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

 

 

[Saxum]

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.