Patriots come up short of near-comeback against Titans
The New England Patriots fell 20-17 in overtime to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
For a moment there, it looked like the New England Patriots were going to have their first signature win of the Drake Maye era. Instead, they leave Nashville with a 20-17 overtime loss to the Tennessee Titans.
In a game where points were at a premium, the Patriots were able to answer the Titans multiple times thanks to heroics from Maye. However that wasn’t enough as old issues bit them late in the loss. With the loss, they fall to 2-7 on the year.
Early on the Patriots offered little resistance. It took the Titans just eight plays to go 75 yards on the opening drive and reach a 7-0 lead on a nine-yard Nick Vannett touchdown.
The Patriots were unable to respond, with a third-down sack leading to a 56-yard field goal attempt that Joey Slye missed wide right. After trading punts, the game remained 7-0 through the first quarter.
On the Patriots’ first drive of the second quarter Maye was intercepted by Amani Hooker, setting the Titans up to take a two-score lead with a short field. Tennessee made it to the goal line before an errant Mason Rudolph pass turned into a tip-drill interception for Jahlani Tavai.
Off of that interception the Patriots had their best drive of the game to that point, driving 46 yards. That resulted in a 52-yard field goal for Slye to make it 7-3.
After a stop the Patriots had a chance to run a two-minute drill and add some points heading into halftime. After two plus pass plays to start the drive though the Patriots failed to pick up a yard on a 2nd & 1 and 3rd & 1, running the ball both times. They had to punt the ball back to the Titans. That didn’t do much as the Titans were just as inept in their two-minute drill, stalling out to leave the game 7-3 at halftime.
To open the third quarter the Patriots went on a drive that included three scrambles by Maye and six total penalties called. Through all that mess the offense was able to move the ball down the field though, and on the 12th play of the drive Rhamondre Stevenson scored from one yard out to put the Patriots up 10-7. The Titans replied with a 14-play, 67-yard drive to tie the game 10-10 through three quarters.
At the start of the fourth quarter both teams traded punts. Then the Patriots turned the ball over for the second time, as Maye was strip-sacked by Arden Key. The Titans turned that short field into a touchdown with Ruoldph hitting Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for a six-yard touchdown that put Tennessee up 17-10 with 4:27 to go.
The Patriots got the ball back just inside the two-minute warning, and thanks to a 25-yard punt return by Marcus Jones only had to go 50 yards. They needed the rest of the clock – and then some – to do so as Maye took advantage of a scramble-drill play on the final snap of regulation to hit Stevenson for the tying touchdown and force overtime.
Tennessee got the ball first in OT and marched down the field. That included 41 yards on the ground on eight carries, but a fumbled snap on a 3rd & 2 in the red zone resulted in a short field goal. Trying to answer, Maye was intercepted targeting Kayshon Boutte deep to end the game.
Maye finished the game 29-of-41 for 206 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He was also the Patriots’ leading rusher with 95 yards on eight carries.
Stevenson didn’t have a ton of production rushing, carrying the ball 10 times for 16 yards. However he did catch five passes for 38 yards and a score. Hunter Henry was the team’s leading receiver, catching seven passes for 56 yards.
Tavai led the defense with 11 tackles and the interceptions. Deatrich Wise added a sack in the effort.
The Patriots will be back on the road next week, when they’ll visit the Chicago Bears. It’s a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff with pregame starting at 10:00 on 98.5 The Sports Hub and the Patriots Radio Network.
