NASHVILLE — After an underwhelming effort in a 24-16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, and a potentially severe injury to quarterback Ryan Tannehill, the Tennessee Titans' season is looking dire.

The Titans fell to 2-4 on the year with Sunday's loss, and dating back to last season, are now 2-11 in their last 13 games.

But Tennessee's problems are much deeper than this one loss to the Ravens or even their 2-4 start. It's the fashion in which Tennessee continues to lose games, recurring poor decisions, and the uncertainty at quarterback that is most concerning.

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We hear the same things after every Titans loss. Got to coach better and play better. Got to limit explosive plays. Have to eliminate self-inflicted wounds. Need to get into manageable third downs and convert. Need to execute better in the red zone. It's the same old, sad story.

But six weeks into the 2023 season, the Titans are still losing games in the same ways. Against the Ravens on Sunday, Tennessee surrendered four explosive pass plays, muffed a punt that directly led to points for the opponent, went 1-for-9 on third down, and 1-for-4 in the red zone.

At some point, you have to consider if some of these weaknesses are even fixable. You do the same things over and over again, and maybe that's just who you are. Maybe that's just the roster you have.

"Probably. Maybe. We'll see," said Titans head coach Mike Vrabel after the game when asked if it's possible that some of these issues are not correctable. "But I'm not going to stop trying. I'm not going to stop trying to prepare 'em and teach 'em and fundamentals and execution. There will be some good plays in there and certainly ones in there that we have to eliminate that are getting us beat."

For a head coach that tends to lean on saying the "right things" and maintaining confidence, that's about as damning of a remark as you're going to find. That's a coach who is frustrated beyond measure and coming to grips with the fact that his football team has bigger issues that effort alone can't overcome. 

To make matters worse, that same team's most important player (not that he's been great) could miss significant time. Starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill went to the locker room during the game with a right ankle injury and was seen on crutches after the game.

"I tried to gut it out and I couldn't put any force into the throws." said Tannehill postgame. "I knew I wasn't going to be able to move and I just kept trying to walk it off but it was just getting worse and worse. I wasn't going to be able to make the throws."

Tannehill said that his ankle injury contributed to the critical interception he threw late in the third quarter. Tannehill was attempting to push the ball down field to an open Chig Okonkwo, but wasn't able to push off and get enough on the ball.

After that play, enough was enough. The Titans went to 2022 third-round draft pick Malik Willis at quarterback for the entire fourth quarter.

"At that point I just figured 'I'm gonna be a sitting duck back there and if I cant even step into a throw, I'm not going to be effective,'" said Tannehill on Sunday. "It freaking sucks. It's part of the game when you get injured, but it's not an enjoyable process, especially when it's got some significance with it."

Now you just have to wonder if there's any hope for Tennessee if Tannehill's ankle injury is as significant as some fear. Willis did not look good in his opportunity on Sunday and struggled with many of the same things he did as a rookie – pocket presence, getting rid of the ball, and taking too many sacks.

Willis was sacked four times on just 15 offensive plays on Sunday. 

So where do you turn if you're Mike Vrabel and company? To me, the answer has to be Will Levis. You drafted him with the 33rd overall pick for a reason. He's better equipped to run the play-action offense Tennessee is built for and he's not afraid to let it rip. 

We all but know about Malik Willis and this point. If Tannehill is going to be out, it's time we see what Levis can do. Unfortunately, that could mean the 2023 Titans aren't going to be the contenders we once thought. The margin for error moving forward is zero.

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