8 takeaways from Patriots’ blowout win over Titans
New England Patriots
Drake Maye as soon as once more dominated on Sunday in Nashville — finishing 21 of 23 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns.
Andy Lyons/Getty Pictures
The Patriots elevated their win streak to 4 video games in a row on Sunday through a 31-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans.
Mike Vrabel was capable of publish a blowout win towards his former workforce, whereas Drake Maye continued to stake his declare as one of many high QBs within the league up to now this season.
Listed here are eight takeaways from the Patriots’ newest victory:
Mike Vrabel’s workforce exacts revenge
Mike Vrabel did what he may to downplay any form of narrative getting into Sunday’s sport towards his former workforce.
“We’re not making an attempt to win one for the Gipper right here,” Vrabel mentioned earlier this week. “We’re simply making an attempt to be sure that these guys are centered on bettering, and I believe that they’re. I believe they’re locked in. And hopefully we are able to get them as ready as we probably can between now and Sunday.”
However after getting fired by Titans proprietor Amy Adams Strunk in January 2024 — after main Tennessee to an AFC title sport throughout six years with Tennessee — Vrabel and his new workforce had the final snicker on Sunday.
Cam Ward and a rebuilding Titans roster did give New England’s protection some matches within the early going, with Tennessee additionally receiving a elevate out of the gate with interim head coach Mike McCoy taking the reins after Vrabel’s successor — Brian Callahan — was fired final week.
However Vrabel’s workforce settled down as Sunday’s matchup carried on, with Maye particularly persevering with to raise New England’s personnel with one other standout efficiency.
As stunning because it was for Vrabel to get handed a pink slip by Tennessee lower than two years in the past, it appears to be like as if he’s in a much better spot now in Foxborough — particularly with a franchise QB in Maye already enjoying like a top-five signal-caller within the league.
It was becoming that Vrabel left the sphere to cheers of “Vrabel! Vrabel!” from the gang at Nissan Stadium.
Maye is enjoying like a reliable MVP candidate
It is likely to be time to realistically think about Maye as an MVP candidate this season.
As a result of an environment friendly, dynamic efficiency from New England’s second-year QB is changing into the norm — not the exception — already this season.
Sunday marked the most recent in a protracted line of dominant performances from Maye, with the 23-year-old QB finishing 21 of 23 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns.
Maye additionally carved up Tennessee’s run protection as effectively, dashing for 62 yards off of eight carries (7.8 yards per scramble).
It’s been a breakout season for Maye, who additionally achieved a career-high 16 straight completions throughout Sunday’s sport. Even with a slight damage scare on Sunday off of his insistence to keep away from sliding on dashing performs, Maye continues to look in management inside Josh McDaniels’ offense.
He now has six consecutive video games of at the least 200 passing yards and a passer score of 100 or greater. Maye is simply the third QB — below 24 — to increase that streak to 6 video games, becoming a member of Dan Marino and Patrick Mahomes, who holds the file with seven straight video games.
In line with the Patriots, Maye has additionally tied Tom Brady (2007) for probably the most video games of at the least 200 passing yards, a 135 passer score and a pair of passing touchdowns in a season with 4.
Stevenson bounces again
It’s been a disappointing begin to the yr for New England’s run sport, with the Patriots getting into Sunday twenty sixth within the league in dashing yards per sport.
However a matchup towards a Titans workforce permitting 133.7 dashing yards per contest served as a welcome treatment for New England — who set a brand new season-high mark with 175 yards on the bottom Sunday.
Rhamondre Stevenson took a significant step ahead towards the Titans, ending with 88 yards and a landing.
It was a robust begin for Stevenson, who gained extra dashing yards on his first 4 makes an attempt on Sunday (38 yards) than in his earlier two video games mixed (32 yards).
A extra balanced strategy on offense is a welcome sight for New England, which has been far too one-dimensional over the previous few weeks — even with Maye persevering with to cube up opposing defenses by means of the air.
Whereas Stevenson was a constant playmaker on Sunday, it was one other quiet displaying from rookie TreVeyon Henderson — who solely gained 5 yards off of two rushes within the win.
Protection snoozes out of the gate
The Patriots’ protection needed to have been licking its chops getting into Sunday’s sport, particularly towards a Titans offense averaging 13.8 factors per sport. However Ward — enjoying with out Tennessee’s high wideout in Calvin Ridley — got here to play within the early going.
Tennessee scored on each of their opening drives through a subject purpose from Joey Slye and a 38-yard TD from Ward to Chimere Dike — with the Titans averaging 11.6 yards per play on these first two drives.
Regardless that New England’s protection did tighten up as the sport carried on, a Patriots protection that had loads of cash invested in it this previous offseason has been liable to some gradual begins — and a few struggles towards explosive passing offenses.
New England entered Sunday’s sport final within the NFL in yards allowed per try (7.9), with Ward averaging 7.5 yards per throw within the sport.
Maye takes over in second quarter
After a discombobulated begin for New England, Maye took over within the second quarter — main New England on two landing drives forward of halftime.
Maye was the first engine driving New England’s first TD of the afternoon — finishing 5-of-5 passes for 51 yards and dashing for an extra 23 yards on an 11-play, 93-yard sequence that ended with Austin Hooper “Mossing” L’Jarius Sneed ultimately zone for a landing.
Given a main alternative to begin a double-score alternative going into the half, New England made brief work of the Titans protection — with Maye reeling off a nine-yard scramble, a 12-yard completion to Hunter Henry, after which hitting Kayshon Boutte for a 39-yard landing.
Boutte’s fourth landing of the season gave New England a 17-13 benefit — and a lead that New England wouldn’t relinquish for the remainder of the day.
Maye briefly exits sport
New England did have a significant scare on its first drive of the third quarter, as Maye briefly needed to exit the sport after slamming his head into the turf.
Whereas scrambling for six yards, Maye’s helmet bounced off the sphere after getting taken down by Roger McCreary — with the QB ushered off the gridiron and into the blue medical tent for what was doubtless a concussion analysis.
Joshua Dobbs took over on offense for New England, with the backup QB shifting the chains after hitting DeMario Douglas for a first-down conversion on a Third-and-5 sequence.
Maye in the end returned to the sport after three performs — serving to New England cap off a 12-play, 88-yard drive that ended with Stevenson operating into the tip zone.
The play of the drive got here only a play earlier, with Douglas posting a one-handed snag on a 4th-and-1 from the Titans’ 9-yard line to maneuver the chains.
As encouraging because it was for Maye to return to the sport after a short absence, the younger QB must do a greater job limiting the punishment doled out towards him — particularly on scrambles.
Chaisson turns Sunday’s sport right into a blowout
Stevenson’s TD stood as the primary of two touchdowns within the span of 11 seconds on Sunday, as edge rusher Ok’Lavon Chaisson blew the sport open on the Titans’ subsequent drive.
Chaisson recorded the primary defensive landing of his profession within the third quarter, with the veteran strip-sacking Ward on the 10-yard line earlier than recovering the free ball and waltzing into the tip zone for the rating.
Chaisson completed Sunday’s sport with two sacks and two tackles for loss, whereas Milton Williams and Harold Landry additionally sacked Ward.
Regardless of Ward and Co. producing loads of explosive performs out of the gate, Tennessee didn’t publish a completion over 15 yards within the second half — with Marcus Jones capping the sport off with an interception with 3:37 to go within the sport.
Some bumps and bruises
Regardless of Maye as soon as once more dominating on Sunday, the younger QB will doubtless want a number of ice packs within the locker room on Sunday — as New England’s go safety had some struggles towards the Titans.
Tennessee managed to generate loads of strain on the inside — particularly on the left facet towards rookie Jared Wilson. In complete, Maye was sacked 4 instances and was knocked for one more 4 QB hits within the victory.
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LIVE UPDATES
3:39: Closing: Patriots beat the Titans, 31-13. New England has received 4 video games in a row.
3:37: Marcus Jones snags an interception. That ought to put a cap on this one.
Dobbs is now in at QB for the Patriots.
3:29: Marte Mapu ends a drive with a fourth-down sort out.
3:20: New England punting. Patriots go safety hasn’t been that sharp at present.
3:08: Finish Third: Patriots up, 31-13, towards the Titans.
3:06: Chaisson takes over as soon as once more, ending a Titans drive with a sack.
3:00: New England can’t ship a possible knockout punch, because the Patriots go 3-and-out after Maye is sacked.
2:54: Milton Williams delivers on a third-down sack. Patriots are taking up.
2:48: New England’s protection delivers with a TOUCHDOWN.
Ok’Lavon Chaisson strip-sacks Cam Ward and scores a landing.
This sport is all New England, 31-13.
2:44: TOUCHDOWN PATRIOTS.
Stevenson runs it in for the landing.
It’s 24-13 Patriots after the double rating.
2:43: Patriots go for it on a 4th and 1 within the purple zone and Pop Douglas reels it in for a pickup. What a snag.
2:41: Drake Maye is again on the sphere. Seems to be like he’s cleared.
Josh Dobbs will get the job achieved by selecting up a primary down whereas Maye was in for testing.
2:38: Drake Maye is being taken out of the sport for a concussion take a look at.
Slammed his head into the turf on that run.
2:34: Jeffery Simmons has been downgraded to out.
2:18: HALFTIME: Patriots up, 17-13.
It hasn’t been the sharpest begin for New England, however Maye’s brilliance has New England in entrance.
2:15: TOUCHDOWN PATRIOTS.
Drake Maye doesn’t miss on the deep ball. Boutte reels in a 39-yard landing.
Maye, as anticipated now, is dealing.
It’s 17-13 Patriots.
2:08: Christian Barmore blew up two performs on that drive.
However Joey Slye hits a 50-yard subject purpose.
It’s 13-10 Titans with 1:50 left within the half.
1:59: Van Jefferson beats Christian Gonzalez in protection for a third-down pickup. Cam Ward has been nice on this one.
1:53: TOUCHDOWN PATRIOTS.
Austin Hooper with a terrific Randy Moss impression on that TD snag.
This sport is tied up, 10-10.
Drake Maye was 5-for-5 for 51 yards and rushed for 23 yards on that drive.
1:50: Maye hits Hollins for 22 yards. That was a sick throw.
New England on the Titans’ 9-yard line.
1:47: Maye scrambles for a 19-yard pickup. Wanted to slip there.
1:45: Jeffery Simmons is questionable to return with a hamstring damage. That’s an enormous loss for the Titans.
1:42: Chaisson and Landry convey the strain and sack Ward on Third down. Big cease for the protection.
1:37: Finish First: Titans up, 10-3. New England’s protection actually laboring early on.
1:32: Pretty much as good because the Patriots run sport has been, the identical can’t be mentioned concerning the passing sport.
Patriots are punting.
1:29: One other explosive acquire from Stevenson. He’s been on a roll up to now at present.
1:23: Cam Ward got here able to play at present.
Cam Ward hits Chimere for a 38-yard landing. It’s 10-3 Titans.
New England’s protection is snoozing out of the gate.
1:17: Patriots get into the purple zone, however Maye is sacked on Third down. Jared Wilson beat on the inside.
Borregales hits a 36-yard subject purpose.
3-3 sport.
1:14: Stevenson has extra dashing yards off 4 carries at present than the final two video games mixed.
1:13: Patriots committing to the run sport early. Stevenson already has 30 yards on three carries.
1:11: A six-play, 36-yard drive for Tennessee ends with a Joey Slye FG.
3-0 Titans.
1:00: Patriots win the toss and defer. Protection up first in Nashville
12:50: Mike Vrabel – again in Nashville.
12:10: Warmups are underway.
11:50: Greetings forward of kickoff! Right here’s a have a look at New England’s inactives:
Harold Landry (ankle) and Stefon Diggs (chest) will play, whereas Hawkins is ready to overlook his second straight sport with a hamstring damage.
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