The Titans are not exactly going into Thursday night’s Cowboys game with a clear intent to win. The injury-plagued team is planning to rest numerous starters, with a Week 18 date against the Jaguars set to determine its playoff fate.
But Tennessee will make an interesting change at quarterback. Rather than give Malik Willis more reps in his rookie season, the Titans are preparing to start recent acquisition Joshua Dobbs, Justin Melo of The Draft Network tweets. Tennessee brought in Dobbs on Dec. 21, with Ryan Tannehill out with an ankle injury. Tannehill is not expected to return this season, though the starter has not shut it down just yet.
A former Tennessee Volunteer, Dobbs has bounced around in the pros. The sixth-year backup has been with three teams just this year, moving from Cleveland to Detroit to Nashville over the past month. The former fourth-round pick has not thrown any regular-season passes this season; his most recent game work came in 2020 with the Steelers. The Browns signed Dobbs this offseason and used him as Jacoby Brissett‘s backup for much of the year, but once Deshaun Watson was eligible to play, Cleveland cut bait. Dobbs landed in Detroit, but Tennessee poached him from the Lions’ practice squad.
Dobbs has seen most of his NFL work come in the preseason, and the Titans’ Week 17 lineup will have the look of an August matchup. Tennessee placed O-line starters Nate Davis and Ben Jones on IR last week, and the team will be without right tackle starter Nicholas Petit-Frere against Dallas. With Taylor Lewan out of the picture, the Titans will deploy basically a second-string O-line tonight. While Willis’ early work points to extensive development being needed, the Titans may be leery of putting the third-round pick behind this set of blockers against a top-tier Cowboys pass rush.
In an arrangement that will surely test Al Michaels’ patience, Titans will also sit Jeffery Simmons, Denico Autry, Amani Hooker, Bud Dupree and Zach Cunningham. Oh, and they are unlikely to deploy Derrick Henry, who is doubtful with a hip injury. This sets up an unusual Week 17 and an odd Week 18 plan. The Titans look like they will be trying to salvage their season in Jacksonville next week on the heels of a six-game losing streak. Even if the Titans drop to 7-9 tonight, the AFC South will be on the line next week.
Willis has shown some promise in the run game but has looked woefully overmatched through the air. The mid-major product has not eclipsed 100 passing yards in any of his three pro starts and has a 0-3 TD-INT ratio on 61 pass attempts. It will be interesting if the Titans turn back to Willis or go with Dobbs (17 career attempts) against the Jaguars, when they reconvene for relevant football, next week.
Cowboys will find a way to lose this game
Uh, yea, because it’s all about
Al Micheals…..
I would have played Willis and started the entire offense sans Henry even if it was for a half. They need to find some rhythm and Willis needs every rep he can get.
He needs more than game reps, though. He’s physically gifted, but his baseline of quarterback fundamentals just isn’t high enough to operate an actual offense right now.
Sure. He is very raw but the opportunity to game reps and to throw 20 or 25 passes has to be of some value. Sitting him just so he doesnt get hurt feels pointless.
However, if Dobbs plays well, he might make more sense to play. They will need something from their QB in Week 18.
The Jags thumped em in Nashville and will thump em in Jax.
I may actually tune in. Loved him with Pittsburgh.
Right on. Never really had a chance in Pittsburgh because of Big Ben, but the Steelers brass were high on him.
Great guy, really smart, can run with it, but his inaccuracy passing kept him from ever playing much in Pittsburgh.
Burning this roster down in the off-season. Malik is prob getting cut or traded. He’s not getting a fair shake, with all the 3rd & 4th string guys playing, but I don’t see it. And I REALLY WANTED to see Malik be good.
Let’s audition Dobbs now for a backup role next yr.
Real question for this game…..who is the next Titan to leave with injury?? Hate to see it, but that’s where we are.
Tune in to see the Titans run the ball 60 times, in this week 17 pre-season game. I would like to see Dobbs do well, however. Vinny the bus driver is starting at LT, and I think Jaren the beer guy may be returning kicks, but not sure.