Titans still committed to evaluating QB Will Levis despite 1-5 start to season

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Titans coach Brian Callahan has been on coaching staffs in their first seasons with a new NFL team and knows how challenging that can be.

Now he's experiencing it himself desperately searching for a right tackle and evaluating a second-year quarterback in a new offense.

At 1-5, the Titans are off to their worst start since 2015 when Ken Whisenhunt was fired after a 1-6 start to his second season. Tennessee visits Detroit (5-2) on Sunday with the Titans already 11 1/2-point underdogs according to BetMGM.

“Having gone through those experiences give me the hope that one, I can handle it and, two I’ve seen it before,” Callahan said Monday. “So I have at least some roadmap to what that might look like and how to get out of it. But there's challenges that come in the start of every program, and we’ve not done a good enough job of handling some of those all the way around. And we have to find a way to to do those better.”

The Titans also are committed to finding out what they have in Will Levis. General manager Ran Carthon traded up to No. 33 overall to draft Levis out of Kentucky in his first draft with Tennessee in 2023. Levis is just 4-10 as a starter, getting credit for the Titans' lone win this season in Miami with backup Mason Rudolph playing the final three quarters. Callahan said owner Amy Adams Strunk understood the plan to evaluate Levis throughout the season.

Levis was scratched from Tennessee's 34-10 loss in Buffalo with the sprained right AC joint in his throwing shoulder that he played through in a loss to Indianapolis that kept the Titans winless at home at 0-3. But the fans clamoring to see Rudolph saw him intercepted once and losing one of three fumbles.

“We’re not in a great spot record-wise, and the injury doesn’t help," Callahan said. “The minute he’s back healthy, the intent is for him to continue to play and hopefully that's sooner rather than later.”

The defense needs more sacks and takeaways, but it keeps giving the offense time and opportunities to win. The unit forced Buffalo into three straight three-and-outs to open the game, helping Tennessee take a 10-0 lead. The Titans still lead the NFL in allowing the fewest yards at 277.2 total yards per game. Josh Allen threw enough to drop them to third overall against the pass, though they're still giving up just 166.7 yards through the air.

The offense. Switching quarterbacks didn't help the Titans stay on the field or score points in the second half. They also gave up three more sacks. They rank ahead of only Cleveland for total yards per game (259.2), last averaging just 145.8 yards passing and were routed for the second time this season.

K Nick Folk. He just keeps meeting his own standard, extending his NFL record streak to 80 consecutive field goals made on attempts under 40 yards. He also made his 18th straight field goal for the fifth-longest streak of his career.

Can anyone play right tackle? The Titans tried Nicholas Petit-Frere the first four games, then benched the third-round pick out of Ohio State in 2022 for Leroy Watson IV in a loss to Indianapolis. The Titans started Jaelyn Duncan against Buffalo as the third different starter. He lasted four snaps before hurting a hamstring. Petit-Frere replaced him.

Watson and John Ojukwu will get a chance to fight for the job as the Titans look on the roster for someone who can play that spot. They’ll also look outside the team if necessary.

Duncan is out this week with his hamstring injury. Callahan said RB Tyjae Spears might be back after missing last week with an injured hamstring. Levis will be checked Wednesday, but might miss another week with the shoulder hurt Sept. 30 in Miami.

12 — The number of the Titans' turnovers. With three takeaways, only the Raiders have a worse turnover margin in the NFL.

Win a game. Quickly. Their best bet is likely Nov. 3, hosting New England (1-6). Then it's back on the road with Tennessee playing five of seven away from home.

The Titans' playoff chances have dropped to just 5% with the franchise closer to being eliminated from playoff contention and their first top five draft pick since 2017.

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Tennessee Titans' DeAndre Hopkins (10) makes a catch against Indianapolis Colts' Jaylon Jones (40) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard (20) runs the ball against the Buffalo Bills linebacker Dorian Williams (42) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, second from right, celebrates a touchdown with teammates during the first half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis stands on the field before an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Buffalo Bills defensive end Greg Rousseau, left, and linebacker Baylon Spector (54) sack Tennessee Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph (11) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

Buffalo Bills defensive end AJ Epenesa (57) strips the ball from Tennessee Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph, right, during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

PHOENIX (AP) — One of two rural Arizona county supervisors who faced criminal charges for refusing to certify the 2022 midterm results by a state deadline pleaded guilty Monday to a misdemeanor of failing to perform her duty as an election officer.

Coming two weeks before the Nov. 5 general election, the acknowledgment of guilt by Cochise County Supervisor Peggy Judd was seen by some as a warning to other Arizona county officials who might once again be pressured by election conspiracists not to certify the results.

“Judd’s official guilty plea represents an important development in securing election integrity in Arizona,” said Thomas Volgy, a former Tucson, Arizona, mayor and professor at the University of Arizona, where he specializes in democratic processes. “It should be a loud wake-up call to county elected officials that they cannot fiddle with the vote intentions of Arizonans for cheap partisan gain.”

Peter Bondi, managing director of the nonprofit group Informing Democracy, said in a statement that Judd's plea "is a clear reminder that the duty to certify is not optional, and should deter every election official from attempting to subvert the will of voters.”

“This is a victory for democracy, the rule of law, and most importantly for every voter who casts a ballot this year,” Bondi said.

Judd avoided a possible felony charge by entering the plea under an agreement reached in Maricopa County Superior Court, where the criminal case was filed. Judd will be sentenced to unsupervised probation for not less than 90 days and she will pay a maximum $500 fine, said a spokesperson for Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes.

“We don’t have much of a comment except that she is super happy to put this behind her,” said Judd’s attorney Kurt Altman.

Judd and Tom Crosby, her fellow Republican on the three-member board, were indicted last year on felony charges of conspiracy and interference with an election officer after they delayed the state's canvass. The third member of the board, Democrat Ann Crosby, had voted to certify the election.

The Cochise County results were ultimately certified past the deadline after a judge ordered Judd and Crosby to carry out their legal duties.

“Any attempt to interfere with elections in Arizona will not be tolerated,” Mayes said in a statement after the plea was entered. “My office will continue to pursue justice and ensure that anyone who undermines our electoral system is held accountable.

“Today’s plea agreement and sentencing should serve as a strong reminder that I will not hesitate to use every tool available to uphold the rule of law and protect the integrity of Arizona’s elections,” she added.

Judd and Crosby had sought to require a hand count of all the county's ballots amid rampant conspiracy theories about the integrity of the vote and chaotic public hearings that dragged on for hours. They also raised doubts about the accuracy of vote tabulation machines. Republicans lost the races for governor and attorney general to the Democrats in November 2022.

Crosby is still set to go to trial on the charge in January and is running for reelection in November. Judd did not seek to be reelected. When reached by email on Monday, Crosby seemed to have been unaware of Judd's plea, but he did not respond to a request to comment on it.

Arizona was once reliably Republican, but Democrats have gained increased influence in recent years, especially in urban areas like Phoenix, which has become one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. as people move in from other states for a growing number of jobs.

FILE - Cochise County District 1 Supervisor Tom Crosby responds to criticisms over a proposed transfer of election functions and duties to the county recorder at the Cochise County Board of Supervisors meeting on Feb. 14, 2023, in Bisbee, Ariz. (AP Photo/Alberto Mariani, File)

FILE – Cochise County Supervisor Peggy Judd at a public meeting on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, in Sierra Vista, Arizona. (Mark Levy/Pool Photo via AP, File)