5 takeaways from the Patriots’ win over the Titans
COMMENTARY
FOXBOROUGH — A hot start, a cold finish, but one way or the other, the New England Patriots came away with the win.
The Patriots were off to the races early against the Tennessee Titans, and despite a slow second half, they never looked back on their way to a 33-16 victory in Week 15.
The win moves the Patriots to 12-2 with two games left, leaving them firmly in the driver’s seat on their way to the No. 1 seed in the AFC and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. Indeed, after two straight losses against the Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles, it looks like the Patriots are starting to play their best football in December.
Just in time.
Here’s some of the other takeaways from Sunday’s blowout win.
1. Tom Brady on fire: Tom Brady was almost perfect against the Houston Texans in Week 14, and he stayed razor sharp in Week 15 against the Titans. Brady was 14-of-19 for 146 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, and he finished 23-of-35 for 267 yards and two touchdowns.
He did most of his damage without wide receiver Danny Amendola at his disposal, as the slot receiver left the game with a knee injury in the first half. The Patriots went with a very conservative approach, only trying a few deep passes but keeping miost of the passing attack in the short and intermediate range.
Brady is playing some of his best football over the past two weeks, and he could get even better when Julian Edelman and Amendola both return.
2. Defense comes out swinging: There were a few miscues, but on the whole, this was a very strong performance for the Patriots defense.
The Patriots forced the Titans to go three-and-out on their first drive, and didn’t look back from there. The Titans punted on their first two drives and three of their first four; they also had a sack-fumble recovered for a touchdown by New England in the first half. The Patriots defense generated three turnovers on the day.
Speaking of that sack, the Patriots were hosting a sack party at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, with four sacks in the first half and five on the day. The Titans barely budged the Patriots front seven in the running game, too, with just 13 carries for 30 yards (2.3 YPA) in the first half and 21 carries for 59 yards (2.8 YPA) on the day.
It wasn’t a perfect game, as the Titans found some rhythm in the second half with a seven-play, 59-yard touchdown drive, but the Patriots came up with two turnovers and held the Titans to just 10 points. That’s a pretty good day no matter how you slice it.
3. Patriots running backs flex their muscles: With LeGarrette Blount on injured reserve, the Patriots needed someone to step up and be the bell-cow for the offense at running back. Enter fourth-year running back Brandon Bolden, who stepped up to the challenge and played a big role on offense. The Ole Miss product piled up five carries for 27 yards in the first half, and finished with 10 carries for 36 yards on the day. He ran hard through would-be tacklers, in a performance that would have made Blount proud.
But Bolden wasn’t the only Patriots running back doing damage to the Titans defense on Sunday. James White continued to produce in his role as the team’s third-down back, and caught seven passes for 71 yards and a 30-yard touchdown, all of it in the first half. His ability to set up blockers and his elusiveness in the open field make him tough to bring down, as he proved on Sunday.
Even fullback Joe Iosefa got in on the action, plowing over defenders on his way to 14 carries for 51 yards (3.6 YPA).
The Patriots’ production in the running game (26 carries, 93 yards) was a little less than stellar, but formidable and serviceable, given their young, green interior offensive line featuring three rookies starting at left guard, center and right guard.
4. More injuries: A Patriots win can’t be a win without a loss.
Danny Amendola has been nursing a knee injury, and he appeared to aggravate the injury in the first half. He was listed as questionable to return, and eventually downgraded to out. Linebacker Dont’a Hightower made his return off a knee injury as well, but played in a limited role before reinjuring his knee in the second half. Patrick Chung left with a hip injury.
Everywhere you turn, there are key injuries on the Patriots roster. New England has clinched a first-round bye in the playoffs, and with all the injuries, that bye is less of a luxury and more of a necessity
5. Patriots still on track for AFC’s No. 1 seed: Injuries and all, the Patriots are still the front-runner for the AFC’s top seed, a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
This comes as no surprise to people who follow the team, but given the number of key players that have been missing from the Patriots lineup at times this year, their continued winning ways are impressive.
There are still two games left, though, and with road trips against the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, the Patriots won’t have it easy in Weeks 16 and 17. For now, though, they maintain their stranglehold on the pole position in the AFC standings.
Photos: The best images from Patriots-Titans
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