at and what's best for the football team," Vrabel said on Friday. "So, we'll have those conversations over the weekend. We'll see where Ryan's (Tannehill) health is. We'll see where some different guys are as (far as) health. But we're always just trying to figure out what gives us the best chance to win, with what we can do to win a football game, especially one next week that's on the road."

Tennessee has yet to win this season outside of Nissan Stadium.

Vrabel went through a very similar situation in 2019. Marcus Mariota had six games of the 2019 season to prove he could be a viable passer for Tennessee and was unable to do. Vrabel stood by Mariota's side every step of the way until the situation was clearly untenable in a game against the Denver Broncos when the coach made the decision to pull his then-starter in favor of Tannehill.

Tannehill, acquired as an a Mariota contingency plan that offseason, went on to lead the Titans to the AFC Championship Game. 

Tennessee will have two more away contests in Weeks 10 and 11 before its next home game against the Carolina Panthers on November 26. Vrabel absolutely should, and likely will continue with Levis as the starter. Appeasing the fan base takes a back seat to however the coach feels he needs to manage the individuals and locker room as a whole.

Fretting prematurely accomplishes nothing of substance.

Will Levis’ debut ends any Titans quarterback controvery

NASHVILLE — Will Levis led the Tennessee Titans (3-4) to a win over the Atlanta Falcons (4-4) by a score of 28-23 on Sunday. Decked out in Houston Oilers throwback uniforms, the rookie threw four touchdowns passes in his debut. It was the first time the Tennessee's offense had scored as many points since Week […]

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