‘Monday Night Football’ was terrific for two former Kentucky football stars
“Monday Night Football” was a pretty good night for former Kentucky football stars. And that’s an understatement.
Over on ESPN, former UK quarterback Will Levis led the visiting Tennessee Titans to an improbable come-from-behind win over the AFC East leading Miami Dolphins 28-27.
On ABC, former UK wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson made key plays as the host New York Giants rallied to beat the Green Bay Packers 24-22 in New Jersey.
Levis and Robinson were teammates for Mark Stoops on the Wildcats’ 2021 team that finished 10-3, including a win over Iowa in the Citrus Bowl.
On Monday, Robinson caught six passes for 79 yards and carried the ball twice for 36 yards. Robinson caught a 32-yard pass from New York quarterback Tommy DeVito and also had a 32-yard rush after taking a handoff from Saquon Barkley, who had taken a direct snap.
Robinson’s 32-yard reception came on a second-and-1 from the New York 46 with 49 seconds remaining. The gain to the Green Bay 22-yard line helped set up Randy Bullock’s 37-yard field goal at the horn to give the Giants (5-8) the win over the Packers (6-7).
Meanwhile, at Hard Rock Stadium, Levis got off to a tough start, throwing a pick-6 on Tennessee’s second series. Miami defensive lineman Zach Seiler intercepted a screen pass and returned it 5 yards for the score and an early Miami 7-0 lead.
Levis recovered to lead the Titans on a second-quarter touchdown drive, plus a field goal when Tennessee had taken over the ball at its own 21 with 28 seconds left in the half. Completions of 22 yards and then 45 yards to DeAndre Hopkins set up a Nick Folk field goal for a 10-7 Titans lead at the half.
But the visitors nearly self-destructed in the fourth quarter. With the game tied 13-13, Tennessee muffed a punt at its own 7-yard line. Miami scored in two plays for a 20-13 lead with 5:34 left. The very next play from scrimmage, Titans running back Derrick Henry couldn’t field a Levis pitchout. Miami recovered the fumble, then scored in two plays for a 27-13 lead with 4:34 left.
Given up for dead, Levis led the visitors on a nine-play, 75-yard drive that included a 23-yard completion to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. When a scrambling Levis found Hopkins for a 3-yard score, the Titans were back in it with 2:40 left. When Levis hit Westbrook-Ikhine on the two-point conversion, Tennessee trailed 27-21.
The Titans defense forced Miami into a quick three-and-out, which gave Tennessee the ball back at its own 36 with 2:15 left. Levis began the drive with a 36-yard completion to Hopkins. A 16-yard completion to tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo move it to the 12. A 6-yard run by Tyjae Spears put the ball at the 6. A Miami penalty moved it to the 3. Henry scored from there with 1:49 remaining with the extra point putting the Titans in front 28-27.
And when Harold Landry sacked Miami QB Tua Tagovailoa for a 3-yard loss on a fourth-and-2 from the Dolphins’ 45 with 20 seconds remaining, Tennessee had improved to 5-8 with its first road win of the season. Miami dropped to 9-4.
Levis wound up 23-of-38 passing for 327 yards with that one touchdown and one interception.
Said ESPN color commentator Dan Orlovsky, “Will Levis was the best player on the field tonight.”
This story was originally published December 12, 2023 at 12:42 AM.
