When trying on the Titans’ offense in current weeks, it’s changing into clear that it’s being led by a triumvirate of offensive leaders. Whereas this time period is most popularly related to historical Rome and the management of Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus, I’ll save that historical past lesson for one more time.
As an alternative, the three strongest gamers main the Titans are quarterback Will Levis, working again Derrick Henry, and huge receiver DeAndre Hopkins. If the Bucs have any probability at successful Sunday afternoon, it begins by limiting every of them from exerting their management over the sport. It’s a tall job, and it’s a problem that each Bucs gamers and coaches have been getting ready for.
“Don’t Underestimate Anyone,” Together with Titans QB Will Levis
There are solely two video games of NFL tape on Will Levis, however from what could be gathered it’s little shock that the Titans have determined to maintain him because the beginning quarterback over Ryan Tannehill. After completely lighting it up in his debut towards the Falcons (of their superior throwback uniforms, I’d add), Levis hung in there going through the always-tough Steelers’ protection and did sufficient to maintain it shut all through. Former NFL quarterback J.T. O’Sullivan, now host of The QB College, did a great job analyzing Will Levis’ play from that game.
Titans QB Will Levis – Photograph by: USA Right now
However the Bucs have already checked out Levis a lot, going again to the offseason. They have been one of many groups that hosted him on a Top 30 visit and head coach Todd Bowles spoke this week on what he remembers from assembly him again in April.
“He’s a sensible man,” Bowles stated. “He’s a superb quarterback, he’s very good, he’s conscious, he has a really robust arm, he’s very athletic. He had the entire intangibles.”
After permitting C.J. Stroud, one other rookie quarterback, to torch the protection final week, Bowles and the remainder of the protection gained’t be taking Levis evenly. Particularly as he, like Stroud, doesn’t look play a rookie.
“Twenty years in the past, whenever you see a rookie quarterback, you’re licking your chops,” Bucs co-defensive coordinator Larry Foote stated Thursday. “I feel from little league, seven-on-seven, highschool – these quarterbacks can go the ball. It [was] not like that 20 years in the past.
“There’s a lot passing – we [saw] that final week, that man didn’t seem like a rookie. It’s the identical means with [Levis] watching him on tape – he is aware of what to do with the ball. He’s bought a powerful arm and he lit a little bit fireplace since changing into the starter with the Titans. It’s going to be an enormous problem. These days are lengthy gone. Should you’re a quarterback on this league, beginning, you’re harmful.”
After the secondary gave up 470 passing yards and 5 touchdowns final week, the Bucs have discovered their lesson in not underestimating any quarterback. Bucs cornerback Zyon McCollum shared that whereas he respects Will Levis, he should present up towards a bunch that must be fired as much as return to their previous methods.
“He has a extremely robust arm and he can roll out a method and throw all of it the way in which again the opposite means,” McCollum stated. “It looks as if they belief him to make loads of these deep throws and simply let him get the ball free. We discovered from final week – don’t underestimate anyone – whether or not they’re a rookie or a vet, an previous man. We’re simply respecting him, have great respect for him, and he’s going to have to indicate us.”
King Henry Nonetheless Reigns In Tennessee
One other participant is price respecting, and he wants no introduction. Whereas there could also be an enormous three on the Titans’ offense, working again Derrick Henry has lengthy proven that he can run the present himself. The 6-3, 247-pound workhorse is usually coined as “King Henry” and at age 29, he nonetheless reigns robust. By means of eight video games this season, Henry has 601 speeding yards and 4 touchdowns whereas sustaining a 4.4 yards per carry common. He might not be at his 2019 or 2020 stage – a 31-game stretch the place he amassed 3,567 speeding yards and 33 touchdowns – however he’s nonetheless a menace that defenses put together for on sport day after which recuperate from after going through him.
Titans RB Derrick Henry – Photograph by: USA Right now
“At first, I’m glad me and also you [aren’t] on the market enjoying for the Buccaneers, I’ll inform you that,” Larry Foote stated. “Good luck to these guys. That sort of problem – extra hats to the ball. The blokes are going to embrace it, they’re going to like it. These guys are excited. That’s an enormous problem, an enormous man – they need to be geeked up for it. We want some Epsom salt and ice baths after the sport, however that’s what makes soccer enjoyable. It’s an enormous problem for us.”
To take down Henry, the Bucs’ protection should be hungry. He stays one of many league’s high working backs and there’s no query the Titans will look to get the ball in his palms typically. He has led the league in carries in three of the previous 4 seasons and would have carried out so in all 4 if it weren’t for a season-ending damage in 2021.
“Simply convey your lunch,” inside linebacker Devin White stated. “You’ve bought to be hungry; you’ve bought to be attacking him. Get him earlier than he will get you – that’s the mentality you’ve bought to have. You wish to make each deal with, you wish to pad your stats, so that could be a nice alternative to do it. You recognize he’s getting the ball so go get him.”
DeAndre Hopkins Stays A Deadly Weapon For The Titans
Large receiver DeAndre Hopkins is the final key playmaker the Bucs will look to neutralize. Since being drafted again in 2013, Hopkins has lengthy had a observe document of being top-of-the-line receivers up to now decade. He has six 1,000-yard seasons and 5 Professional Bowl alternatives to his identify. Should you thought that he is perhaps declining at 31 years previous, suppose once more.
Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins – Photograph by: USA Right now
Hopkins is on his option to including to these classes, and it already appears like he and Will Levis are a deadly pairing. In Week 8 towards the Falcons, they linked for 3 touchdowns, and limiting them from getting right into a rhythm will likely be a high precedence for cornerback Carlton Davis III together with the remainder of the secondary.
“Him and the younger quarterback, they’ve a superb rapport collectively,” Foote stated. “He’s top-of-the-line huge receivers of the final decade on this league. [It is] an enormous problem. He’s savvy, he’s an enormous man. He’s getting loads of targets. It’s going to be an enormous problem for our guys and people guys are up for it. You need these matchups.”
When speaking to Zyon McCollum, savvy was once more the phrase used to explain DeAndre Hopkins’ play type.
“I’ve been watching him since I used to be in highschool,” McCollum stated. “He’s an incredible athlete, a extremely savvy man who likes to speak and will get in DB’s heads. I see that on movie too, he’s chirping rather a lot. Simply because he’s getting older doesn’t imply he’s shedding essentially a step. It’s good to see him on tape, it’ll be much more enjoyable going up towards him on Sunday.”
The trio of Will Levis, Derrick Henry, and DeAndre Hopkins is one with a mixture of youth and established star energy. To restrict them from shining, the Bucs’ protection should right its issues in an enormous means. In any other case, will probably be a brutal conquest at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday.
