NASHVILLE – Mike Vrabel will get to go away Tennessee pleased.
Nearer than anticipated by means of the primary half, the Patriots decisively beat the Titans 31-13 in Vrabel’s return to Tennessee, simply 22 months after getting fired.
This one should have harm for Titans followers, seeing their former head coach, sporting his acquainted navy blue vest on the opposing sideline, teaching his new staff in a blowout win whereas their very own staff nonetheless seems aimless.
Sunday’s matchup was seen as a possible lure recreation for the Patriots, getting into their third straight street recreation towards an interim head coach. The Titans already fired Vrabel’s alternative, Brian Callahan, simply 23 weeks into his tenure as head coach.
The Patriots are 5-2 on the season. Vrabel has now gained extra video games in a single season as Patriots head coach than the Titans have gained since they fired him following the 2023 season.
“Emotional recreation, emotional stretch for us,” Vrabel mentioned after the win. “It’s the grind of coming again and getting ready and staying within the recreation.”
The Titans and Patriots started the sport exchanging subject targets to begin out with a 3-3 tied rating. The Titans picked up most of their yardage on a completion to rookie huge receiver Elic Ayomanor when cornerback Carlton Davis III slipped in protection. The Patriots bought out to a sizzling begin operating the ball however sputtered out within the purple zone on their ensuing drive.
The Titans wanted simply three performs to attain on their second sequence. Quarterback Cam Ward hit rookie huge receiver Chimere Dike for a 38-yard landing with Marcus Jones in protection and Craig Woodson deep at security to take a 10-3 lead.
The Patriots and Titans exchanged punts earlier than Drake Maye led his offense on an 11-play, 93-yard drive that culminated with a spectacular 3-yard landing catch from tight finish Austin Hooper to knot the sport at 10-10. Hooper reached over Titans cornerback L’Jarius Sneed for the catch and held on whereas getting each feed in bounds by means of contact.
The Titans responded by taking a 13-10 lead on a 50-yard subject purpose from kicker – and former Patriot – Joey Slye into the wind.
It took lower than a minute for Maye to drive the Patriots down the sphere for one more landing, hitting Kayshon Boutte in stride in the long run zone on a 39-yard connection. Boutte, to not be outdone by Hooper, caught it along with his fingertips.
The Titans didn’t make a robust effort to attain with 49 seconds left within the first half regardless of having three timeouts and let time expire.
The Patriots got here out of the half and prolonged their result in 24-13 on a 4-yard landing run from operating again Rhamondre Stevenson. It wasn’t with out some drama, nevertheless. Maye hit his head laborious towards the turf on a 6-yard scramble. He missed three performs whereas getting checked for a concussion then returned to the drive. The Patriots went for it on fourth-and-1 within the purple zone, and Maye’s go was behind DeMario Douglas, however the slot receiver hauled within the first-down conversion with one hand to maintain the drive alive.
On the very subsequent play from scrimmage, Ward had the ball fly out of his hand on a dropback. It was simply scooped up by Okay’Lavon Chaisson for a landing because the Patriots took a 31-13 lead.
“We performed rather well within the second half,” Vrabel mentioned. “Generally you don’t understand how these video games are going to go. We definitely have to begin sooner, however actually happy with the way in which we performed.”
Jones closed out the sport by intercepting Ward.
BEST
QB Drake Maye: If Maye was taking part in in additional high-profile video games, he’d be a much bigger MVP candidate. He went 21-of-23 for 222 yards with two touchdowns and rushed eight occasions for 62 yards.
OLB Okay’Lavon Chaisson: The Patriots’ beginning pass-rusher registered two sacks and recovered Ward’s fumble for a landing.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson: It was an encouraging bounce-back recreation for Stevenson, who took on the majority of the carries, dashing 18 occasions for 88 yards with a landing.
WORST
CB Marcus Jones: Jones has had a terrific season out of the slot, however he allowed the lengthy landing to Dike earlier than the sport bought away from the Titans. He did make up for it with a late interception.
LG Jared Wilson: The O-line as a complete blocked properly, however Wilson allowed three sacks on the afternoon.
Patriots’ first-half protection: Ward solely had one incompletion within the first half because the Patriots couldn’t cease the rookie quarterback. It was a totally totally different story within the second half with Zak Kuhr’s unit shutting down the Titans.
WHAT WE LEARNED
• The Patriots went heavy to begin the sport with outdoors linebacker Harold Landry, defensive tackles Milton Williams, Christian Barmore and Khyiris Tonga, linebackers Robert Spillane, Jahlani Tavai and Jack Gibbens, cornerbacks Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis, and safeties Craig Woodson and Kyle Dugger on the sphere.
• Rookie huge receiver Efton Chism noticed his first prolonged snaps on offense. He impressed early as a blocker.
• The Patriots had been way more efficient early within the run recreation; rookie operating again TreVeyon Henderson was not often on the sphere with simply two snaps within the staff’s first three drives. He obtained simply two carries for five yards.
• Joshua Dobbs was 1-of-1 with a 12-yard completion whereas briefly relieving Maye. He confirmed some escapability on his one dropback.
• Third-string operating again Terrell Jennings bought some work on the finish of the sport after it had gotten out of hand. He ran with some violence within the last minutes of motion.
• The Patriots had been capable of deliver some strain towards Ward. Milton Williams and Harold Landry additionally registered sacks.
• No turnovers for the Patriots, who’ve turn out to be adept at defending the soccer. That five-turnover recreation towards the Steelers seems like ages in the past at this level.
Initially Printed:
