In his first NFL start — albeit in the preseason — Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Malik Willis completed six of 11 passes for 107 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 88.1. Willis did come up with an amazing rushing touchdown in Tennessee’s 23-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, but there was at least one person on the field at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium who wished Willis would have thrown the ball more.
And that person is Titans head coach Mike Vrabel.
Vrabel on taking Willis out after the second play of the third quarter: I wanted him to throw the ball. He didn't, so we put in Logan
— Buck Reising (@BuckReising) August 12, 2022
That was indeed what Vrabel said. “Logan” is backup quarterback Logan Woodside, who, on his first play from scrimmage, ran for five yards up the middle.
Ah, well. You can’t always get what you want. Woodside, for his part, completed 14 of 24 passes for 102 yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions, and a passer rating of 33.7. So, he was more apt to throw than Willis was, but hardly to great effect.
The Willis play that got him bounced from the game happened with 8:23 left in the third quarter, and the Titans down 17-10. Tennessee had second-and-4 at their own 37-yard line, and Willis, after scanning the field and apparently seeing nothing to his liking, decided to take off. This was an issue for Willis in college, and perhaps Vrabel and his staff are trying to get Willis to think differently.
“We have a lot to learn from, a lot to look at on film, but it was good to get out there again and play football,” Willis said, via Jim Wyatt of Titans Online. (via Titans Wire). “I missed some things probably, and I just made up for it with my legs. I can’t continue to rely on that, but that is what the preseason is for.
“I’m going to remember the things I should have done better. But it is a learning experience – it’s the preseason, but it’s an opportunity at the same time. I just have to continue to work.”
Vrabel had a lot to say about his rookie quarterback, and the timing of certain plays that just didn’t look right to the coach.
Mike Vrabel on starting Malik Willis tonight pic.twitter.com/8c9XgOhroq
— Buck Reising (@BuckReising) August 12, 2022
“He needs to try to throw the ball when guys are open. Be more decisive, so we’ll evaluate that and see if there is a timing issue or what’s going on. I wanted to get him out there and see how he responded. He did OK. There were some good plays. Obviously, some plays that we will have to look at the timing on the release and if we are making the right decisions.”
It’s a learning process. And for all Willis did to impress, there’s still obviously miles to go in the eyes of the one guy whose opinion matters above all.
