Tennessee Titans QB Malik Willis proved 2 really important things in Chiefs loss

KANSAS CITY, Mo. − Even as the Tennessee Titans offense sputtered and stalled throughout the second half of Sunday night's overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, it never felt like rookie quarterback Malik Willis was the problem.

The Titans (5-3) lost a 20-17 slugfest against the Chiefs (6-2) at Arrowhead Stadium in Willis' second career start. Just like his first start in place of injured quarterback Ryan Tannehill, Willis wasn't asked to do much. He finished 5-for-16 passing for 80 yards and rushed eight times for 40 yards. Those numbers don't pop off the page, especially not when considering the Titans only gained 7 yards in their final 10 possessions starting late in the second quarter.

But it's hard to place the blame solely on Willis' shoulders. Four of the Titans' stalled drives were derailed by penalties. The Chiefs' pass rush did a good job of keeping Willis pressured, especially late in the game. And Willis' receivers didn't do him any favors, struggling to make 1-on-1 plays.

ENCOURAGED? SURPRISED?Should Tennessee Titans be encouraged, concerned after 'almost win' became overtime loss?

THE RECEIVER ISSUE:Tennessee Titans have a major problem on offense – and it's not Malik Willis | Estes

"It’s a team sport," Willis said. "I miss throws sometimes. I can’t be mad if someone doesn’t make a play. We’re not perfect. We’re human beings. We all make plays and we all miss plays. It’s just the way the game goes. I can’t be mad at them. We’re one team. If I do that, it’s more than disrespectful. It’s just arrogant because I make mistakes as well."

Willis was greatly improved from his first start, when he accounted for 67 total yards on 15 touches with a turnover against the Houston Texans. And two things in particular stood out against Kansas City that provides a glimpse of hope in his development: He proved he's capable of executing an offense tailored to his strengths and he's willing to take what the defense gives him while trusting his teammates to make plays.

On the Titans' two first-half scoring drives, Willis looked comfortable, confident and in control. Offensive coordinator Todd Downing did a good job of working Willis off star running back Derrick Henry, using read-option keepers and play-action bootlegs to get Willis in space. The Chiefs' defense sold out to stop Henry, letting Willis rush twice for 25 yards and connect with tight end Austin Hooper for 16 yards while ranging toward the sideline from out of the pocket.

When penalties got the offense behind the sticks, or when the ticking clock or the Chiefs' offense forced the Titans into becoming more of a pass-first team, that rhythm disappeared. But that's been a common thread of this Titans season whether Willis or Tannehill has been behind center.

Which brings up the second thing Willis did well. The matchup that may have ended up deciding the game was the Chiefs' decision to play man coverage against the Titans' receivers with little to no safety help over the top. Kansas City dared Willis to beat its defense deep and won because the Titans couldn't.

There were three plays where Willis recognized man coverage and put the ball exactly where it needed to be. Receivers Chris Conley and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine both failed to bring down passes put in their breadbaskets and Hooper couldn't corral a pass in tight coverage as visiting fans lobbied for a pass interference call.

Willis did what he was supposed to do on those plays. He recognized 1-on-1 matchups, put the ball where it needed to be and counted on his receivers to win a 50-50 battle. They lost all three times. But Willis' quick recognition and advanced ball placement are good signs in his development, especially after his first start when the talking points revolved around Willis being late on throws and missing open targets.

Of course, there's still plenty of room for Willis to develop. He looked lost and overwhelmed at times late in the game, especially on the overtime four-and-out where he took two sacks trying to make a play with his feet instead of keeping his eyes downfield.

Those plays came at the end of a frustrating night. Even as Willis was making progress, it was hard for him not to think about the challenges that led to that point.

"I hope somebody gets open soon," Willis said of his thinking on the last-second scrambles. "I can’t keep doing this."

Contact Nick Suss at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on Twitter @nicksuss.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What Tennessee Titans rookie QB Malik Willis proved in Chiefs loss