Seattle @ Tennessee preview
Nissan Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 19, 2021 ) Tennessee 33, Seattle 30
The way rookie quarterback Will Levis sees it, if he can walk onto the field Sunday, he wants to start when the Tennessee Titans welcome the Seattle Seahawks to Nashville, Tenn.
Levis suffered a sprained left ankle in overtime of the Titans' 19-16 overtime loss at Houston last week, a defeat that officially eliminated Tennessee (5-9) from playoff contention.
"I'm playing if I'm able to, and I'm just working on trying to get to that point," Levis said. "So that's all I can do. I'm working with the training staff and just listening to everything I can and just treating my body right."
Levis, the 33rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, is 3-5 as Tennessee's starter since taking over for the injured Ryan Tannehill in mid-October. Levis was absent from practice on Thursday.
Coach Mike Vrabel said Tannehill would start if Levis is unable to play with an ankle injury the coach said was very similar to the issue that first sent Tannehill to the bench eight weeks ago.
"Obviously, you try to prepare as a starter every week, but a week like this week it's a little more intense and just trying to make sure on top of everything," Tannehill said.
Levis was one of 14 Titans who missed practice this week because of injuries. That list included Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (right knee), who has missed the past two games, right guard Daniel Brunskill (ankle) and wide receiver Treylon Burks (illness). The others were center Aaron Brewer (ankle), wide receivers Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (hand) and Kyle Philips (hamstring), tight end Trevon Wesco (shin), defensive lineman TK McClendon (shoulder), linebackers Jack Gibbens (back) and Luke Gifford (hamstring), cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting (hip) and safeties Amani Hooker (knee) and K'Von Wallace (quadriceps).
Cornerback Caleb Farley (back), who was limited in practice, Murphy-Bunting, Gibbens, Gifford, Hooker, Phillips, Simmons and Wallace have been ruled out.
The Titans, who are starting two rookies on the left side of their offensive line and are down to a third starter at right tackle, allowed seven sacks last weekend. Running back Derrick Henry, a two-time NFL rushing champion, had his worst game as a pro with just 9 yards on 16 carries.
"We understand that Derrick's got a certain running style and great skill set," Vrabel said. "We have to be able to get him going and give him space and get him to the second level. He in turn has to be able to help the line, help the receivers."
The Seahawks (7-7) expect quarterback Geno Smith to return after backup Drew Lock rallied them to a 20-17 victory against visiting Philadelphia on Monday night. Lock threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba with 28 seconds left to cap a 92-yard drive that breathed life into Seattle's postseason chances.
"I think it was just the over-the-top feeling of you don't get very many moments, you don't very many opportunities in this league," Lock said. "And with every opportunity you get, you need to be as ready as you can be."
The Seahawks snapped a four-game losing streak and are among a bevy of teams with .500 records vying for the conference's final two playoff berths.
Smith (groin) has missed the past two games but did warm up Monday night and was active for the game. He was a full participant in practice this week, and had no injury designation on the team's official report.
"(Smith is) going to practice all this week and play in the game and away we go," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll told Seattle Sports. " ... He might have done great (if he played on Monday), but at least we bought him another week and now he's ready to go. He'll have a full week of prep."
Seattle wide receiver D'Wayne Eskridge (ribs), safety Jamal Adams (knee) and linebacker Frank Clark (illness) have been ruled out. Running back Kenneth Walker III (shoulder), cornerbacks Devon Witherspoon (hip) and Tre Brown (heel), and center Evan Brown (illness) are listed as questionable.
Safety Julian Love, who had two fourth-quarter interceptions against the Eagles, missed practice as his wife was expecting a baby.
--Field Level Media