4 Patriots who need to step up against the Titans
As the New England Patriots head into Sunday’s contest with the Tennessee Titans, there is a lot on the line. Once struggling to tread water in their own division, the Patriots suddenly find themselves atop the AFC East. Now, they will go toe-to-toe with one of the AFC’s best.
The Patriots will now take on a Tennessee Titans team that still remains as one of the top teams in the AFC. Despite Tennessee’s loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday, the Titans possess both a strong offense and a talented defense. They will be looking to bounce back from the loss.
Today, we take a look at for patriots who need to step up on Sunday to ensure victory.
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Linebacker Kyle Van Noy is one player who is going to need to step up for the New England Patriots on Sunday. After a strong game against the Atlanta Falcons, he will need to continue his stellar play.
He led all Patriots defenders with eight tackles on the evening and two sacks. For a Patriots team looking to continue positive momentum defensively, his performance last Thursday certainly provided that. On the year, he has tallied 36 tackles and four sacks.
Van Noy will be needed to put pressure on quarterback Ryan Tannehill. He threw for 323 yards last week against the Houston Texans. New England will need to get pressure on him, and with Van Noy on the upswing, he could be a guy to do it.
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As the season began, we talked about Damien Harris providing a spark in the backfield. Lately, it has been rookie Rhamondre Stevenson who has filled that role.
Stevenson is coming off a game in which he carried the ball 12 times for 69 yards. Prior to last week, he carried the ball 20 times for 100 yards against the Cleveland Browns. Finding the end zone two times, this is where we really began to see what he could bring to the table. Now, he is emerging as a key back at the position.
The Tennessee Titans have allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards in the league, with 87.2 allowed per contest. Despite the loss against Houston, they only allowed 83 rushing yards in total. They are not going to make life easy for Stevenson and the rest of the Patriots running attack.
The Patriots make the running game a focal point of their offense. The stingy defense combined with the running game of the Patriots will provide for an interesting subplot.
Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
Hunter Henry has been everything the New England Patriots have expected him to be. He has emerged as one of Mac Jones’ favorite targets, and has been a key piece of the Patriots offense.
On the year, Henry has 33 catches for 378 yards and seven touchdowns He has recorded four touchdowns in his last five games. He only was targeted three times in last Thursday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons but caught two of those passes for 25 yards. When called upon, he has delivered.
As Jones continues to learn the offense, Henry has been a security blanket for him. With how strong the Titans defense, is Jones may need to get the ball out quick. This could be a game where Henry continues to trend upward.
Josh McDaniels
Although not a player, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is somebody that needs to step up this week. In a crucial game against the Tennessee Titans, he needs to formulate a game plan that can be adjusted on the fly.
(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
As talked about earlier, the Titans have a very strong run defense. McDaniels has done a good job of easing pressure off Mac Jones with running the ball. He may need to figure out different ways to get Jones comfortable, as running lanes may be scarce.
Tennessee allows 253.3 opponent passing yards per game on the season. There will be opportunities for the passing game to be successful. However, it may take some creativity on the part of McDaniels.
How he plans to attack the Tennessee defense will be intriguing to see, as he may have to think a little bit outside of the box. A run-heavy strategy may not be what’s best. Balance will be important, as an over-reliance on one aspect of the offense could play into Tennessee’s hands
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