Takeaways From Malik Willis First NFL Start

Photo Credit: Donald Page/Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans won 17-10 against the Houston Texans in a game where Derrick Henry carried the offense, and the defense played lights out.

Although Henry and the defense were the main focal points for why the Titans won their 5th consecutive game, much of the focus was on rookie quarterback Malik Willis before this game. 

Willis stepped in as the starting quarterback for this game; after Ryan Tannehill was ruled out due to illness and an ankle injury.

In his first career start, Willis’ passing game was not leaned on very heavily, with how Henry ran in this game. Henry amassed 219 yards on the ground, along with two touchdowns.

Aside from handing the ball off to Henry most of the game, the times when Willis threw and commanded the offense on his own, proved to be why he is still a project.

Willis only threw 10 times in this game and completed just six of them for 55 yards. He also threw a bad interception that was late and behind intended receiver Cody Hollister.

There were a ton of moments in this game where Willis looked like a rookie.

In the first quarter, head coach Mike Vrabel had to call a timeout when the play clock was reaching zero after Willis was supposedly changing or checking the play call and looked lost in doing so.

He missed a wide-open throw to tight end Chig Okonkwo in the second quarter, where the broadcast mentioned how his footwork was off on that throw. 

In the final 31 seconds of the second quarter, the Titans were potentially in line to score points with the offense positioned on the Texans 36 yard line.

Willis decided to throw a pass out of bounds in a clean pocket on 2nd and 2 which he could have run for a first down. The drive ended with a sack and a punt.

In the second half, Willis only threw one pass, which summed up with Henry dominating the Texans’ league-worst run defense. 

Willis was sacked three times, which can be credited to him holding onto the ball too long and not feeling pressure well enough. Then again, this offensive line has not been great in pass protection so far this season, while the passing game has been uninspiring as well.  

A lot of plays for Willis were designed runs, and understandably so with the athletic ability that made him so intriguing coming out of college.

Overall, it was good to have Willis get these snaps and game experience under his belt, but he still has a long way to go. 

With a huge matchup next week against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football, it is safe to say that Tannehill would give the Titans a better chance to win than Willis would right now.