FOXBOROUGH
Panthers Rashaan Gaulden Jersey , Mass. — Having already survived two win-or-go-home battles, the Tennessee Titans face their toughest test when they
visit the defending champion New England Patriots in Saturday night’s AFC
divisional round game.
The Titans pulled out a 15-10 home win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in their regular-season finale to earn a spot in the playoffs. They then went on the road
and rallied from 21-3 down and stunned the Kansas City Chiefs 22-21 to advance
for the second time.
Now, the Titans are two-touchdown underdogs as the Patriots are expected by most people to take the next step toward their sixth Super Bowl crown of the
Bill Belichick/Tom Brady Era.
Article continues below ... “It just shows that how tough of a team they are under the pressure,” New England’s Rob Gronkowski said earlier this week. “They’ve basically won two
playoff games — one to get into the playoffs and a playoff game last week. It
just shows how tough they are, how fundamental they are and that they’re ready
to bring it in the clutch times.”
The Patriots have won the last six games between the teams and the Titans haven’t won in Foxborough since 1993, when they were the Houston Oilers.
While the Titans were pulling off their major comeback against the Chiefs, the Patriots were going through another bye week, but one that was filled with
controversy. An ESPN report dealt with dissension among New England’s power trio
of owner Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady — much of it centering
around the Pats’ trade of Jimmy Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers for just a
second-round draft choice.
So, the Patriots have been dealing with questions all week — as the Titans just prepare.
“You know what, I’ll be honest with you
Raiders Brandon Parker Jersey , I don’t know anything about it,” Tennessee coach Mike Mularkey said on a conference call with the New England media,
regarding the controversy. “I’m not a social media guy. I don’t know enough, I
really don’t, to make any comment about something like that.”
One thing, besides championships, the Patriots have become known for is blocking out distractions. Belichick simply won’t allow any outside stimuli to
affect his team.
“Throughout my years here I’ve seen a lot of negative, a lot of positive,” Gronkowski said Tuesday. “The reputation that Coach tries to get us to have is
just ignore the noise — ignore the noise from the outside and I feel like that’s
what myself and a lot of other players have been doing.
“You just gotta ignore the noise and just focus on what we’ve been doing all year and that’s preparing hard, studying our opponent, getting ready
Cheap Trenton Cannon Jersey , mentally and physically for the big game, so what’s going on on the outside, as a team, as an organization, just gotta
keep grinding, keep going, keep doing our job.”
The New England defense is spending the week preparing for mobile quarterback Marcus Mariota, a third-year pro who can make things happen with his legs. He
ran 87 yards for a 2015 touchdown.
“He actually knows when to run and when to pass the ball when scrambling,” Patriots safety Duron Harmon said Wednesday. “It’s a very unique skill because a
lot of guys once they get scrambling, they’re not even looking downfield
anymore, they’re just looking to run. But he always has his eyes downfield —
always knows when to run
Cheap Cody Latimer Jersey , when to throw the pass, I would say his touch on the ball, too, that gets people open when he’s scrambling.”
Mariota, who threw 13 touchdown passes and 15 interceptions during the regular sea
son, had two touchdown passes and one pick in the playoff win. One of
the touchdowns passes actually went to himself after Darrelle Revis batted down
one of his passes before Mariota caught it and scored.
But Mariota was also sixth in the NFL (Brady was first) in third-down passer rating.
Wednesday, the Titans announced running back DeMarco Murray will miss his third straight game with a knee injury, while the Patriots could get both James
White and Rex Burkhead back to further fortify a running game that has excelled
even without them thanks to Dion Lewis.
Earlier this week, Titans’ All-Pro safety Kevin Byard said the goal of his defense is pretty simple — turn Brady into Blake Bortles.
“It’s a playoff game, so it’s not like it’s the preseason where I can go out there, ‘Oh
Cheap Uchenna Nwosu Jersey , it’s Brady,’ and I’m chillin’,” Byard said Tuesday.
“This is a playoff game. So I don’t really care if it was Joe Montana. You know what I’m saying? I’m trying to go out there and win the game. I want to
make him look like Blake Bortles if I can and try to catch a couple picks.
“Tom Brady is a great quarterback, but it’s a playoff game. I’m not really looking at it like that.”
Cornerback Logan Ryan, a former Patriots player now with the Titans, has been limited in practice with an ankle injury.
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