Malik Willis benched in Tennessee, Titans will start Josh Dobbs

[dorquemada]

16 minutes ago, Airseven said:

No?

 

well done captain joke getter

[Freddie's Dead]

Whatchoo talkin' 'bout Willis?

 

[Rochesterfan]

3 hours ago, Roundybout said:

 

I don’t think Willis is very good but it’s a strange call IMO. Dobbs is a known commodity.

 

Jacksonville has the South for its taking if they want it.

 

Not going to read a ton into this. 
 

The Dallas game means nothing to Tennessee and the Cowboys can really rush the passer - I think you get to give a guy some snaps and protect the rookie a bit just in case he is going to destroyed in the pocket - you need someone ready for the Jacksonville game.

 

 

[Rochesterfan]

2 hours ago, Process said:

Meaningless game they don't care about winning. Instead of giving the rookie playing time you start a guy you signed just 8 days ago? Don't care how much Willis sucks that's odd.

 

Not necessarily- if Tennessee plans to rest some/most of their O-Line do you really want to put a raw rookie behind back-ups against a Dallas team that likes to get after the QB.

 

It is a recipe for disaster.

 

If they play Willis - they need to play their starting O-Line and then you probably might as well play your starting WR and TE to get some time with and now in a meaningless game you can’t rest anyone.

 

I actually think they are being smart here.  If you don’t care about the game - get as many players rest and get ready for Jacksonville.

 

 

[msw2112]

"Benching" is usually equated with a demotion on the account of poor play.  I don't know whether Wills has played poorly, but this looks to me like Willis is a starter that is being rested (along with other starters) to avoid injury in a meaningless game and save him for a very meaningful game next week.

[bills6969]

4 hours ago, Bangarang said:

We’ll always have this gem

 

 

I still think he’s very good and will be a pro bowler once he gets on the right team.

4 hours ago, Bangarang said:

We’ll always have this gem

 

 

I still think he’s very good and will be a pro bowler once he gets on the right team.

[Rochesterfan]

4 hours ago, Airseven said:

It’s clear Willis isn’t ready to be a starting QB this season and he was never supposed to be. He’s still a nice prospect. They’re comfortable with a slightly more experienced QB in a must-win scenario.

 

This isn’t a must win game.  This is exactly the opposite - a totally meaningless game.  Hence why Tennessee is sitting most of their staters including Willis.

 

My goodness - this is a totally wasted thread with people just making up scenarios without any understanding of what is going on.

 

They are sitting him as they are starting a back-up O-line and you do not want him getting hurt before the only “must win” game next week versus Jacksonville.

 

 

[Bangarang]

54 minutes ago, bills6969 said:

I still think he’s very good and will be a pro bowler once he gets on the right team.

I still think he’s very good and will be a pro bowler once he gets on the right team.

He’s very good based on what? 
 

The Pro Bowl you say. That’s the thing where Tyler Huntley is an alternate for right? Pro Bowls are meaningless.

 

But sure, he might be good. Chances are he’ll bounce around the league his entire career and before fizzling out. 

[Roundybout]

2 hours ago, msw2112 said:

"Benching" is usually equated with a demotion on the account of poor play.  I don't know whether Wills has played poorly, but this looks to me like Willis is a starter that is being rested (along with other starters) to avoid injury in a meaningless game and save him for a very meaningful game next week.

 

Thing is, he isn't an entrenched starter. He's an immensely raw rookie that needs every snap he can get. 

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

Jalen Hurts looked like one of the worst starting QBs in the league for awhile and then completely turned it around this season. I don’t think Willis will pan out, but you never know. 

[wppete]

4 minutes ago, ChronicAndKnuckles said:

Jalen Hurts looked like one of the worst starting QBs in the league for awhile and then completely turned it around this season. I don’t think Willis will pan out, but you never know. 

 
No don’t think so.  Can’t  compare Hurts to Willis. Not even close. Hurts as a proven player in the SEC and Big 12. 

[ganesh]

6 hours ago, Fleezoid said:

Benching the QB has become a new craze in Tennessee. 

in fact in the NFL!  

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

2 hours ago, wppete said:

 
No don’t think so.  Can’t  compare Hurts to Willis. Not even close. Hurts as a proven player in the SEC and Big 12. 

And Josh Allen played in the Mountain West. Glad we gave him a chance to develop. Maybe Willis will do the same. 

[Bob Chandler's Hands]

Dobbs >>> Willis at this point in their careers.  

Dobbs will give them a shot vs. Jacksonville, although I think the Jaguars should win it anyway. 

[LOVEMESOMEBILLS]

 

 Willis is bad, like really bad. Maybe over time he improves, maybe he doesn't. But for all you who had the Titans protecting & resting Willis vs Dallas and throwing Dobbs to the wolves were sadly mistaken. Dobbs is light-years ahead of Willis at this point.

 

 Willis actually had more game time experience entering the game last week against the Texans. He went 14 of 23 for 99 yards 0 td  2 ints and a qb rating of 34.5

 

 Dobbs coming into this game had only attempted 17 passes in his career, the last was 2 years ago. Against a far better defense(Cowboys vs Texans) and only with the team for 8 days, Dobbs went 20 of 39 for 232 yards 1 td  1 int and a qb rating of 67.5

 

 

[Punching Bag]

11 hours ago, mikemac2001 said:

They don’t need to win the game 

 

They need to win next week - so why not see what dobbs can do and not risk Malik an injury. If dobbs performs maybe they roll with him the rest of the way 

 

Maybe they will do a Rob Johnson move and keep the QB playing in a game which did not matter.

[Rochesterfan]

4 hours ago, LOVEMESOMEBILLS said:

 

 Willis is bad, like really bad. Maybe over time he improves, maybe he doesn't. But for all you who had the Titans protecting & resting Willis vs Dallas and throwing Dobbs to the wolves were sadly mistaken. Dobbs is light-years ahead of Willis at this point.

 

 Willis actually had more game time experience entering the game last week against the Texans. He went 14 of 23 for 99 yards 0 td  2 ints and a qb rating of 34.5

 

 Dobbs coming into this game had only attempted 17 passes in his career, the last was 2 years ago. Against a far better defense(Cowboys vs Texans) and only with the team for 8 days, Dobbs went 20 of 39 for 232 yards 1 td  1 int and a qb rating of 67.5

 

 

 

All of this is 100% true, but it still does not change the fact that Willis not playing was more a result of them resting all of their staters than a true Carr style benching.

 

If this was a game the Titans had to win to stay alive - I do not believe for a second the team starts Dobbs over Willlis in this game.

 

Now what this game did was give them a chance to see what Dobbs could do with a near full week of prep and see if he gives them a better shot of beating Jacksonville than Willis (and it certainly seems like he might).  
 

I just do not believe Willis not playing this week is a massive indictment against him - now that changes if and when they decide to play Dobbs over Willis next week in Jacksonville.

 

It also highlights how bad Willis is, but it was not an Apples to Apples comparisons as without Henry the Titans offered little in the run game and therefore had to pass more as an offense in general, but Dobbs was at least competent in doing that last evening.

 

 

 

[machine gun kelly]

He’s going to have to get playing time if TN wants to develop him into a starter.

[Captain Hindsight]

58 minutes ago, machine gun kelly said:

He’s going to have to get playing time if TN wants to develop him into a starter.

I think it’s more likely that Dobbs is their backup QB next year than Willis. I also wouldn’t be surprised if Willis is cut next year and goes to the PS. He has shown extremely little as a passer to be relied upon

[machine gun kelly]

It’s plausible as he was taken 89th so the Titans are not obligated to start him.

[JoshAllin]

One of the worst QB's of all time

[SoCal Deek]

I went searching for something else and discovered this: It’s possible that both the Jaguars and Lions will make the playoffs this year. That means the two teams with the worst record in each conference in 2021 will have turned 2022 into a playoff berth. Not sure that’s ever happened before. (And if the Lions don’t make it, the Giants might…and they had the second worst record last year by a half game.)

[Big Turk]

Dobbs should be the starter next week...looked mostly good in a tough situation...had some bad drops that hurt him too...a few throws he'd want back but for a guy elevated off the practice squad he acquitted himself quite well I thought.

[LOVEMESOMEBILLS]

4 hours ago, Rochesterfan said:

 

All of this is 100% true, but it still does not change the fact that Willis not playing was more a result of them resting all of their staters than a true Carr style benching.

 

If this was a game the Titans had to win to stay alive - I do not believe for a second the team starts Dobbs over Willlis in this game.

 

Now what this game did was give them a chance to see what Dobbs could do with a near full week of prep and see if he gives them a better shot of beating Jacksonville than Willis (and it certainly seems like he might).  
 

I just do not believe Willis not playing this week is a massive indictment against him - now that changes if and when they decide to play Dobbs over Willis next week in Jacksonville.

 

It also highlights how bad Willis is, but it was not an Apples to Apples comparisons as without Henry the Titans offered little in the run game and therefore had to pass more as an offense in general, but Dobbs was at least competent in doing that last evening.

 

 

 

 

 I don't think they were resting Willis in last nights game. I think if Willis was going to be starting against the Jags, he would've started last night to get some needed experience. I also think they were trying to find a QB, any QB, that could give them a better shot at beating the Jags next week than Willis does. Henry not playing hurt the offense and put more pressure on Dobbs to move the ball, it didn't help him in any way.

 

 They are starting Dobbs next week, if I had to bet a chunk of money on it, I'd bet on Dobbs. The difference between him and Willis is night and day, especially given the fact he was only with the team for 8 days.

 

 

[BigAl2526]

Willis is a raw youngster.  In some ways, I think he might be behind where Josh Allen was as a rookie.  He may turn out to be a bust, I also wouldn't rule out the possibility of future success.

[Buffalo716]

19 minutes ago, BigAl2526 said:

Willis is a raw youngster.  In some ways, I think he might be behind where Josh Allen was as a rookie.  He may turn out to be a bust, I also wouldn't rule out the possibility of future success.

Ummm he is extremely behind where Allen was as a rookie 

 

from his processing to his ability to create plays and throw in rhythm… Willis doesn’t have 2 nfl throws in his arsenal rn

[BigAl2526]

13 hours ago, Buffalo716 said:

Ummm he is extremely behind where Allen was as a rookie 

 

from his processing to his ability to create plays and throw in rhythm… Willis doesn’t have 2 nfl throws in his arsenal rn

Not being the student of the game that you and some others are, I was guessing in my assessment of Willis.  You actually confirm my thinking.  That doesn't mean he can't succeed eventually.  Of course, his athletic gifts don't guarantee he won't bust either.  It's probably going to be a lot longer before he enjoys much success as a starter than it was for Josh though.

[Roundybout]

Willis STINKS. 

[mikemac2001]

On 12/29/2022 at 12:07 PM, mikemac2001 said:

They don’t need to win the game 

 

They need to win next week - so why not see what dobbs can do and not risk Malik an injury. If dobbs performs maybe they roll with him the rest of the way 

I guess he got benched now - dobbs time to shine

[Doc]

Jax is winning that division.

[Buffalo716]

On 12/31/2022 at 11:03 AM, BigAl2526 said:

Not being the student of the game that you and some others are, I was guessing in my assessment of Willis.  You actually confirm my thinking.  That doesn't mean he can't succeed eventually.  Of course, his athletic gifts don't guarantee he won't bust either.  It's probably going to be a lot longer before he enjoys much success as a starter than it was for Josh though.

His athletic gifts are definitely what got him drafted

 

But he’s going to have To put in a lot a lot of work to learn how to play quarterback correctly… He’s far behind  most drafted QBs in terms of understanding the QB position 

 

He excelled because he was just physically better than everybody in college

[Airseven]

I thought the speculation here was that Titans were protecting Willis in a meaningless game against the Cowboys?

 

Bottom line is Willis was never supposed to be a player this season. He’s a talented, incredibly raw, prospect who slid in the draft for a reason. 

[Eastport bills]

Doesn’t matter who plays QB, Titans have quit on the playoffs. They know they can’t win any games. Both QBs aren’t ready to play meaningful games. How could they not have a solid veteran QB? Their GM showed his mettle when he gave AJ Brown away and made the Eagles a SB candidate. Do the Eagles have some compromising pictures of the Titans GM or are they just paying him. When Woods is your go to receiver, how can you expect to win.

[The Jokeman]

On 12/30/2022 at 9:36 PM, BigAl2526 said:

Willis is a raw youngster.  In some ways, I think he might be behind where Josh Allen was as a rookie.  He may turn out to be a bust, I also wouldn't rule out the possibility of future success.

Baltimore should call them when Lamar bolts for bigger money in free agency if they don't want to retool their whole offense.