NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans are keeping second-year quarterback Will Levis on the bench and starting the backup currently here on a one-year deal.
The decision to start Mason Rudolph that was announced Wednesday also gives the Titans (3-11) a chance to show their improvement under first-year coach Brian Callahan on Sunday when they visit Indianapolis (6-8).
”I felt like it was the best thing for our team for these last few weeks to see what Mason can bring offensively,” Callahan said.
The first-year Titans coach said this is a week at a time approach with no “proclamations” for the future.
“It doesn’t mean that this is the end of Will’s ability to be a good quarterback,” Callahan said. “This is just situationally in a season where we’re at, I felt like we needed a spark at the quarterback position.”
Levis has 12 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions in 11 starts this season, throwing for 1,916 yards. Rudolph, who will make his fourth start this season, has 1,015 yards passing with six TDs and five interceptions. His latest came as he tried to rally Tennessee in last week’s loss to Cincinnati.
“Obviously every player wants to play well and have a long career, but I’m focused winning the game Sunday and, you know, celebrate with my teammates,” Rudolph said.
The quarterback was hit hard by Bengals end Trey Hendrickson and fumbled the ball. Levis then was intercepted three times over the next 12 offensive plays. The last was taken 39 yards to the end zone for Levis’ NFL-most fourth pick-6 of the season.
That’s when Callahan benched Levis and turned to Rudolph. The veteran was 21 of 26 for 209 yards with two TD passes and the one interception for a 109.8 passer rating against one of the league’s worst defenses against the pass.
Callahan had said Monday he wanted to take some time before deciding on whether to put Levis back in the starting lineup. Rudolph got the news Tuesday morning.
Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk fired Mike Vrabel in January after the franchise’s second straight losing season. These Titans are trying to avoid matching the 14 losses in Ken Whisenhunt’s debut season of 2014 for the most in a single season since this franchise moved to Tennessee in 1997.
