New England Patriots
The Titans enter Sunday’s matchup with a brand new head coach.
When Patriots coach Mike Vrabel returns to the place the place he acquired his first head teaching expertise on Sunday, he’ll see a Titans group that isn’t anyplace close to nearly as good as those he coached over his six-year tenure in Tennessee.
The Patriots tackle the 1-5 Titans in Week 7, and as Vrabel has gotten off to a great begin along with his new squad, his previous squad is on the lookout for a contemporary begin. The Titans fired head coach Brian Callahan on Monday within the midst of his second season with the group, logging a 4-19 report over his time in Tennessee.
Senior offensive assistant Mike McCoy was named Callahan’s substitute because the interim head coach. He’ll be tabbed with attempting to show across the last-place Titans, who’ll tackle a Patriots group that’s 4-2 and unexpectedly in first place within the AFC East coming into Week 7.
Let’s take a better take a look at the Titans and 5 issues to learn about Tennessee forward of Sunday’s recreation.
They’ve acquired a brand new head coach, and interim coaches have executed effectively of their first recreation lately.
The useless cat bounce is actual within the NFL when a group fires its coach in the course of the season.
Groups are 17-16 of their first recreation with an interim head coach since 2010, based on Guess IQ. Whereas that mark is just one recreation over .500, these groups had been the underdog in 25 of the 33 video games. These groups are additionally 20-13 in opposition to the unfold. Since 2020, groups of their first recreation with an interim coach are 10-4 in opposition to the unfold.
Nonetheless, interim coaches who’ve made their debut in opposition to a group with a successful report haven’t executed so effectively. They’re 6-17 with a mean of minus-7.9 since 2020, according to NFL Research.
For these curious, the Patriots are seven-point favorites for Sunday’s recreation. That’s truly the most important unfold they’ve had of their favor for a recreation because the 2022 season.
McCoy has prior head teaching expertise, going 27-37 over his four-year tenure with the Chargers (2013-16). He was engaged on Callahan’s workers as a senior offensive assistant previous to the change, and had spent the final three seasons because the Jaguars’ quarterbacks coach.
The primary general choose hasn’t executed too effectively this season.
Cam Ward didn’t have the hype that another latest No. 1 general picks have had, however he was nonetheless anticipated to play higher than he has via the primary six weeks of his NFL profession.
The Titans’ rookie has accomplished simply 55 p.c of his passes for 1,101 yards, three touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. His completion share, passer score (67.3), and yards per try (5.4) are useless final amongst certified passers.
The superior numbers are nearly as dangerous for Ward, ranking last in metrics like adjusted expected points added (EPA) per play. He hasn’t been a lot of a menace within the run recreation, both. He’s rushed for 36 yards and 4 first downs thus far.
Going up in opposition to a quarterback who has struggled as a lot as Ward needs to be welcomed information for the Patriots’ protection. New England has struggled to cease the go thus far, rating twenty fifth in passing yards allowed per recreation (239) and final in yards allowed per try (7.9). Spencer Rattler was environment friendly for the Saints final week in opposition to the Patriots, throwing for 226 yards on simply 26 makes an attempt.
The offense round Ward is … unspectacular.
The blame for the Titans’ offense ought to solely fall on Ward. They’re second-to-last within the league in complete dashing (491 yards) and twenty sixth in yards per try (3.9). Tony Pollard has put up first rate quantity numbers (362 dashing yards), however he has just one recreation with greater than 70 dashing yards this season.
As for the extensive receivers round Ward, he’ll be with out his prime goal for Sunday’s recreation. Calvin Ridley is coping with a hamstring harm, however has solely caught 16 passes for 290 yards this season.
Past Ridley, the Titans’ extensive receiver corps is usually stuffed with veterans previous their prime or younger gamers who don’t have a ton of upside. Fourth-round rookie Elic Ayomanor is second on the group with receiving, logging 17 grabs for 196 yards and two touchdowns thus far this 12 months. Tyler Lockett solely has eight catches thus far this 12 months.
The Titans’ offensive line is a bit higher than the remainder of the offense, although. They really rank twelfth in ESPN’s pass-block win fee, getting good play from their guards (Peter Skoronski, Kevin Zeitler) thus far this season. Nonetheless, there’s room for enchancment there as they’ve allowed 13.7 pressures per recreation, per Professional Soccer Focus. For reference, the Patriots have allowed 9.8 pressures per recreation this season.
Their protection isn’t as dangerous because the offense, however it’s not good.
Whereas the Titans is perhaps a trainwreck on offense, their protection is a bit higher than that, however not by a lot.
The Titans are twenty second in complete protection (343.3 yards allowed per recreation) and twenty sixth in scoring protection (26.8 factors allowed per recreation). They’re twenty fifth in dashing yards allowed (802) and final in dashing touchdowns allowed (11). They’re additionally towards the underside of the league in superior metrics like DVOA, rating twenty fourth.
Tennessee hasn’t gotten to lit up within the passing recreation on protection, although. It ranks thirteenth in passing yards allowed thus far this season (1,258) and has given up 6.9 yards per try in its final three video games, which is the 18th-best mark within the league. However the Titans are additionally tied for twenty fifth in complete sacks this season, logging simply 9 thus far.
They do have one star participant on protection, although.
As every thing in Tennessee has crumbled this season, defensive deal with Jeffery Simmons has been in a position to shine. He’s recorded 4.5 sacks this season, which is tied for essentially the most amongst all inside defensive linemen. He additionally leads defensive tackles in pressures (27) and is second in run stops (18), per Pro Football Focus.
Clearly, that isn’t a super matchup for the Patriots. However they’ve solely allowed 24 pressures over their three-game win streak, with Drake Maye getting six instances.
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