6 burning questions for Titans ahead of Week 12 game vs. Patriots
On to Week 11 of the 2021 NFL season, the Tennessee Titans (8-3) will travel to Foxborough to face the red-hot New England Patriots (7-4).
The two teams last met in the AFC Wild Card Game in January 2020, with the Titans topping the Patriots in upset fashion on the road, 20-13.
The Patriots no longer have Tom Brady under center, but rookie sensation Mac Jones is playing really well for them right now. On the season, the 23-year-old has completed 70.2 percent of his passes for 2,540 passing yards, 14 touchdowns to eight picks, and a 94.7 quarterback rating.
The Titans, of course, are coming off a disappointing loss at home to the previously one-win Houston Texans.
With one game left before a much-needed bye week, the Titans will have to stay focused for a big matchup against an AFC opponent that could ultimately have a say in the playoff seeding.
The Titans currently sit in the No. 1 seed in the conference, but a Patriots win would lead to New England jumping Tennessee. If the Baltimore Ravens win also, the Titans would fall to No. 3. A Ravens and Titans loss would put Tennessee at No. 2.
As such, here are six burning questions to keep tabs on leading up to and throughout the game on Sunday.
Can Ryan Tannehill bounce back against a tough defense?
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For the first time in his career, Ryan Tannehill threw four interceptions in a game, doing so last Sunday against the Texans.
The Titans quarterback had been flirting with disaster, throwing picks in five of the previous six games. Now heading into Foxborough, Tannehill will look to bounce back in a hostile environment.
He’s no stranger to playing in New England, having played there once a year during his time with the Dolphins. In 11 career games against the Patriots, Tannehill has averaged 259.2 yards per game to go along with a 15-to-11 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
As he goes, so will the Titans.
If Tannehill is going to bounce back, he’ll have to do so against a Patriots defense that is No. 6 against the pass and No. 1 in points allowed per game. Not ideal for a struggling Titans passing attack.
Will Titans WR A.J. Brown be available to play?
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Of course, Tannehill could have a weapon back in the lineup depending on the health status of wide receiver A.J. Brown. The Ole Miss product initially left last week’s game with a hand injury but left for good with a chest injury.
The initial x-rays were negative, potentially setting the stage for Brown to play on Sunday.
But the Titans could also just hold him out until after the bye and let him get to 100 percent. If that’s the case, Tannehill will have Chester Rogers, Dez Fitzpatrick, and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine as his top three wideouts.
Tennessee also added veteran Golden Tate to the practice squad on Tuesday, although it remains to be seen if he’ll be ready to play on such short notice after not having played a snap this season.
Can Titans' defense slow down Mac Jones?
AP Photo/John Amis
After losing the three of the first four games of the year, the Patriots have righted the ship. They come into this matchup with the Titans winning their last five, averaging 35.0 points per game.
Mac Jones is playing good football right now. Over the five-game winning streak, Jones has completed 68.9 percent of his passes for 1,068 yards and seven touchdowns to two interceptions.
The Pats also have the league’s most efficient offense, with 47.4 percent of their drives resulting in a score. A big reason for that has been their starting field position which, on average, begins at their own 32.6-yard line, the best in the league.
The Titans’ defense has not been able to record any interceptions over the last two weeks, and the pass-rush registered no sacks in a game for the first time all season in Week 11.
Regardless, the defense played well despite the offense handing the Texans red zone trips. Tennessee has the talent to bring Jones back down to earth.
Can the Titans' run game find success against Pats' run defense?
AP Photo/Mark Zaleski
Sans Derrick Henry, it has been a challenge to get the running game going, but the Titans finally found some success on Sunday, tallying 23 carries for 103 yards (4.1 yards per carry).
Adrian Peterson looked like a player who is 36 years old, but he led the team in rushing attempts (nine) and yards (40) against the Texans. D’Onta Foreman was Tennessee’s best back the first two games without Henry, and Dontrell Hilliard shined the most in Week 11 with 15 touches for 82 total yards.
“There were some good clips in the run game, and some good production,” Vrabel said, per John Glennon of Sports Illustrated. “Then with the way the game was going, it pretty much dictated, unfortunately, that you couldn’t stick with it. (But) I thought the run game was headed in the right direction.”
With Peterson being waived on Tuesday, the Titans’ backfield now belongs to Hilliard, Foreman, and Jeremy McNichols, whose status is up in the air after he missed last week with a concussion.
Tennessee’s running back trio will have a tough test against a Patriots defense yielding 101.7 rushing yards per game, the eighth-best in the league entering Sunday.
Are the Titans' injuries just too much at this point?
AP Photo/John Amis
Last week against the Texans, the Titans just looked like a team that had lost a number of players to injuries.
The “next-man-up” mentality can only take you so far. Losing your top three receivers and numerous starters on both sides of the ball, and, of course, the best running back in the NFL, will take its toll.
The Titans will hope to get some pieces back after the bye week, but they still have a game to play on Sunday. Going into the well-deserved week off at 9-3 would feel pretty good, especially considering the circumstances.
Can the Titans force turnovers against Patriots?
AP Photo/Darron Cummings
The Titans were unable to get home against the Texans. Pressure from the defensive line has been a big reason why the team has generated so many turnovers this year. But over the last two weeks, the Titans have failed to record an interception.
Jones is not invincible to interceptions; he’s thrown eight of them this season. He’s also been sacked 22 times. It will be critical for the Titans’ front four to get after him and make life miserable in order to possibly force some turnovers and change the course of this game.
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