Six games into the 2019 season, the Tennessee Titans announced a quarterback change. At 2-4, the Titans replaced Marcus Mariota with Ryan Tannehill under center, won seven of their 10 remaining regular-season games and went all the way to the AFC Championship Game.

Running back Derrick Henry exploded for 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns after Tannehill became the starter, then piled up 446 rushing yards in the three playoff games.

On Tuesday, Tennessee officially made another quarterback change. Will Levis is in and Tannehill is out for Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

But the change actually happened two games ago, when the Titans had a 2-4 record, just as in 2019. Tannehill couldn’t play because of an ankle injury, and Tennessee went with second-round draft choice Levis over 2022 backup Malik Willis.

Levis made his NFL debut with four touchdown passes in a 28-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 29. The rookie also started a 20-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers four days later.

Tannehill is ready to play again, but the Titans are sticking with Levis.

“You never want to see your teammate go through something like that,” Henry said about Tannehill’s demotion. “I just told him you just got to keep working, keep focused on getting better and just stay locked in with it and just keep being yourself.”

Because of an injury, Levis played in only Tennessee’s first preseason game, and his next snap in action came in his start against the Falcons.

“He’s been preparing and doing what he’s supposed to do,” Henry said of Levis. “The last two games, he’s been playing well, so just keep doing what you’ve been doing. …

“I feel like he’s been doing a great job. He can only get better and keep on improving. He’s coming to work every day, working to get better. It’s been fun having him in there, and excited to see what’s to come.”

In the six games started by Tannehill this season, the Titans averaged 173.2 passing yards. Levis threw for 461 yards in his two starts.

Henry had 425 yards and three touchdowns on 98 carries in the first six games of the 2023 season, averaging 4.34 yards per carry and 70.8 rushing yards per game. In Levis’ two starts, Henry had 176 yards and one touchdown on 39 carries, averaging 4.51 yards per carry and 88 rushing yards per game.

“If we are being efficient and making big plays in the pass game, I think that correlates to having space in the run game,” Henry said. “And it’s the same way with the run. If you run the ball effectively, then it opens up for the pass.”

Eight games into the 2019 season, Henry ranked seventh in the AFC and 11th in the NFL in rushing yards. Henry ended the season as the league leader in rushing yards.

In 2020, 2021 and 2022, Henry had the most rushing yards in the AFC eight games into the season. But this season, Henry trails the Indianapolis Colts’ Zach Moss for the best eight-game total in the AFC.

With 601 yards and four touchdowns on 137 carries, Henry has 269 fewer yards and 46 fewer carries than he had through eight games last season.

Despite that, Pro Football Focus named Henry as the running back on its midseason all-pro team, judging the former Alabama All-American to be the NFL’s best running back so far in the 2023 campaign.

Does that mean Henry is poised for another run to the playoffs after a quarterback change?

Against Tampa Bay on Sunday, Henry will face the NFL’s No. 9 rushing defense, with the Buccaneers yielding an average of 92.9 yards per game on the ground in 2023.

“They’re a great defense,” Henry said. “They’ve been solid for a long time. I feel like those guys have been playing together for a long while, too. They’re disruptive up front, especially with 50 in there, Vita Vea. Smart linebackers, instinctive linebackers with Lavonte David and Devin White. They got great corners, safeties who are good in the run game, so they’re a solid defense all around.”

The Titans and Buccaneers, both at 3-5, square off at noon CST Sunday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

Tennessee’s loss to Pittsburgh on Nov. 2 was the Titans’ seventh in a row on the road. Tennessee hasn’t won away from Nashville since a 27-17 victory over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Nov. 17, 2022.

“I just think we’re not executing when we get on the road, whatever the case may be,” Henry said. “Hopefully, it changes this Sunday. I think we just need to execute in all three phases. Do more of the small things in games, the details of the play. And I think it just comes down to execution, for real. When we get down in the red zone, get in the end zone. It’s hard to get down there in this league, and when you get down there, you got to make sure it ends with seven. I mean, field goals are fun, but at the end of the day, you got to get seven points to be able to win.”

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.