With their stunning 22-21 win over the Chiefs on the road Saturday, the Titans will come to Gillette Stadium Saturday night to face the Patriots in the AFC divisional round.
Not many are giving the Titans a chance, as Vegas has the Patriots currently 13.5-point favorites. Tennessee is 3-2 against playoff teams this year, with two of the three wins coming against Jacksonville, while the Patriots are 5-2.
The Patriots have beaten the Titans in six straight games, including the playoffs. Also, Tennessee hasn’t won in New England since 1993, when it was the Houston Oilers.
There were rumors head coach Mike Mularkey could have been fired with a loss against Kansas City, but after the win the team announced he will be back next season.
Here’s everything there is to know about the Titans.
OFFENSE
Many assume the offense is led by quarterback Marcus Mariota, but not this year. Its running game has led the way. Right now it is Derrick Henry, as DeMarco Murray has missed the last two games with a knee injury. He's being considered day-to-day, but it doesn't seem likely he will be able to play. Henry has made the most of his playing time, as in the win over the Chiefs he ran for 156 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Having success on the ground is the Titans’ only chance of winning the game, as in the regular season the Patriots allowed 4.7 yards per carry, which was second-worst in the league. Overall, the Titans ranked 15th in rushing.
Tennessee’s offensive line is very physical and features guard Josh Kline, who was a member of the Patriots from 2013-15.
It was a down year for Mariota in his third year in the league. He threw for 3,232 yards with 13 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Tennessee’s leading receiver is tight end Delanie Walker who totaled 807 yards in the regular season. Wide receiver Richard Matthews was next with 795 yards and his four receiving touchdowns led the team. Overall, the Titans ranked 23rd in passing.
The offense averaged 20.9 points per game in the regular season, which was 19th in the league. The unit did struggle a bit down the stretch, as it hasn’t scored more than 24 points since Week 6 and going up against the Patriots offense, this could be an issue.
DEFENSE
On defense, the Titans finished the year ranked 13th overall, but 25th against the pass and fourth against the run. This isn’t good for the Titans when going up against Tom Brady.
The one positive is the defense is playing its best football of the season and carried the team over the course of the second half of the season. After allowing 40 points to the Steelers in Week 11, the unit has allowed 17.7 points per game in its last seven games.
Up front, the Titans are led by defensive lineman Jurrell Casey, who has six sacks (regular season) and linebacker Derrick Morgan, who has 7.5 sacks. Key players also include linebacker Wesley Woodyard (81 tackles and four sacks) and linebacker Bryan Orakpo (seven sacks). They are known for being physical, just like their offensive line.
The back end features safety Kevin Byard, who had eight interceptions to tie for the league lead. It also has a familiar face in cornerback Logan Ryan, who signed with the Titans last offseason. Tennessee allowed Alex Smith to go 24-for-33 with 264 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in Saturday's win.
For what it’s worth, the Titans are 7-4 in one-possession games.