TAMPA BAY — Quarterback Will Levis is the only source of hope surrounding the Tennessee Titans (3-6) 2023 season. The rookie could get nothing accomplished on Sunday while under constant duress in a 20-6 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5).

Tennessee cannot afford to let Levis' development get derailed by a roster that is rife with incompetence.

"We didn't run it very well," coach Mike Vrabel said postgame. "I thought that the first drive had some good stuff going on there. Just didn't finish that drive off. Then, whether its pressure or one guy here in the run game or trying to get the football off, it was a struggle."

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The former Kentucky quarterback completed 19 of his 39 attempts for 199 yards and an interception. Evaluating Levis with the current talent, or lack thereof, around him becomes almost impossible.

Since his Week 8 breakout with four touchdown passes against the Atlanta Falcons, the second-round draft choice has not thrown another. Levis has two interceptions in the last two weeks as a product of desperate comeback efforts in losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tampa Bay. Out of context, one might think that the rookie has hit some sort of wall. 

In reality, the wall is his offensive line unit. All that group has been capable of doing is collapsing on top of its quarterback to date.

Tennessee's offensive line and protection issues grow

Levis has been hit 32 times in three starts for the Titans. He was sacked four times by the Bucs, four more in Pittsburgh and twice by Atlanta. Tennessee trotted out benched left tackle Andre Dillard in Tampa, who quickly exited the game with a concussion. Reserve lineman Dillon Radunz started the game at right guard for the injured Daniel Brunskill, but then had to take his first snaps of the season at left tackle when Dillard did not return. 

The only redeeming quality right now of the unit is first-round pick Peter Skoronski, who is currently in his first NFL season and is not enough alone to stop the bleeding.

"It's tough as an offense as a whole," Levis said. "We've just got to do a better job at looking introspectively at what we can do better. For me, if we have these games where we're feeling the flow and they're on us a little bit quicker, maybe just getting through my reads a little faster. Getting the ball out sooner. It is hard to change the thought process mid-game, but there's definitely things I could have done better."

At this point, there are no in-season solutions. 

Today's attempt at solving the offensive line predicament involved the Dillard-Radunz combination and Andrew Rupcich, a 2022 undrafted rookie free agent making his NFL debut. Helping Levis survive this group should be the top priority for the remaining eight games of the Titans season. The route to ruining a young passer can be directly correlated to the level of protection in front of him. 

Tennessee has plenty of experience as a franchise in that particular department. 

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Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.