What did I just watch? No seriously. I’m legitimately asking the question because I have no idea. My brain is in a fog right now. I haven’t seen a 4 touchdown performance from a Titans quarterback since Ryan Timothy Tannehill III played against the Texans in Week 18 in 2021. Also, I haven’t seen a team in the Titans discussions scoring more than 27 points in a game since. same game. Then again, since they had the Oilers players buzzing today, I guess I still haven’t seen a team in the Titans discussions score more than 27 points in a game since 2021. So I am serious when I ask: what is it?!
I can’t tell you what it is, but I can certainly tell you what it feels like. Truly fantastic. It’s like getting the bike you asked for on Christmas morning. Then you immediately take it outside and ride on it all day until the sun goes down and your son brings you inside. All I want to do is ride some more.
What a welcome change of pace for a Titans season that felt like it was on the edge of a sewer. It’s amazing how one player’s performance can breathe new life into a fan base and an entire franchise. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to Titans fans, however. I’m not going to be one of those fans with a revisionist history and say I’ve never felt that way. We had the same feeling in 2019 when the team started 2-4 and a guy named Ryan Tannehill took over. Hell, we felt the same way in the first week of 2016 when Marcus Mariota threw 4 tuddies in his NFL debut. Must be something about wearing number 8 for the Titans? And I’m sure we’ll feel that way again when the next Titans quarterback takes over. Because I’m sure a ton of quarterbacks threw four tuddies in their debut. Like *checks notes* oh damn… only Mariota and Fran whore Tarkentun threw 4 tuddies in his NFL debut.
Ok, so what? I’m not going to overreact. It was a game and well, the Falcons have a pretty bad defense, don’t they? In fact, they have the *checks notes* oh geez…the TENTH best pass defense in the league? Shit. Well, I’m sure it’s just their pass defense. Their scoring defense is only ranked *checks notes* oh geez… NINTH?! Well, maybe their overall defense sucks. They’re only ranked *checks notes* oh damn… THIRD?! Okay, this whole “don’t overreact” thing is going to be harder than I thought.
I guess I just don’t want to get my hopes up in a week, as a Titans fan it seemed really bleak to me. Not just with the Kevin Byard trade, but with the endless rumors about Derrick Henry’s seemingly inevitable move. Fortunately, these were just rumors. (I hope.) But speaking of the King, I’m sure he had a reasonable view of Lévis’s beginnings, since he always remains indifferent to everything and *checks notes*
‘He was playing, huh,’ Titans running back Derrick Henri said. “He was playing crazy. It was exciting to see how it played out with his management of the offense and our ability to finish drives and make some plays.
Oh fuck. Even the king was impressed.
Well, shit. Look, I’m trying my best not to panic after a week of good quarterback play. ESPECIALLY from a beginner. I don’t want to be that fan who overreacts to Week 1 or thinks Tyson Bagent is the second coming of Kurt Warner. Was I impressed? Of course. I set the bar extremely low for him in his early days because I didn’t want to impose unattainable expectations on him, and yet he still went out and exceeded those unattainable expectations that I might have set. And it’s not just the four bombs he dropped. It was the precision of his throws, the consistency and the confidence he exuded. It was a real David after the dentist performance because it made me wonder, “Is this real life?!”
Now listen, there’s still a ton of football left. He will make rookie mistakes and will be faced with much more difficult situations than that of Sunday. For example, a road game against a tough Steelers defense that will be even tougher than the Falcons because they have the *checks notes* oh boy… EIGHTEENTH ranked pass defense in the league. Well, shit.
I guess we should just go ahead and overreact. Let’s go ride.
It’s BILLIE JEANS SZN.
