The time has come on Sunday from 7 p.m. The Tennessee Titans have to play against the New England Patriots. And this really is one of those games that every football fan can look forward to. The two leaders of the AFC East and AFC South in a direct duel.
The Titans have proven in the last week that they can also be called the “normal mortals”. After victories against the Chiefs, Rams and Saints, there was a loss to the Houston Texans. Something that nobody could have expected. Especially not one of the Titans.
Nothing worked that was otherwise the strengths of the Tennessee team. And now it’s not against a bottom of the league, as in the case of the Texans, but against a defense that can rightly be called a monster.
The final victims of this defense were Matt Ryan and his Falcons. 5.5 yards per attached pass. Two interceptions. Nothing went for the Atlanta team. The Patriots managed to put constant pressure on Matt Ryan. Ryan had to go down four times and was on the run from the Patriots pass rushers every time he tried to pass.
The defense of the Patriots plays like their legendary head coach appears in every interview. Grim and without humor. Prepared to the point, the Pats have always played a game plan in the last few weeks that is perfectly tailored to the respective opponent.
The best example is newcomer Matt Judon. Coming from the Ravens and one of the keys to success with the Patriots since Day 1. And statistically he’s better than all those years in Baltimore. And that should scare the Titans quarterback Ryan Tannerhill. Because it feels like the outside linebacker with the number 9 is a permanent guest in the opponent’s backfield.
The fact that Tannehill was sacked twice and came under real pressure eight times against the Texans, whose defense can now not necessarily be described as the showpiece of the league, is ringing all alarm bells for all Titans fans around the world. All in all, the Titans with approved quarterback sacks are 31st in the league. Or to put it clearly. Penultimate!
Titan’s head coach Mike Vrabel must and will have slept little and badly in the last few days. Because he knows from his experience as an ex-Patriots player what his ex-coach and current counterpart Bill Belichick is capable of. Mike Vrabel’s job is not made easier by the fact that the Titans have had to rebuild their exceptional running back Derrick Henry since the failure of their exceptional running back and even bring Adrian Peterson out of retirement to fill the gap.
A new master plan was needed, because the workhorse Henry was the key to this offense. And that’s how you can explain the defeat against the Texans. Tennessee playmaker Tannehill had to throw more than he and the team’s actual game plan would like. And so four of his passes ended up with the opponent. Makes 13 touchdowns with twelve interceptions in the sum of the season.
So against the Patriots, Tannehill should look exactly where he’s throwing and make sure New England number 27 JC Jackson isn’t around. Because if Jackson has one thing, it’s a sense of where the ball is. Six interceptions and 15 balls knocked down. So Titans: Open your eyes!
So we’re guaranteed to see a different offense by the Titans than in the weeks before. And that makes the whole thing twice and three times exciting and like a chess game between Grand Master Kasparov and Fischer.
Belichick will have to rebuild and adjust his defenses on the sidelines to what the Titans will serve him. And if two coaches are made for such a tactical game – then these two! Vrabel with his creativity and his courage to call plays that nobody else lets play. Against the man who has already seen everything.
“The Patriots system works! On both sides of the ball. Especially the offense that Belichick finally found the right man after Cam Newton last year with rookie Mac Jones ”, says football expert Roman Motzkus and brings it to the point.
In his first year with the Patriots, Jones not only played really well, but above all without mistakes. And that is what makes this offense so dangerous. Regardless of whether it’s tight end hunter Henry or the fast receivers like Agholor – the Patriots more than did their homework in the offseason and put together a team that works because every cog engages the other. It runs like a well-oiled clockwork for the Pats. So the current winning streak is no wonder.
And it’s all about all these weapons in the attack of the Patriots, because if the Titans can do one thing really well, then it’s playing defense. Against the pass they are ninth in the NFL and even though they suffered a loss to Houston last week, the Titans managed to keep opposing playmaker Taylor at just 107 yards of passing.
The Patriots O-Line should be on their guard, as pass rusher Jeffery Simmons and Harold Landry will do everything possible from minute one of the game to pick up where they left off in the weeks before. Namely to put pressure on. So for Mac Jones it will be a game that will show what he is made of.
It will be a game that is decided by the respective defense. Who is the first to make mistakes in an attack? Who can be disturbed? These are and always have been exactly the ingredients that make really good football games. And that’s why I’m really looking forward to being able to comment on this game from 7 p.m. on Prosieben MAXX together with Roman Motzkus and Christoph Dommisch.
Will the Pats continue to march towards the playoffs or does Mike Vrabel manage to give his former teacher a defeat?
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