There’s no level in sugarcoating this. Sunday’s matchup between the Patriots and Titans will showcase two of the NFL’s very worst groups.
The Titans are favored on this one regardless of rating useless final in EPA (anticipated factors added) per play and per dropback and twenty fifth in EPA per rush. They rank comparatively effectively in superior defensive stats but in addition simply gave up 52 factors to the Lions in Week 8.
We’ll be watching these 4 Patriots gamers on Sunday in Nashville.
WR Kayshon Boutte
Boutte has emerged as a respectable deep menace for the Patriots this season. He’s caught 4 deep passes on 5 targets for 128 yards with one landing. He ranks twenty fourth amongst NFL receivers in deep receiving yards regardless of solely turning into a starter in Week 5.
The LSU product had reliable palms up till Week 8, when he dropped two passes early within the win over the Jets. He greater than made up for it with two enormous catches within the Patriots’ fourth quarter game-winning drive.
“Clearly not being part of the offense first couple weeks and nonetheless sticking to it, placing the work in on the apply subject and lots of that stuff beginning to come to fruition for him, as a teammate of his, it’s clearly actually rewarding to see that when it lastly begins to go your means,” veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett mentioned this week. “He’s profiting from his alternative.”
Titans prime cornerback L’Jarius Sneed has struggled this season and isn’t anticipated to play Sunday. After dealing with off towards Sauce Gardner in Week 8, Boutte has a a lot simpler matchup towards the Titans.
OLB Ochaun Mathis
The latest member of the Patriots’ protection, Mathis was signed off the apply squad after the Patriots traded away Joshua Uche to the Chiefs.
Mathis has performed in three video games this season as a apply squad elevation, however he ought to begin to tackle an even bigger function on protection.
Mathis is athletic and has elite size at 6-foot-5 with 35 1/4-inch arms. Count on Keion White and Anfernee Jennings to begin. However Deatrich Sensible Jr. and Mathis ought to spell the starters.
Titans offensive tackles have been tough this season. There are alternatives for Patriots pass-rushers if they’ll get out to an early lead.
DT Davon Godchaux
The Titans’ offense is brutal, however operating backs Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears may be playmakers.
“If you take a look at their operating backs, to me, it’s a unbelievable one-two punch,” head coach Jerod Mayo mentioned Wednesday. “Count on to see each of these guys, and so they can harm you within the run recreation.”
Godchaux has been up-and-down this season and is at his greatest when Mayo simply lets him eat house at nostril deal with. The veteran is the Patriots’ solely actual space-eater at defensive deal with.
The Patriots’ run protection fared higher in Week 8 towards the Jets than they performed in earlier weeks towards the 49ers, Dolphins, Texans and Jaguars. Godchaux and Jennings want to carry their floor.
It will even be helpful if the Patriots can begin to get one thing extra out of linebacker Sione Takitaki.
CB Christian Gonzalez
It will have been harder to nail down Gonzalez’s matchup in Week 8 earlier than the Titans traded away DeAndre Hopkins. Now, it’s fairly apparent that Gonzalez will shadow Calvin Ridley.
Ridley has simply 22 catches for 326 yards and landing since electing to signal with the Titans over the Patriots as a free agent this offseason. Ten of these catches and 143 of these yards got here final week towards the Lions, when Ridley was focused 15 occasions.
Gonzalez had a robust begin to the season however didn’t play his greatest soccer towards the Texans or Jaguars. He bounced again in an enormous means towards the Jets, nevertheless, shutting down huge receiver Davante Adams.
“For me, what Gonzo’s doing is what we totally anticipated him to do. Humorous factor, look, he’s a quiet man, however he’s a competitor. You hearken to the mic’d up? That’s essentially the most you’re going to get from that man,” Mayo mentioned. “He’s a man that goes on the market and performs arduous daily, and he’s an incredible competitor.
“He’s not a really talkative man, however he’s an excellent participant, and I’d say I’ve been round corners like that earlier than that aren’t that talkative. [Stephon] Gilmore being a kind of guys, [Darrelle] Revis being one other a kind of guys. They don’t discuss rather a lot, however they go on the market and get the job achieved.”
If Gonzalez can remove Ridley, then Tyler Boyd, who has simply 184 yards by way of seven video games, turns into the Titans’ next-best receiving menace.
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