It has been a tough week for the Tennessee Titans. Heck, looking back, it has been a tough YEAR for the Titans.
This team has been decimated by injury, and the Titans hit rock bottom when reports came out this week that Ryan Tannehill was likely done for the season.
However, if you want a silver lining, it is right in front of you: Malik Willis.
Willis had some struggles along with some successes earlier in the season when he was forced into duty. He won a game against the Texans that didn’t require much from him, and then made a few more plays against Kansas City when he almost knocked off the Chiefs.
Make no mistake, Willis did not look ready to be a starter in those games.
He got his first action since those games when Tannehill missed a few drives against the Chargers. Willis played 10 snaps, but in those ten snaps we saw some real progress from his first two games.
He went through his reads quicker, threw to the correct guy, and we even saw him finally make a decent play with his legs, something that has been surprisingly missing when Willis has played.
Let’s take a look at how Willis performed and what we might get to see from Willis the rest of the season…
Play No. 1
Malik is in the gun here, with five men spread wide, and the Titans are trying to create an easy read for him.
I love how Malik is thinking here: the defense jumps offsides, so take a shot down the field! The Chargers deep safety is at the top of the screen, so Malik has a one-on-one on the sideline at the bottom of the screen with Westbrook-Ihkine.
On this route, NWI has the option to sit it down or take it vertical based on what the defense does. Now, I get why NWI sat this route down, but I also get why (free play, safety away) Malik wanted to go deep. I think this is the right decision and a good throw, but there’s simple miscommunication on which route to run.
Regardless, absolute nonsense this was called for intentional grounding; that is never called.
Play No. 2
I love this concept for Malik. This is a real RPO; so many folks mistake read-option run plays for RPO.
Read-option gives the RB or the QB a chance to run with no pass option. A Run-Pass Option (RPO) gives the QB the option to hand it off or throw. Malik should be well-versed in both.
Here, Malik can hand off to Henry, but the box is clogged. While reading the box he also is staring down the man covering the inside receiver. If that guy sits back, Malik can hand it off. If that man comes forward, like we see him do here, Malik can hit the outside in route.
Malik had issues with processing speed and decision-making early this year, so although it seems like simple pitch and catch, this is nice progress from Malik with his timing.
Play No. 3
This was really nice to see from Malik on a little zone-beater.
Haskins goes out into the flat and pulls the flat defender to him. The corner floats with Hooper on the in route and Conley sits down for a short curl.
Malik makes the right decision after reading the defense. What got him there is more encouraging, though.
Watch how Malik quickly works through his progressions — Hooper first, checks outside on Haskins, then comes back to fire it in to Conley. Willis Stands in the pocket and delivers with pressure in his face, too.
These are big-small wins for Malik.
Play No. 4
This play starts a little wonky. Malik fakes to Henry, but Henry isn’t running a fake. I would assume if the defense shows a certain look it cancels the fake and Henry goes right to blocking. Henry probably knew that, maybe Malik forgot. I don’t know, but this is something you can’t get with Tannehill.
No one is open and Malik moves in the pocket. I love how he resets his throwing foundation and continues hunting downfield. Not only is this smart, but it fakes out the linebacker and Malik uses it almost as a juke. He gets upfield and gains some good yardage.
This skill will be valuable with the state of the offensive line and lack of separation from the pass catchers. Basically, it is fair to think WRs will continue not to be open and the line will continue not to hold up.
Play No. 5
Another strange one, but this is on Downing, not Malik. Well, maybe it is on no one and the defense just made a play. Either way, the point is this isn’t a bad play from Malik.
Fake swing pass out to Chig Okonkwo into a slip screen to Derrick Henry. Henry isn’t open and maybe in the future, Malik just throws it at Henry’s feet, but he tries to make a play with his legs.
He is stopped for no gain, but this wasn’t on him.
Play No. 6
I love this design. Chig is in the backfield to the boundary side, with Racey McMath as the line of scrimmage man tight to the formation. McMath runs a corner route and Chig comes out into the flat.
Simple two-man read here for Malik. If the CB sits in the flat, take the one-on-one to Racey. If not, hit Chig in the flat quickly with space. Well-executed play and the right read from Malik, which is most important.
Play No. 7
Last play for Malik in this game. It is an incompletion, but as I have mentioned throughout, the goal is to see progress.
The Chargers’ defense drops back and it leaves Hooper open underneath. Malik goes through his reads quickly enough to get the ball to Hoop before the defense can collapse too hard.
Sadly, a great play was made by Khalil Mack at the line of scrimmage, but the right read, decision and throw from Malik.
Conclusion
Here is the reality: this team still has a terrible offensive line and cast of pass-catchers. Malik was always meant to have a redshirt first season, so I don’t think it would be fair to use these next few games to make any definitive statement on his future.
HOWEVER, we do need to see some progress from his previous two starts to have faith he can progress enough to be a starter soon. Sunday against the Chargers we saw some improvement on previous issues, let’s hope that improvement continues against Houston.
