The Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots are set to square off in Round 3 of the NFL Playoffs on Sunday, January 13th. The Titans came out victorious with a 24-14 win over the Kansas City Chiefs last week while the Pats took down their foe by a score of 39-27.
Mike Vrabel, Bill Belichick set for Round 3 as the Tennessee Titans travel to the New England Patriots. The “Mike Vrabel” is a football player who was former NFL linebacker and current head coach of the Tennessee Titans. The “Bill Belichick” is a football player and current head coach of the New England Patriots.
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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – Coach Mike Vrabel of the Tennessee Titans stood quietly on the bench as his team clung to a 14-13 lead over the New England Patriots in the AFC wild-card game two seasons ago.
Titans punter Brett Kern resumed his position to field the snap with little under six minutes remaining, but it didn’t arrive as the play clock trickled down. A delay of game penalty was assessed to the Titans.
The clock began to tick again, and linebacker Wesley Woodyard was called for a false start penalty, squandering even more time. The Patriots stepped offside and squandered even more time before the Titans could commit another game delay.
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“This game isn’t going to be decided by Bill and myself,” Vrabel said. “The players will win this game, like they usually do.”
Belichick and the Patriots (7-4) will try to win their first game against Vrabel’s Titans (8-3) at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS).
In his weekly chat on sports radio WEEI, Belichick remarked, “Mike’s done a tremendous job in Tennessee.” “I’ve always respected Mike, and I definitely had a lot of regard for him when he was a position coach and then as a head coach.” It will be a difficult task. Tennessee is an excellent football team, maybe one of the best in the conference. I’m rooting for him except when we’re playing him. “But not this week,” she says.
Before losing to the Houston Texans, who had the poorest record in the league, Tennessee was tied for the best record in the NFL and had the best record in the AFC.
The Titans’ defeat to the Texans marked the latest in the season that a team with the outright poorest record in a conference has beaten the club with the outright best record in that conference since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The most recent was a win by the Cincinnati Bengals against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7 of the 1979 season.
In a game that was predicted to be lopsided, five turnovers proved to be the game-winner. The Titans’ first of four interceptions came in the red zone and was recovered to the 6-yard line by quarterback Ryan Tannehill. A punt by Chester Rogers bounced off his foot and was downed at Tennessee’s 5-yard line. Ten points were scored as a consequence of turnovers.
Despite the fact that the Patriots have forced 13 turnovers during their five-game winning run — the longest in the NFL following the Titans’ loss — and the Titans’ five turnovers cost them Sunday, Belichick does not anticipate Vrabel’s Titans to be as reckless.
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“Against the Texans, they turned the ball over, which is difficult to bank on,” Belichick remarked. “It’s not their style, so I doubt we’ll get that. It’s a classic Mike team: tough, physical, relentless in their pursuit of victory, and seldom making errors. They have a good understanding of what they’re doing. They’re in good shape. They’re a solid foundational group.”
The Titans enjoyed a similar rise in turnovers during their six-game winning run, which was interrupted by Houston, when they had 11 takeaways.
On Monday, the two coaches exchanged scouting reports on their respective squads. It’s no accident that they both cited the same qualities.
“They’re fumbling the ball,” Vrabel observed. “Guys know where to cause turnovers and are skilled on the perimeter. Up front, the guys play with superb technique. They’re combining running the football with the play-action game. Receivers all block, are unselfish, and recognize that their effort will aid whatever running back they have on the field at the moment in running the football. The quarterback has excellent accuracy.”
“They’re a physical, tough bunch,” Belichick remarked. “They do a good job at tackling. With the ball, the backs and receivers sprint hard. The quarterback is a gifted athlete. In terms of kicking, they’re solid. We’ll have to perform well in all three aspects of the game.”
Vrabel is looking forward to returning to New England. Of course, he’ll be happy to be back at Gillette Stadium. It will also be an opportunity for him to spend time with his son, Tyler, who plays offensive guard for Boston College.
Vrabel remarked, “Coaching in this league and being engaged in the National Football League is remarkable.” “The chance to coach this football club and go to many stadiums, including this one, where I spent eight years. Tyler will be there since he attends school there. I believe it will be enjoyable.”
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