Vrabel, Titans expose Pats
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — This can’t be the way Bill Belichick drew it up going into the bye week.
His team was trashed by the Titans. He was outcoached by one of his explayers. And then, for good measure, he was slammed by one of his former players in the aftermath.
The Patriots had a few bad losses earlier this season to the Jaguars and Lions, but Sunday’s 34-10 loss to the Titans seemed much worse given the opposing cast, not to mention it’s November.
“There’s really not too much to say here this afternoon,” said a subdued Belichick after the game. “The Titans did a better job than we did in every part of the game, every phase of the game . . . not a good day for us.” Let’s count the ways. With the loss, the Patriots have put themselves in a hole in the AFC race for the top seed that they aren’t likely to overcome. Kiss homefield goodbye. That’s pretty much what this blowout did.
Maybe the Chiefs, who beat the Cardinals, lose two more games down the road, but that doesn’t seem very likely the way they’re playing. So plan on heading to Arrowhead Stadium for the AFC Championship Game. Plan on trying to get to the Super Bowl by playing on the road, where you’re now 2-3, and haven’t had much luck getting to the dance that way.
Beyond that major hit, many of the questions about this team that were pushed to the backseat by a sixgame win streak have returned to the surface.
Titans head coach Mike Vrabel exposed the problem areas, along with some that didn’t exist. The offensive line had been a strength, but, as we pointed out in the lead up to the game, Vrabel knows the way to beating the Patriots is getting to Tom Brady. The A-gaps up the middle or along the interior is where he can be affected the most, and if a defense can penetrate there, and also cover in the short middle of the field, that’s one ticket to victory.
Vrabel’s defense did that in spades. They got to Brady, sacking him three times, hitting him six more times, and were in his face practically every time he threw the football. By halftime, Brady was clearly spooked by the rush. Granted, guard Shaq Mason didn’t play, and later they lost left tackle Trent Brown. That didn’t help.
Now for the Brady question. He made a few decent throws in the game, threw a ton more away to avoid sacks, but he also didn’t look good on a bunch of throws when he had time. In the last two games, he’s been off-target on throws to the perimeter and downfield. So something is clearly off with the quarterback whether it’s age or something else. It’s a development that bears watching after the break.
Brady (21-of-41 for 254 yards with no touchdowns) simply chalked it up to a bad day at the office.
He didn’t have Rob Gronkowski for a second straight game, and didn’t get much help after Julian Edelman (nine catches, 104), James White five catches, 31 yards), and Josh Gordon (four catches, 81 yards). Sony Michel (11 carries, 31 yards) didn’t do much in his return.
Dion Lewis, who was among a cast of former Patriots in the Titans locker room not re-signed by the Patriots, didn’t mince words. Asked by the NFL Network if it was personal, he responded: “Hell yeah, it’s personal. That’s what happens when you go cheap. You get your ass kicked.”
Lewis was a pain against his former team in the first half. His final statistics might not indicate a great game (20 carries, 57 yards) rushing, but he was a factor early when the Patriots defense couldn’t stop the run or the passing game.
Maybe you can chalk this up to a bad game on the road, but all of their bad games have been on the road. This is the time of year when the Patriots are striding toward the playoffs. With six straight wins, and the defense having a statement game against Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay last week, all seemed well.
Then Marcus Mariota had his way with them.
“We knew what they were going to do. We just didn’t execute. We didn’t play zone well, we didn’t play man well, we didn’t tackle well, that’s what happens,” said safety Duron Harmon. “When you play like that . . . they make you pay.”
Once again they gave up a ton of big plays (five of 20 or more yards) and their most dependable player, Stephon Gilmore, struggled against Corey Davis (seven catches, 125 yards, touchdown). While Lewis wasn’t a factor catching the ball out of the backfield, they still had problems covering tight ends as Jonnu Smith (three catches, 45 yards, touchdown) hurt them. It’s like a broken record.
They have a bye week to regroup, and no doubt they’ll do just that before returning. But it is disconcerting how easily they lost this game, given the big picture stakes.
“I wouldn’t say it’s panic mode, but you never want to play like this,” said Harmon. “All of our losses have looked like this, kind of onesided. We just gotta fix that. It’s not the time to be losing games.”