Titans hand Chargers and Jim Harbaugh the ultimate gift before Week 10 clash

The LA Chargers are 5-3 and would make the playoffs if the season ended today. By all accounts, they have exceeded expectations in Jim Harbaugh's first year as head coach.

Because of that, it is difficult to call Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans a must-win. However, if the Chargers are to be taken seriously in a wide-open AFC, they need to beat up on inferior competition.

The Titans are 2-6 and barely squeaked by the Patriots last week. Their defense is legit and could cause problems for Justin Herbert, but it's impossible to put lipstick on a pig. As long as the Chargers don't beat themselves - like they did in their last loss vs. the Cardinals - they should hold serve at home.

As if Tennessee wasn't already big enough underdogs, they have handed the Chargers a huge gift before Sunday afternoon.

Titans announce Will Levis will start at quarterback vs. the Chargers.

"Will will start this week, just to let you guys know now," said Titans head coach Bill Callahan. "No reason to wait. Will's going to play, he had a really good week of practice, feels really good, best he's looked in a couple of weeks, so I'm excited to go see him play."

That sound you hear is Bolts defensive coordinator Jesse Minter popping champagne.

That isn't to say Titans backup quarterback Mason Rudolph is a world-beater. However, Levis has provided some of the most boneheaded plays in NFL history this season. For every flash he shows of maybe being a franchise QB, he makes an indefensible turnover that costs his team.

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Levis currently ranks 32nd in the league in passing yards per game and yards per attempt and is tied for the seventh-most interceptions despite missing three games with a shoulder injury.

He had two big-time throws in five starts before his injury, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). That is fewer than Russell Wilson, who has started two games for the Steelers, and as many as Saints emergency third-string quarterback Jake Heaner.

Want another fun stat? Rudolph led the Titans to their only two wins. The team accumulated more than 400 yards of offense in each of Rudolph's last two starts. They did not have a single game with more than 300 yards in any of Levis' five starts.

This isn't to say the Chargers should take the Levis-led Titans lightly. Harbaugh won't allow that to happen. While Tennessee is a lousy team regardless of who's under center, they are much worse with Levis under center.

That bodes extremely well for the Bolts going into Sunday.