Titans QB Will Levis leads improbable 14-point comeback over Dolphins despite early miscues

Back-to-back Tennessee Titans turnovers turned a tied tussle in Miami into a 14-point deficit in the blink of an eye in the fourth quarter.

An Eric Garror botched punt followed by a Will Levis horrific pitch attempt to Derrick Henry took the Titans from plucky to seemingly doomed as the Dolphins cashed in on both miscues to go up 14 points with less than five minutes remaining.

Then, the improbable comeback started.

Levis led a lightning nine-play, 75-yard drive that saw the Titans score in just 1:54, with the QB hitting DeAndre Hopkins for a touchdown with 2:40 left. The two-point conversion cut the lead to six points.

Head coach Mike Vrabel’s defense forced a quick three-and-out, getting the ball back to Levis with 2:14 to play. It was more than enough time for the big-armed rookie to knife through a wilting Dolphins D. Levis hit an open Hopkins for 36 yards, then tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo for 16 to put Tennessee on the doorstep at the two-minute warning. Two plays later, Henry dove into the end zone. Comeback complete.

The Titans became the first team to win a game in which they were trailing by 14-plus points with under 3:00 minutes remaining since the Saints in Week 11, 2017, against Washington (34-31 in overtime), per NFL Research. From Week 12, 2017, until the Titans’ Week 14 win, teams trailing by 14+ points with under 3:00 minutes remaining were 0-582.

“We did a lot of things that were going to cost us, obviously, the turnovers and the mistakes,” Vrabel said via the team’s official website. “But we did more positive things late. The defense got some stops, and when the offense needed to come through, they came through.

“It doesn’t have to be that hard. But I’m proud of the character of this football team, competing. I’m really proud of these guys.”

Levis’ night was full of twists, turns, peaks and valleys that only a roller-coaster designer would love. It started with a three-and-out, then the bottom fell out of the ride with a pick-six right into the lap of Dolphins defensive lineman Zach Sieler.

Then the rookie started the slow climb, helping dig the Titans into a fourth-quarter tie. The horrible pitch play seemed to silence Tennessee’s chances. But Levis muscled his way through the final two drives, standing calmly in the pocket and delivering rockets when needed.

He finished with 327 passing yards — a career-high — on 23 of 38 attempts with a TD and an INT while taking only one sack despite an offensive line that has been through the wringer this season.

“I was just sticking to the game plan,” Levis said. “Throwing to the open guy, trusting that I didn’t necessarily need to be forcing anything. That happy medium of pushing it down the field but throwing to the open guy.”

With the ground game stymied — Henry: 17 carries, 34 yards, 2 TDs — Levis used big plays to Hopkins and running back Tyjae Spears to jumpstart the offense late and made the right reads in the red zone. His ability to maneuver the pocket and keep his eyes downfield is heady for a young quarterback.

Chalk up another victory for Vrabel’s bunch, which continues to show it will fight no matter the circumstance. Even down big with less than three minutes left.

“This is the best I’ve felt after a game,” edge rusher Arden Key said. “I hope everyone remembers what it takes to get this feeling. Didn’t nobody think we were going to win. Everybody thought it was going to be another Miami vs Broncos thing, with them putting 70 points on us. … It’s a good win, a hard-fought win.”