As the final week of the 2023 NFL regular season is set to begin in a little over a day from now, the playoff scenarios are clear for the Pittsburgh Steelers to get in. One of the important ones, and probably the most likely to happen, is the Steelers winning over the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday afternoon and then the Tennessee Titans defeating the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday afternoon.
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the Titans told the media on Friday afternoon who the starter would be for that game.
“Ryan [Tannehill] will start, and Will [Levis] will be the third quarterback,” Vrabel said in a clip posted by AtoZ Sports Nashville on X.
Tannehill has started seven games for the Titans this season with Levis starting nine. When the Steelers played the Titans earlier in the season, Levis had a good performance in his second game played. He exited in Week 17 with a foot injury after attempting just six passes and Tannehill played the rest of the game.
In nine games played and seven starts, Tannehill has a 2-5 record this season. He has completed 132-of-204 passes for 1,448 yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions. Levis has mostly outplayed him this season completing 149-of 255 passes for 1,808 yards, eight touchdowns, and four interceptions on his way to a 3-6 record. Tannehill has plenty of experience as an 11-season NFL veteran and a former Pro Bowler, but his play has seen a decline over the last couple seasons. Levis is a rookie but has shown flashes of promise. The last time the two teams played, Levis started and completed 13-of-17 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns in the Titans’ 34-14 loss to the Jaguars.
The Jaguars have a quarterback situation of their own. Trevor Lawrence’s status for Sunday is unclear due to a sprained shoulder suffered in Week 16 that held him out of action for the first time in his career last week. A Jaguars loss isn’t the only way for the Steelers to get in, but it seems the most likely and this quarterback announcement will play a role.
