NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Will Levis’ extensive eyes and Unimaginable Hulk-like flex mentioned all of it.
The Tennessee Titans had finished one thing uncommon as Derrick Henry’s 3-yard landing run put them forward for good and sealed a come-from-behind win over the Miami Dolphins in Week 14 of the 2023 season.
“Anytime you get a win like that, the response … that is acceptable,” Levis mentioned.
It was the second-most statistically unbelievable comeback since 2014, when Subsequent Gen Stats started monitoring the stat. The Titans’ win likelihood dipped as little as 0.4% after they fell behind 27-13 late within the fourth quarter, in keeping with Subsequent Gen Stats. The Titans, in keeping with the Elias Sports activities Bureau, had been the primary crew to win in regulation after trailing by 14 or extra factors with fewer than three minutes remaining for the reason that Raiders trailed the Steelers 28-14 and gained 31-28 in 1976.
It was Levis’ first profession comeback victory and the primary time a rookie threw for 300 or extra yards on “Monday Night time Soccer.” His 327 passing yards in that recreation stay a profession excessive. It appeared as if the Titans had discovered their franchise quarterback after he gained a shootout in opposition to Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa — whose 4,624 passing yards led the NFL final season.
The loss was a part of the explanation the Dolphins fell wanting the AFC East crown. They got here into that recreation with a 9-3 file, however went 2-2 (together with their loss to the Titans) over the following 4 weeks main up their Week 18 showdown with the Buffalo Payments with the division on the road (a recreation Miami additionally misplaced). As a substitute of internet hosting a playoff recreation, the Dolphins must face the eventual Tremendous Bowl-champion Kansas Metropolis Chiefs on the street within the wild-card spherical.
Like final season, a win over the Dolphins on “Monday Night time Soccer” is one thing the Titans (0-3) desperately want.
“Anytime you play on Monday evening, no matter the place it’s, that entire world’s watching, it offers somewhat bit of additional pleasure,” Levis mentioned. “So we obtained that, and that was a superb one for us. We’re simply hoping to go get one other one down there, and clearly at this level of our season the place we actually want one.”
Issues are rather a lot totally different main into the rematch at Laborious Rock Stadium in Miami on Monday (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Titans coach Brian Callahan has changed Mike Vrabel and Henry is with Baltimore. And for the Dolphins (1-2), newly acquired quarterback Tyler Huntley will likely be below heart as an alternative of Tagovailoa, whose future is in query after he suffered a concussion in a Week 2 loss to the Payments.
“We have to exorcise these demons to an extent, however yearly is totally different,” Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver mentioned. “That is a wholly new crew. There’s a bunch of us that weren’t part of it in any respect, however the guys that had been right here, we all know that we need to go make it proper this week.
“They’ve a brand new crew, new employees, new coordinators, new gamers — similar factor right here, however these two logos, we all know what this implies.”
Here’s a have a look at the final time these two groups met:
6:53, second quarter (Dolphins 7, Titans 7): Bradley Chubb’s unsportsmanlike conduct penalty extends drive (21.6% win likelihood for Titans, in keeping with ESPN Analysis)
Levis led the Titans on their first scoring drive, overlaying 86 yards on 14 performs over 7:13. Dealing with a third-and-10, Levis eluded Chubb’s sack try and scrambled 5 yards earlier than reducing his shoulder to tackle cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
Levis: That was only a wave once we obtained off from that drive. I simply felt good vitality, good juice.
Working again Tyjae Spears: Dropping a shoulder on him was in all probability the perfect factor for Will as a result of it in all probability helped him with confidence and every part else that he is coping with.
Security Amani Hooker: A variety of guys had been hyped. I feel that simply introduced juice to the crew as a result of it is just like the quarterback’s doing that, it put a fireplace in everybody.
Tight finish Chig Okonkwo: When he did that, everyone was like, ‘Oh s—, he is obtained that s— to him.’ He simply seen Jalen Ramsey and tried to run him over. That is when everyone was like, ‘Oh s—! Will obtained that canine in him!’
After the play, a annoyed Chubb ripped his helmet off and slammed it on the sphere. The officers flagged him for unsportsmanlike conduct, giving the Titans a brand new set of downs. Henry scored on a 3-yard run.
Chubb after the sport: I let my issues be greater than the crew’s issues and harm the crew in a approach that I do not need to do this. Trying again on it now, simply two extra steps and I might’ve been completely advantageous, so it is simply irritating after I let my feelings get the perfect of me.
Halftime (Titans 10, Dolphins 7): Nick People subject objective offers Titans their first lead (27.9% win likelihood)
Levis discovered DeAndre Hopkins for a 24-yard completion with 23 seconds left within the first half. He managed to get the throw off regardless of being hit by Chubb as he threw the ball. The 2 linked a couple of performs later with Hopkins making a diving catch for a 45-yard achieve with 18 seconds left within the half. People hit a 28-yard subject objective to present Tennessee the lead. The six-play, 69-yard drive solely took 28 seconds due to the Levis-Hopkins connection.
Hopkins: I knew he was going to me regardless. I made performs for him in follow. I used to be all the time in his ear like, ‘Look, man, simply belief me. I am not going to let the ball get intercepted.’ That is what he did. I knew he was moving into, it doesn’t matter what.
5:34, fourth quarter (Dolphins 20, Titans 13): Titans muff punt, Raheem Mostert scores for Dolphins (2.9% win likelihood)
The Titans’ protection compelled Miami to punt with 6:07 left within the fourth quarter after exchanging subject objectives. Returner Eric Garror fumbled on the Tennessee 7-yard line and it was recovered by the Dolphins. Mostert’s 3-yard landing run gave Miami the lead.
4:34, fourth quarter (Dolphins 27, Titans 13): Titans botch pitch, Mostert scores once more (0.7% win likelihood)
After the following kickoff, Levis’ pitch to Henry on a toss play hit the bottom and Chubb recovered the ball at Tennessee’s 14-yard line. Mostert’s 5-yard landing run seemingly put the sport away.
Titans RB (now TE) coach James Otten: I knew the sport wasn’t over till it was over. I had been related to the 28-3 Tremendous Bowl [the New England Patriots overcame the biggest deficit in Super Bowl history to beat the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI] on the dropping facet of it. You by no means know what is going on to occur regardless of how a lot time is on the clock. You simply gotta preserve taking part in, keep assured, belief the sport plan.
Okonkwo: I feel we had been so fed up with all these things that was happening prior to now few weeks and the way a lot we’d lose on the final second. It was only a f—ing mindset. No matter, bro. Let’s simply exit right here and ball. It is prime time. F— it, let’s go.
2:40, fourth quarter (Dolphins 27, Titans 21): Titans take a danger, make it a one-score recreation (14.3% win likelihood)
Tennessee began the following drive with 4:34 left and marched 75 yards on 9 performs. A 23-yard drop shot to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine on a nook route obtained the ball to Miami’s 3-yard line with 2:53 left within the recreation.
Westbrook-Ikhine: It was some type of deeper out-breaker. I knew if we had the precise look I might be the primary within the development. I feel it was type of like [a two-minute drill], and we needed to transfer round. I felt somewhat drained however knew I needed to discover a approach so I ran the route and the ball was proper the place it wanted to be. I used to be simply mad I did not rating!
Levis scrambled to his proper on the following play earlier than hitting Hopkins with a no-look cross for the landing.
Levis: It was a play I needed to make getting out of the pocket and making one thing occur off schedule. It is a credit score to him to know the place he is at in house and settle in that protection, and that is what makes him nice as a participant.
Hopkins: I knew I needed to uncover for him. We wanted to attain a landing. I positively wasn’t popping out the top zone, no matter I did. I needed to be in the long run zone. Often, the defenders circulation with the visitors, so I knew, simply from my time taking part in soccer, give them a fast transfer, make them assume I am flowing with it, however go in opposition to it.
The Titans got here out for a 2-point conversion, and Westbrook-Ikhine hauled in a wide-open cross in the long run zone.
Proper guard Peter Skoronksi: There was by no means actually a second the place anybody actually blinked or hung their head or something. Guys simply type of caught with the method and went down and we executed.
Spears: We simply stayed within the battle. It ain’t over with till the clock hit zeroes. Two hostile issues occurred again to again so the factor is simply all the time consider, preserve that mindset of believing and by no means lose that.
2:18 left, fourth quarter (Dolphins 27, Titans 21): Miami goes three-and out (19.9% win likelihood)
Garror fielded Jake Bailey‘s punt on the Titans’ 22-yard line with 2:18 left and returned it 14 yards after the Dolphins went three-and-out and solely ran 25 seconds off the clock.
Linebacker Harold Landry III: I really feel like there’s by no means actually been a panic as a crew once we face adversity it doesn’t matter what the rating is. I really feel like we all the time obtained an opportunity within the fourth quarter to tug it out, and that is actually simply been the mindset and the way it’s been right here.
Hooker: We fed off the offense scoring, and we did not need to allow them to down after they did their job. It was our time to go on the market and do our job.
Tagovailoa after the sport: It is the NFL. Something can occur. We have to do a greater job ending the sport with the time that we had whereas we had the ball, not permitting their opposing crew’s offense to get that chance to probably go down and rating.
1:49 left, fourth quarter (Titans 28, Dolphins 27): Titans take lead on Henry run (58.9% win likelihood)
Tennessee took over by itself 36-yard line with 2:14 left within the recreation. Levis hit Hopkins on a deep crossing route for a 36-yard achieve, then discovered Okonkwo on a display on the following play that went 16 yards to the Dolphins 12-yard line.
Skoronski: Personally. I do not even keep in mind interested by the clock or something, and even the rating. It was type of like, ‘Oh, we’re again in it.’ We simply did our factor, and that was it.
Three performs and a delay of recreation penalty later, Henry punched it in from the 3-yard line and People’s additional level gave the Titans the lead with 1:49 left within the recreation. It took 28 seconds for the Titans to drive 64 yards on 4 performs.
Okonkwo: I keep in mind being in my head and being like, ‘Holy s—, we simply gained the sport.’ That is the way it was. It was being like, ‘Oh, now we have an opportunity.’ After which we truly scored. I used to be like, ‘Rattling, we simply gained.’
26 seconds, fourth quarter (Titans 28, Dolphins 27): Landry’s sack seals the deal (99.9% win likelihood)
Landry ended the Dolphins’ probabilities when he sacked Tagovailoa with 26 seconds left.
Landry: I used to be prepared for that recreation to finish and simply joyful I obtained him down to shut it out.
20 seconds, fourth quarter (Titans 28, Dolphins 27): Levis kneels (100% win likelihood)
The Titans snapped a nine-game street dropping streak (fifth longest in crew historical past) and scored not less than 20 factors in a street recreation for the primary time since their 27-17 win at Inexperienced Bay in Week 11 of 2022 season when the clock expired on Levis’ kneel.
Spears: We have a franchise quarterback that may take the lead in pivotal moments of the sport.
Otten: There’s one thing to seeing the fruits of your labor come true. It actually did and it was a stepping off level for [Levis] the remainder of the season. He walked somewhat bit larger and his chest poked out a bit higher. It was not solely an enormous confidence builder for him, it was for the entire offense.
Miami Dolphins reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques contributed to this report.
