This is dropping a little late due to the Saturday night game and will be focused more on the Patriots' 35-14 win over the Titans.
1. Although the Patriots played arguably their best game of the season, it did come with a cost. Three players were injured in the win. Devin McCourty injured his right knee at the end of the first half, but it didn't seem to impact him much as he played in the second half. No. 4 cornerback and core special teams player Jonathan Jones injured his ankle/foot in the closing minutes and there isn't any update on his status, but there is some information on right tackle LaAdrian Waddle, who suffered a knee injury in the third quarter. According to the Boston Herald's Jeff Howe, there isn't a lot of early optimism. The report adds he will get more tests Sunday, but he could miss some time, including the rest of the postseason. Cameron Fleming replaced him and didn't allow a single pressure, according to Pro Football Focus, but this is something to watch moving forward, especially with who the Patriots face in the AFC title game and potentially in the Super Bowl.
2. From this viewpoint, there were two plays which swung the momentum in the Patriots' favor after the Titans scored first and they didn't relinquish it. After punting on its first two possessions, the Patriots offense finally got going on the third drive and the play that stood out was Dion Lewis' 31-yard catch on a perfectly designed play. It was originally ruled a touchdown, but after a review Lewis was ruled down at the 19-yard line. This jump-started the offense after a sluggish start. Then on the ensuing Titans possession, it appeared Eric Decker converted a third down, but he was flagged for offensive pass interference on a questionable call, as it appeared Malcolm Butler fell on his own. This not only gave the Patriots the ball back, but flipped the field as the Patriots took over at the 50 and scored to go up 14-7.
3. The performance of the offense was arguably its best since Week 10 in Denver when it scored 41 points, but it could have been even better. Tom Brady didn't seem to be on the same page as Brandin Cooks and Chris Hogan on a few plays. When targeting those two, Brady was 4-for-13 with 36 yards and a touchdown, but when targeting everyone else, he was 31-for-40 with 301 yards and two touchdowns. Against a better opponent this will need to change, especially considering these are the Patriots' two best receivers.
4. It was a bit of a surprise to see the Patriots sack Marcus Mariota eight times, which set a Patriots playoff record for a single game. It appeared the vast majority of the sacks were coverage sacks, so the secondary deserves a lot of credit as well. The previous record was six vs. Jacksonville on Jan. 7, 2006. The eight sacks were also tied for the second-most in a postseason game in NFL history. Since 2001, the Patriots are 37-1 when they have five or more sacks in a game.
5. Here are a few stats, which stood out in the win. According to Pro Football Focus, the Patriots missed just one tackle the whole game and Stephon Gilmore didn't allow a single catch on four targets. Additionally, Derrick Henry's longest run went for just four yards. It was a great performance by the New England defense.
6. The Patriots will play in their seventh straight AFC championship game, which is amazing when taking a step back and realizing just how hard it is to do. In that span, the next most appearances in a championship game is three (49ers). It's crazy to think some players, including Duron Harmon, have been to the AFC title game in every year they have been in the league. "That's crazy, right," he said. "I'm spoiled."
7. One note not related to the game, it seems more than ever the Patriots will lose both their coordinators, as Matt Patricia is likely going to the Lions and Josh McDaniels is likely going to the Colts. When it comes to replacing Patricia, if he doesn't go elsewhere, linebackers coach Brian Flores seems to be the top choice. A wild card could be Greg Schiano, who has a ton of history with Bill Belichick. As for replacing McDaniels, wide receivers coach Chad O'Shea seems to be the leader in the clubhouse, but also Belichick may consider Brian Daboll, who was Alabama's offensive coordinator this year after leaving New England as its tight ends coach last offseason.
