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8 takeaways from Patriots’ blowout win over Titans
Drake Maye once again dominated on Sunday in Nashville — completing 21 of 23 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns.
The Patriots increased their win streak to four games in a row on Sunday via a 31-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans.
Mike Vrabel was able to post a blowout win against his former team, while Drake Maye continued to stake his claim as one of the top QBs in the league so far this season.
Here are eight takeaways from the Patriots’ latest victory:
Mike Vrabel’s team exacts revenge
Mike Vrabel did what he could to downplay any sort of narrative entering Sunday’s game against his former team.
“We’re not trying to win one for the Gipper here,” Vrabel said earlier this week. “We’re just trying to make sure that these guys are focused on improving, and I think that they are. I think they’re locked in. And hopefully we can get them as prepared as we possibly can between now and Sunday.”
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But after getting fired by Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk in January 2024 — after leading Tennessee to an AFC title game across six years with Tennessee — Vrabel and his new team had the last laugh on Sunday.
Cam Ward and a rebuilding Titans roster did give New England’s defense some fits in the early going, with Tennessee also receiving a lift out of the gate with interim head coach Mike McCoy taking the reins after Vrabel’s successor — Brian Callahan — was fired last week.
But Vrabel’s team settled down as Sunday’s matchup carried on, with Maye in particular continuing to elevate New England’s personnel with another standout performance.
As surprising as it was for Vrabel to get handed a pink slip by Tennessee less than two years ago, it looks as though he’s in a far better spot now in Foxborough — especially with a franchise QB in Maye already playing like a top-five signal-caller in the league.
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It was fitting that Vrabel left the field to cheers of “Vrabel! Vrabel!” from the crowd at Nissan Stadium.
Maye is playing like a legitimate MVP candidate
It might be time to realistically consider Maye as an MVP candidate this season.
Because an efficient, dynamic performance from New England’s second-year QB is becoming the norm — not the exception — already this season.
Sunday marked the latest in a long line of dominant performances from Maye, with the 23-year-old QB completing 21 of 23 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns.
Maye also carved up Tennessee’s run defense as well, rushing for 62 yards off of eight carries (7.8 yards per scramble).
It’s been a breakout season for Maye, who also achieved a career-high 16 straight completions during Sunday’s game. Even with a slight injury scare on Sunday off of his insistence to avoid sliding on rushing plays, Maye continues to look in control within Josh McDaniels’ offense.
He now has six consecutive games of at least 200 passing yards and a passer rating of 100 or higher. Maye is just the third QB — under 24 — to extend that streak to six games, joining Dan Marino and Patrick Mahomes, who holds the record with seven straight games.
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According to the Patriots, Maye has also tied Tom Brady (2007) for the most games of at least 200 passing yards, a 135 passer rating and 2 passing touchdowns in a season with four.
Stevenson bounces back
It’s been a disappointing start to the year for New England’s run game, with the Patriots entering Sunday 26th in the league in rushing yards per game.
But a matchup against a Titans team allowing 133.7 rushing yards per contest served as a welcome remedy for New England — who set a new season-high mark with 175 yards on the ground Sunday.
Rhamondre Stevenson took a major step forward against the Titans, finishing with 88 yards and a touchdown.
It was a strong start for Stevenson, who gained more rushing yards on his first four attempts on Sunday (38 yards) than in his previous two games combined (32 yards).
A more balanced approach on offense is a welcome sight for New England, which has been far too one-dimensional over the last few weeks — even with Maye continuing to dice up opposing defenses through the air.
While Stevenson was a consistent playmaker on Sunday, it was another quiet showing from rookie TreVeyon Henderson — who only gained five yards off of two rushes in the win.
Defense snoozes out of the gate
The Patriots’ defense had to have been licking its chops entering Sunday’s game, especially against a Titans offense averaging 13.8 points per game. But Ward — playing without Tennessee’s top wideout in Calvin Ridley — came to play in the early going.
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Tennessee scored on both of their opening drives via a field goal from Joey Slye and a 38-yard TD from Ward to Chimere Dike — with the Titans averaging 11.6 yards per play on those first two drives.
Even though New England’s defense did tighten up as the game carried on, a Patriots defense that had plenty of money invested in it this past offseason has been prone to some slow starts — and some struggles against explosive passing offenses.
New England entered Sunday’s game last in the NFL in yards allowed per attempt (7.9), with Ward averaging 7.5 yards per throw in the game.
Maye takes over in second quarter
After a discombobulated start for New England, Maye took over in the second quarter — leading New England on two touchdown drives ahead of halftime.
Maye was the primary engine driving New England’s first TD of the afternoon — completing 5-of-5 passes for 51 yards and rushing for an additional 23 yards on an 11-play, 93-yard sequence that ended with Austin Hooper “Mossing” L’Jarius Sneed in the end zone for a touchdown.
Given a prime opportunity to start a double-score opportunity going into the half, New England made short work of the Titans defense — with Maye reeling off a nine-yard scramble, a 12-yard completion to Hunter Henry, and then hitting Kayshon Boutte for a 39-yard touchdown.
Boutte’s fourth touchdown of the season gave New England a 17-13 advantage — and a lead that New England would not relinquish for the rest of the day.
Maye briefly exits game
New England did have a major scare on its first drive of the third quarter, as Maye briefly had to exit the game after slamming his head into the turf.
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While scrambling for six yards, Maye’s helmet bounced off the field after getting taken down by Roger McCreary — with the QB ushered off the gridiron and into the blue medical tent for what was likely a concussion evaluation.
Joshua Dobbs took over on offense for New England, with the backup QB moving the chains after hitting DeMario Douglas for a first-down conversion on a 3rd-and-5 sequence.
Maye ultimately returned to the game after three plays — helping New England cap off a 12-play, 88-yard drive that ended with Stevenson running into the end zone.
The play of the drive came just a play earlier, with Douglas posting a one-handed snag on a 4th-and-1 from the Titans’ 9-yard line to move the chains.
As encouraging as it was for Maye to return to the game after a brief absence, the young QB needs to do a better job limiting the punishment doled out against him — especially on scrambles.
Chaisson turns Sunday’s game into a blowout
Stevenson’s TD stood as the first of two touchdowns in the span of 11 seconds on Sunday, as edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson blew the game open on the Titans’ next drive.
Chaisson recorded the first defensive touchdown of his career in the third quarter, with the veteran strip-sacking Ward at the 10-yard line before recovering the loose ball and waltzing into the end zone for the score.
Chaisson finished Sunday’s game with two sacks and two tackles for loss, while Milton Williams and Harold Landry also sacked Ward.
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Despite Ward and Co. generating plenty of explosive plays out of the gate, Tennessee did not post a completion over 15 yards in the second half — with Marcus Jones capping the game off with an interception with 3:37 to go in the game.
Some bumps and bruises
Despite Maye once again dominating on Sunday, the young QB will likely need a lot of ice packs in the locker room on Sunday — as New England’s pass protection had some struggles against the Titans.
Tennessee managed to generate plenty of pressure on the interior — especially on the left side against rookie Jared Wilson. In total, Maye was sacked four times and was knocked for another four QB hits in the victory.
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LIVE UPDATES
3:39: Final: Patriots beat the Titans, 31-13. New England has won four games in a row.
3:37: Marcus Jones snags an interception. That should 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 tackle.
3:20: New England punting. Patriots pass protection hasn’t been that sharp today.
3:08: End Third: Patriots up, 31-13, against the Titans.
3:06: Chaisson takes over once again, ending a Titans drive with a sack.
3:00: New England can’t deliver a potential knockout punch, as the Patriots go 3-and-out after Maye is sacked.
2:54: Milton Williams delivers on a third-down sack. Patriots are taking over.
2:48: New England’s defense delivers with a TOUCHDOWN.
K’Lavon Chaisson strip-sacks Cam Ward and scores a touchdown.
This game is all New England, 31-13.
2:44: TOUCHDOWN PATRIOTS.
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Stevenson runs it in for the touchdown.
It’s 24-13 Patriots after the double score.
2:43: Patriots go for it on a 4th and 1 in the red zone and Pop Douglas reels it in for a pickup. What a snag.
2:41: Drake Maye is back on the field. Looks like he’s cleared.
Josh Dobbs gets the job done by picking up a first down while Maye was in for testing.
2:38: Drake Maye is being taken out of the game for a concussion test.
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 start for New England, but Maye’s brilliance has New England in front.
2:15: TOUCHDOWN PATRIOTS.
Drake Maye does not miss on the deep ball. Boutte reels in a 39-yard touchdown.
Maye, as expected now, is dealing.
It’s 17-13 Patriots.
2:08: Christian Barmore blew up two plays on that drive.
But Joey Slye hits a 50-yard field goal.
It’s 13-10 Titans with 1:50 left in the half.
1:59: Van Jefferson beats Christian Gonzalez in coverage for a third-down pickup. Cam Ward has been great in this one.
1:53: TOUCHDOWN PATRIOTS.
Austin Hooper with a great Randy Moss impression on that TD snag.
This game 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. Needed to slide there.
1:45: Jeffery Simmons is questionable to return with a hamstring injury. That’s a huge loss for the Titans.
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1:42: Chaisson and Landry bring the pressure and sack Ward on 3rd down. Huge stop for the defense.
1:37: End First: Titans up, 10-3. New England’s defense really laboring early on.
1:32: As good as the Patriots run game has been, the same can’t be said about the passing game.
Patriots are punting.
1:29: Another explosive gain from Stevenson. He’s been on a roll so far today.
1:23: Cam Ward came ready to play today.
Cam Ward hits Chimere for a 38-yard touchdown. It’s 10-3 Titans.
New England’s defense is snoozing out of the gate.
1:17: Patriots get into the red zone, but Maye is sacked on 3rd down. Jared Wilson beat on the interior.
Borregales hits a 36-yard field goal.
3-3 game.
1:14: Stevenson has more rushing yards off four carries today than the last two games combined.
1:13: Patriots committing to the run game 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. Defense up first in Nashville
12:50: Mike Vrabel – back in Nashville.
12:10: Warmups are underway.
11:50: Greetings ahead of kickoff! Here’s a look at New England’s inactives:
Harold Landry (ankle) and Stefon Diggs (chest) will play, while Hawkins is set to miss his second straight game with a hamstring injury.
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