FanPost

Titans convincingly crush the New England Patriots

The Titans defeated, crushed and dominated Tom Brady and the New England Patriots 34-10.

I feel like I need to wash my hands after writing that. Typing out each letter that led to every word seemed forced, like I still need to be convinced that it’s a factual statement.

Because for it to be factual, it’d have to mean a lot of different things. Like, maybe, Darius Jennings started off the game with a 50-something yard kick return to set the Titans up with great field position. Or Marcus Mariota carved up New England’s secondary from the pocket, where, as learned in last year’s Divisonal Playoff game in Foxboro, is where the Patriots are adamant about keeping the mobile Mariota. Did Corey Davis have a legitimate WR1 type game…maybe even a touchdown…against a legitimate CB1 type player in Stephon Gilmore? What about guys like Jonnu Smith, Cameron Batson and Anthony Firkser? Did they show up when called upon? A knockout punch thrown by our heavyweight Derrick Henry? Because you aren’t defeating, crushing and dominating the New England Patriots without these types of performances from these types of players. I mean, it takes a village.

A village that includes your defensive counterparts. And while the Titans defense has certainly been the strength of the team all season, this is Tom Brady and his Patriots offense we’re talking about here. One rolling on a six-game winning streak at that.

Did they set the tone early or something? Did Kenny Vaccaro (can we extend him already?) blow up James White on the Patriots’ first play from scrimmage? I get that New England being without Gronkowski would certainly make things somewhateasier on the Titans, but it’s not like Josh Gordon, Julian Edelman and Chris Hogan wouldn’t feast. What’s that you say? Adoree Jackson played his best game in his already impressive young career and put on a cornerbacking clinic against Gordon, making him a total nonentity? Oh…well…ok, then.

Let’s be real, though. This is Tom Brady we’re talking about. The guy’s got five rings. He came back from 28-3 in the freaking Super Bowl! Perhaps all of these things may have happened, but Brady can pull rabbits out of hats better than David Copperfield. The onlyway you’re going to aggravate and beat Brady is by pressuring him relentlessly for 60 minutes, flushing him from the pocket and hitting him over and over and over again. Belichick-favorite Jurrell Casey would have needed to move mountains. Did Wesley Woodyard and Jayon Brown buy real estate in the New England backfield? Kevin Byard and Logan Ryan team up for splash plays? Maybe then – and only then – will Brady go something like 21/41 with the Patriots punting for more yards than Brady had thrown.

After watching the game, revisiting highlights and keeping myself honest by checking the box score, I can confidently tell you that all of these things happened. Even if I still don’t totally believe it myself almost 72 hours later. For the second week in a row, the Titans played exciting and complementary football. Mike Vrabel, Matt LeFleur and Dean Pees earned game balls for their gameplanning and preparation against the master himself, Bill Belichick, all on a short week. It was fantastic football in a pivotal part of the season. The team has hit their stride coming out of their Week 8 bye, but it still feels like there’s meat left on the bone and room for this team to grow.

Not to use the word again, but if the upcoming divisional road games against Indianapolis and Houston aren’t pivotal, they’re damn near must win. With Indianapolis coming into their own and Houston rattling off wins, losses in the next two games would likely stick a fork in the Titans’ playoff hopes. "Typical Titans" behavior would be laying an egg in two winnable, albeit difficult, games after impressive victories against Dallas and New England. We saw it happen earlier this season, after the team demanded respect following an emotional victory against Philadelphia, but it seems like the three game, post-Philly skid has matured the team. There was an aura of calm confidence and high self-expectations following the dismantling of New England. This "shut up and do your job" mentality must persist for the Titans to win the next two games and, ultimately, define their season.