Tracking stats for Malik Willis, Will Levis in Tennessee Titans-Chicago Bears NFL preseason game
Tennessee Titans quarterbacks Malik Willis and Will Levis are getting extended auditions for the backup job Saturday in Chicago.
The Titans are facing the Bears in their preseason opener Saturday from Soldier Field. Starter Ryan Tannehill isn't dressed out, so Willis and Levis will get longer looks behind center.
The Tennessean is live in Chicago for the game and will be recapping and grading Willis and Levis' on a drive-by-drive basis. Here's how the Titans' two young quarterbacks are faring:
Tennessee Titans quarterbacks vs. Chicago Bears: Malik Willis and Will Levis
Drive 1: Malik Willis: 3/4, 39 yards, 9 rushing yards, TD
Willis made a nice adjustment on the first play from scrimmage, finding receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine wide open over the middle for a 30-yard gain after his first read on a bootleg was covered. Willis had to take a delay-of-game before the next snap, struggling to get an audible in on time. He checked down or threw short passes on his next three attempts, completing two. He also scrambled for a first down on a third down in the red zone. Willis capped the drive with a touchdown rush on a read-option play where he bounced outside the contain and trotted in for the score.
Drive 2: Will Levis: 1/2, 8 yards
Levis got away with a big mistake on his second dropback. He threw behind receiver Colton Dowell on an out route and was nearly intercepted, but the ball flitted through the cornerback's hands. Levis was dropped for a sack on his first third down to lead to a punt.
Drive 3: Malik Wills: 2/3, 7 yard
Willis was backed up deep after a flag on the kick return. Three pass attempts short, he completed two. But no first downs, leading to a 3-and-out in his first drive behind the second-string offensive line.
Drive 4: Malik Willis: 0/1, INT
Willis threw a pass a little too high for tight end Josh Whyle. It deflected off Whyle's hands for an interception. Whyle maybe could've caught the ball, but that interception falls on Willis.
Drive 5: Will Levis: 1/1, 21 yards
Levis got the ball back one play after Willis' interception after a Bears' interception and got the team into the red zone quickly by finding receiver Mason Kinsey on a bootleg for a 21-yard gain. He evaded pressure with some smooth moves in the pocket to avoid a sack on 2nd-and-goal. Levis didn't get another pass attempt as the running game pounded in for a score.
Drive 6: Will Levis: 3/4, 24 yards, 6 rushing yards
The drive started with a couple of quick screens out to receivers, one that Levis threw short and the other that was blown up for a loss. Levis extended the drive finding receiver Racey McMath on a corner route for a 21-yard gain on 3rd-and-13. He did another good job of escaping a would-be sack and turning it into a 6-yard scramble. The drive ended after Whyle fumbled a pass thrown his way.
Drive 7: Malik Willis: 2/3, 14 yards
Willis starts backed up on the 10-yard line with just 1:58 left before halftime. He took a few timing passes and benefited from a defensive penalty to get out of the shadow of the end zone, but was strip-sacked and lost the ball for yet another turnover.
Drive 8: Malik Willis: 4/5, 42 yards
Deja vu, another turnover. Willis gets another shot at the two-minute drill. He made one of his best plays of the game to escape pressure and find Reggie Roberson down the sidelines for a 13-yard gain. He kept driving down the field with timing completions to set up a 41-yard field goal try for Caleb Shudak, who converted.
HALFTIME: Tennessee 17, Chicago 14
Drive 9: Will Levis: 1/2, 5 yards
A quick three-and-out to start the second half. He couldn't complete a deep shot off play-action but did convert a third down pass short of the sticks.
Drive 10: Will Levis: 2/2, 23 yards
Levis was sacked twice but still led the drive into field goal range. Trey Wolff missed from 47 yards, wide right.
Drive 11: Malik Willis: 2/2, 25 yards
Again, the Titans protection is breaking down. Willis, for the first time in the second half, completes a pass to Racey McMath for 21 yards, then is sacked twice to force a punt. Willis is holding onto the ball a little long, but the pockets are not clean.
Drive 12: Malik Willis: 3/6, 62 yards
Willis jumpstarts the drive with an accurate throw to UDFA WR Kearis Jackson on a crosser for 25 yards. Willis follows with a nice throw over the middle to UDFA WR Gavin Holmes for 14 yards. Willis later throws to Tre'Shaun Harrison for 23 yards.
Later, Willis missed an open Mason Kinsey in the back of the end zone while rolling out to the right. And on 4th down inside the Bears' 10, Willis throws high of Holmes for the turnover on downs.
Drive 13: Will Levis: 1/3, 7 yards, INT
Levis got a chance with 41 seconds left in Bears territory after a solid punt return. After a short completion to Julius Chestnut, Levis missed an open Holmes for a big gain (ball did hit Holmes in the hands) and threw a desperation interception to Bralen Trahan to end the game.
Final numbers for Malik Willis and Will Levis in Tennessee Titans preseason game No. 1
Malik Willis: 16-25, 189 yards, INT, fumble lost, sacked 4 times; 3 carries for 22 yards and a TD run (led two scoring drives)
Will Levis: 9-14, 85 yards, INT, sacked four times; 1 carry for 6 yards (led one scoring drive)
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on Twitter @nicksuss.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tracking Malik Willis, Will Levis stats in Titans-Bears preseason game
