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Turron Davenport, ESPN
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans got a glimpse of their future on Sunday, with rookie quarterback Will Levis leading the team to victory in his first career start.
Levis completed 19 of his 29 pass attempts for 238 yards and four touchdowns — three to DeAndre Hopkins — to lead the Titans to a much-needed 28-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
The rookie quarterback joined Minnesota Vikings Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton (1961 vs. Bears) and former Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (2015 vs. the Buccaneers) as the third player in NFL history with four passing touchdowns in his first career game.
The first touchdown to Hopkins was a 47-yard strike in the first quarter. The second came on a 16-yard pass that hit Hopkins in stride so he could make his way to the end zone. The final touchdown throw to Hopkins came after a pump fake from Levis moved Falcons safety Richie Grant out of position, and Levis effortlessly hit Hopkins for a 61-yard score.
Levis finished his scoring barrage with a 33-yard pass to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for a touchdown with two Falcons pass-rushers barreling toward him. The ball was lofted perfectly, allowing Westbrook-Ikhine to run under it and bring the pass in.
Levis looked extremely comfortable in the pocket, even when it collapsed around him. The Titans even used a version of the Philadelphia Eagles‘ “Brotherly Shove” sneak play on which Levis gained two first downs.
The Titans traded in this year’s draft — from No. 41 to No. 33 overall — by sending a 2023 third-round pick and a 2024 third-round pick to Arizona to select Levis with the second pick of the second round.
