Tennessee Titans unable to convert on late chances, lose to Pittsburgh Steelers 20-16
PITTSBURGH — The Tennessee Titans hit their first speed bump of the Will Levis era.
The Pittsburgh Steelers outlasted Tennessee 20-16 Thursday night, riding one of their best offensive performances of the season. The Titans (3-5) are still winless away from Nissan Stadium this season.
Levis didn't throw a touchdown Thursday after throwing four in his NFL debut on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. But he did throw for 262 yards and kept the offense steady in a ball-control game where running back Derrick Henry carried 17 times for 75 yards.
The Steelers took a lead with 4:02 remaining on the back of a 92-yard drive to go up 20-16, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the extra point allowed Levis and the Titans to take over two yards shy of midfield. The drive began with three run plays that gained six yards, setting up a fourth-and-4, where Levis heaved deep down the sideline to receiver Treylon Burks that the Steelers jarred incomplete. Burks was injured on the play and had to be stabilized on a stretcher and driven off the field on a cart.
A quick three-and-out gave the Titans the ball back at their own 15-yard line with 1:44 left and one timeout. Levis guided the offense deep into Steelers territory, crossing the 20-yard line with 11 seconds left. Levis threw an interception trying for the end zone targeting tight end Josh Whyle on the final offensive snap of the game, ending the Titans' second comeback threat.
Spotlight on Levis
Levis didn't post the same eye-popping numbers or as many highlight plays as he did in his debut, but he continued to show the skills that are allowing him to succeed. DeAndre Hopkins is still his favorite target; the veteran caught four passes for 60 yards and was targeted 11 times. But Levis also showed poise under pressure and was able to connect on a few off-balance throws downfield with rushers in his face.
Some of his most impressive plays came on a drive that began with fewer than two minutes left in the first half. He completed four passes for 56 yards to get the Titans into the red zone and set up a field goal, including 24- and 21-yard passes to slot receiver Kyle Philips.
A weird defensive day
Against a Steelers offense that has been mostly anemic this season, the defense allowed some lengthy drives, and were it not for some red zone stops, could've allowed a lot more.
The Steelers set a season high in rushing yards (166) and their four scoring drives all spanned 10 or more plays. Two of those lengthy series stalled in the red zone, but the Titans' pass rush disappeared again after setting a season-high in sacks on Sunday with no sacks and two quarterback hits.
Shuffling on the O-line
One of the biggest questions heading into this game was how the Titans' offensive line, without starting right tackle Chris Hubbard, who is out on concussion protocol, would handle the Steelers' impressive pass rush. The situation got even more dire when Nicholas Petit-Frere, who shifted over from left tackle to the right side, left with an injury of his own in the first quarter, putting the Titans down to their fourth tackle. In the third quarter, Andre Dillard left with an injury, bringing rookie Jaelyn Duncan in to play left tackle for two plays.
The Steelers' rush was active, but Levis was able to stay upright long enough to make some passes downfield, and the run game offset some of the rush with early successes.
What's next?
The Titans return to action on Nov. 12 with a road game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kickoff is scheduled for noon CT and the game will be televised on CBS.
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @nickusss.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Titans, Will Levis can't finish off comeback vs. Steelers
