coach Dan Quinn offer explanations about another defeat. The boss then gave Quinn a hug before
he walked out the door of a Lambeau Field media room.Blank still appears to have
Quinn's back as the losses keep piling up for Atlanta.In less than two
years
Tennessee Titans T-Shirt , the Falcons have gone from a trip to the Super Bowl to a losing record that was clinched with a 34-20 defeat on Sunday to the Green Bay
Packers. It was Atlanta's fifth straight defeat.Matt Ryan threw for 262 yards
and three scores, including two to star receiver Julio Jones. But after an
encouraging game-opening touchdown drive that ended with an 18-yard touchdown
pass to Jones, the Falcons (4-9) played mistake-filled football to fall behind
quickly by double digits.By the time Ryan and Jones connected for another score,
from 12 yards with 13:34 left in the game, Atlanta was still down by 20.In
between, they hurt themselves too many times, including eight defensive
penalties. Thirteen flags overall cost the Falcons 101 yards."It's definitely
frustrating, maddening, disbelief, all of those things when we don't execute on
those," coach Dan Quinn said.It wasn't just the penalties that hurt,
either.Bashaud Breeland returned an interception 22 yards for a score in the
second quarter after jumping a sideline pass intended for Austin Hooper. Later,
an ill-timed shotgun snap in the red zone epitomized the misfortunes of an
injury-filled year.The hike from center Alex Mack hit Mohamed Sanu in the leg
just as the receiver crossed in motion behind the line of scrimmage in the
fourth quarter. The Falcons retreated from the ball for a moment, appearing to
be unaware of what happened ??just enough time for Breeland to sneak in for the
recovery."That was tough, but that's on me. The whole operation starts and ends
with me, so I've got to do a better job of that and making sure that we don't
have things like that coming up," Ryan said. "I think if we score on that drive
it's a much different game where you have a better opportunity of making a
comeback."Instead, with three games left on the schedule
Tennessee Titans Hats , the Falcons are stuck with their first losing season since going 6-10 in 2014, Mike Smith's last season as coach.Quinn replaced him the
following season, when Atlanta finished at .500 before taking a giant leap
forward in the 2016 season to reach the Super Bowl. Atlanta beat Green Bay in
the NFC title game that year in a contest between teams that looked like they
would be contenders for season to come.But both haven't lived up to expectations
in 2018. The Packers fired head coach Mike McCarthy last week, while Blank
reaffirmed support for his coach.Green Bay snapped a three-game skid, winning
for the first time under interim head coach Joe Philbin.The frustration
continues for Atlanta.One bright spot for the Falcons is that Jones reached
1,400 yards receiving for the fifth straight season, an NFL first. He finished
with eight catches on 11 targets for 106 yards.Otherwise, it was understandable
why the visiting locker room cleared out so quickly following an error-filled
afternoon. The preparation and effort were there, Quinn said. The execution
needed to improve."For us to be the team that we need to play like," he said,
"that can't be our identity." NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Mike Vrabel won three
Super Bowl rings over eight seasons with the New England Patriots. He even
caught eight passes — all for touchdowns and all thrown by Tom Brady.Then Bill
Belichick traded the linebacker away to Kansas City in 2009."We didn't talk for
a couple months, maybe a year," Vrabel said. "Then we became friends, and I used
him as a resource when I started my coaching career, and still talk to him a lot
now. This week we're competitors." In his first season as an NFL head coach with
Tennessee, Vrabel gets his first crack at both his old coach and former team
Sunday when the Titans (4-4) host the Patriots (7-2).The men share some of the
same philosophies about football, though not personalities.Titans cornerback
Logan Ryan
Tennessee Titans Hoodie , who spent his first four seasons in New England, says Vrabel's also younger and taller than Belichick. Vrabel may dress a bit better
too during games, and Ryan sees some other similarities."They're hard-nosed.
They care about the fundamentals," Ryan said.For his part, Belichick says Vrabel
will be a great coach with his passion and football knowledge as a player easily
carrying over. Belichick also believes Vrabel deserves to be recognized in the
Patriots Hall of Fame and yes, the Nashville native cheers for Vrabel and the
Titans every game except this one."It will be the Patriots against the Titans,"
Belichick said. "That's what it will be."The Patriots have won six straight
after beating Green Bay 31-17 last week. They also have won the past seven
against the Titans, including playoffs, with the most recent a 35-14 romp in the
divisional round last January. The Titans snapped a three-game skid Monday night
with a 28-14 win in Dallas.Some things to know about the Patriots and
Titans:LAST THREEOnly a trio remains of those who played alongside Vrabel during
his tenure in New England: Brady, kicker Stephen Gostkowski and special teams
captain Matt Slater. Brady spent eight seasons with Vrabel from 2001 to 2008.
Gostkowski arrived in 2006, and Slater was a rookie during Vrabel's final season
in 2008 before being traded."His body can do it longer than mine could at the
position that he plays," Vrabel said of Brady.NEW ENGLAND TIESPatriots
cornerback Jason McCourty spent his first eight seasons with the Titans and now
plays alongside twin brother, Devin, in New England. Trying to rebuild,
Tennessee has stocked up on former Patriots including general manager Jon
Robinson, Vrabel, Ryan, right guard Josh Kline. Robinson signed cornerback
Malcolm Butler and running back Dion Lewis this offseason. Also
Cheap Customized Tennessee Titans Jerseys , Titans defensive coordinator Dean Pees was an assistant and coordinator with the Patriots. He was the
linebackers coach in 2004-05 and defensive coordinator in New England from
2006-2009.Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman called Lewis a fiery
jitterbug."He meant a lot to me when he was here. Now I hate him," Edelman said
with a smile.DEFENDING BRADY: Brady enters this game having won five straight
against the Titans. His lone loss came in 2002 in a 24-7 setback during Brady's
third year in the league. That also was his only meeting with the Titans in
which he didn't have a touchdown pass and the only time he threw an
interception.In six regular-season meetings with Tennessee, Brady has thrown for
1,561 yards, 12 touchdowns and the one interception, while completing 66 percent
of his passes."He's seen every look in the book, and even ones that haven't been
in the book," Vrabel said of Brady. "Anytime that somebody's open, they get the
football. Anytime you make a mistake, he's always going to find the guy that you
make a mistake on and get them ball really quickly."MORE BRADYThe three-time MVP
will play his 300th game, including the postseason, Sunday. Brady will join
Brett Favre as the only quarterbacks to reach that mark, and the Patriots
quarterback needs four TD passes to pass Peyton Manning (579) for most TD passes
in NFL history for regular season and postseason combined. The Titans, the NFL's
top scoring defense and also best in the red zone, are allowing only 17.6 points
per game and have allowed three TDs in a game only twice this
season.MERRY-GO-ROUNDTennessee has to be ready for an unconventional look in the
Patriots' backfield. With rookie Sony Michel nursing a knee injury the past two
weeks, receiver Cordarrelle Patterson has emerged as New England's go-to threat
at running back. Patterson led the Patriots in rushing each of the past two
games, including 61 yards and a 5-yard touchdown last week.Both Michel (knee)
and Patterson (neck) started this week limited in practice. Belichick currently
has just two healthy running backs: James White and Kenjon Barner.
