Packers vs. Titans Preview
Week Three will be an exciting matchup. Malik Willis returns to Tennessee for the first time since being traded to the Packers for a seventh-round pick. Willis’ replacement, Will Levis, is under heavy scrutiny right now after his lackluster performances have put the Titans in a 0-2 hole. Each quarterback has strengths and weaknesses and will be on full display this week.
Malik has earned the respect of many Packers fans and NFL fans alike after his solid performance against the Colts. Many wondered whether Matt LaFleur could help Willis play solid enough for the Pack to help them win, but he proved them wrong. He threw 14 passes for 122 yards and one touchdown, sufficient to allow the Pack to steal the win. The Packers needed Willis to step up after starting quarterback Jordan Love went down, and if he continues to be a reliable backup, he could be critical to future success for the Pack. Conversely, Levis has had two touchdown passes and three interceptions over two weeks. His last-ditch effort to get the ball away and avoid a sack against the Bears turned into a pick-six and a hilarious internet meme. His single-handed performance cost the Titans the game, as the Bears did not score an offensive touchdown and still won. Levis’s struggles continued in Week Two when he threw a backward pitch that was fumbled and recovered by the Jets, leading to a score. He does have his flashes of potential with a long touchdown pass to Calvin Ridley and some excellent passes sprinkled in those two weeks.
Now it is time for these two quarterbacks to reunite and see which team made the right choice. The Titans never really gave Malik a chance by only allowing him to start three times, and they hastily moved on to Will Levis to see if he could right the ship. All Willis has to do is be a game manager like he did last week and let Josh Jacobs and the talented offense do the dirty work. If the Packers’ defense plays nearly as well as they did against the Colts, they should have no problem shutting down the Titans’ offense led by Will Levis. This matchup will be won by whichever quarterback makes fewer mistakes, and so far, Willis is outperforming Levis in that category. The Pack could move to 2-1 and make Love’s return even more accessible, or the Titans could surprise everyone.
