NASHVILLE – Sometimes, football is ugly. Then in an instant, everything changes.
That was seen in Sunday’s game between the Patriots and Tennessee Titans. The first half was a good example of what two poorly executed offenses look like as the Titans took a 7-3 lead into halftime. The second half was a good example of how exciting the game can be.
The Patriots struggled to string together drives and a Drake Maye interception negated a great punt return. The Titans saw their quarterback, Mason Rudolph, throw an interception in the end zone. At times, both offenses went backward due to penalty-killing drives.
At halftime, something had to change.
Just when it looked like the Patriots were going to lose after a second Maye turnover, the rookie quarterback put the team on his back. The No. 3 overall pick hit Rhamondre Stevenson for a game-tying touchdown with no time left on the clock to send this matchup into overtime.
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In the end, the Patriots lost 20-17 in overtime to the Tennessee Titans. Jerod Mayo’s team drops to 2-7.
Here’s how it all happened:
Drake Maye magic
In the first half, the Patriots scored three points, gained five first downs, and were 1-of-6 on third down. The group needed to be much better if they wanted to get a win on the road
In the third quarter, it appeared the group adjusted. The Patriots took the ball in the third quarter and Maye orchestrated a 12-play, 70-yard touchdown drive to take a 10-7 lead. The rookie kept this drive alive, running for 23 yards on third-and-16. Next, he connected with DeMario Douglas for a gain of 23.
Then on second-and-16, Maye ran for 13 yards to add to a defensive holding penalty. The Patriots then had a first-and-goal from the 9-yard line. A facemask penalty, on a third-down incomplete pass, by Titans cornerback Roger McCreary on Kendrick Bourne kept this drive alive. Two plays later, at 7:34 of the third quarter, Stevenson ran in for a 1-yard touchdown.
That momentum didn’t carry over to the next drive as the Patriots went three-and-out when Maye was sacked on back-to-back plays for a loss of 13 yards.
For the offense, it got worse after the Titans tied the game, 10-10.
Maye was strip sacked by Arden Key at 7:03 of the fourth quarter. The ball bounced toward JaMychal Hasty, but the running back couldn’t corral it as Jeffery Simmons recovered the ball 24 yards away from the end zone.
This marked the Patriots second turnover of the game and it was a killer as the Titans turned Maye’s turnover into a touchdown.
The offense got the ball back with 4:27, but once again, penalties hurt them. On third-and-7, Maye hit Bourne for 22 yards. However, that play was negated due to a Ben Brown holding penalty. The quarterback’s next pass, on third-and-17, fell incomplete and the Patriots punted.
Maye’s unit got one last chance, with 1:45 left. They got the ball back at midfield after a Marcus Jones 25-yard punt return. Maye hit Kayshon Boutte for 11 yards and than ran for a gain of 8 at the 22-yard line. On fourth-and-2 attempt, with 21 seconds left, Maye hit Hunter Henry for a gain of 10 yards at the 5-yard line.
After spiking the ball and having his pass tipped for an incomplete, Maye had one more chance – and he made the most of it. With 4 seconds on the clock, Maye extended the play with his feet but stayed in the pocket long enough for Rhamondre Stevenson to get open and catch a game-tying 5-yard touchdown.
Joey Slye hit the extra point and the Patriots went into overtime.
Patriots fall in overtime
The Titans started with the ball in overtime and the Patriots couldn’t get off the field.
It took Tennessee three plays to get to midfield. On third-and-5, Rudolph hit Calvin Ridley for a gain of 14 at the 31-yard line. On the next third down, Tony Pollard ran for 9 yards for a first down at the 15-yard line. The Titans next third down, with 2 yards to go, the Patriots defense stopped Rudolph. Nick Folk hit a 25-yard with 2:32 left in the overtime period.
Maye and the offense had one more chance for some magic. After running for a first down, the rookie quarterback was intercepted when he tried to hit Boutte on a deep ball at 2:17 of the overtime period. Titans safety Amani Hooker caught Maye’s pass to secure the win for Tennessee.
Patriots offense started slow
The Patriots looked like they were bound for points on their opening drive but came up empty. That turned out to be a theme of the day.
Drake Maye put the group in field goal position after running for a gain of 26 yards. This drive stalled when Maye was sacked on third down by Titans pass rusher Harold Landry. Then at 7:08 of the first quarter, Joey Slye missed a 56-yard field goal attempt, and the Patriots trailed, 7-0.
The offense hurt themselves on their second drive. Faced with a third-and-9, Kendrick Bourne was called for a false start. Then, on third-and-14, Maye hit Bourne, but the 11-yard gain didn’t get them out of that hole and the Patriots punted after four plays.
The offense got a big boost from Marcus Jones, who took a punt and ran 44 yards to midfield at 1:23 of the first quarter. Once again, the Patriots ended up with nothing. On third down, Maye threw an interception when Amani Hooker caught his pass intended for Ja’Lynn Polk at 15:00 of the second quarter.
Following a defensive turnover, the Patriots got on the board with a 52-yard field goal from Slye. Maye worked his magic on this series. On third-and-1, it looked like he’d get sacked but that was when he threw an underhanded toss to Rhamondre Stevenson for a first down. Next, Maye took off and ran for a gain of 13.
The Patriots offense went backward after that losing 13 yards (Ja’Lynn Polk hold and JaMychal Hasty lost 3 yards). Slye hit the field goal at 7:13 of the second quarter and the Patriots trailed, 7-3.
The offense wanted to run an efficient 2-minute drill before the half. They got off to a good start with two passes to Bourne for 14 and 9 yards. However, the offense stalled. Faced with a second-and-1, JaMychal Hasty gained zero yards. Then on third-and-1, Stevenson lost a yard.
Patriots defense stepped up in regulation
The Patriots defense got off to a poor start on Sunday, allowing an opening-drive touchdown to the Titans.
Things started to fall apart when quarterback Mason Rudolph escaped a collapsing pocket and ran for a gain of 13 on third-and-12. Next, the quarterback hit Josh Whyle for 12 yards on a play that saw Keion White miss a tackle. After that, Tony Pollard ran through the Patriots defense for a gain of 32. That set up a first-and-goal where Rudolph connected with tight end Nick Vannett for an easy 9-yard touchdown at 10:18 of the first quarter.
That type of play, however, didn’t continue as the defense stepped up.
The Titans had solid field position for their second drive after Slye’s missed field goal. However, Christian Gonzalez stepped up. After a first down, Gonzalez broke up a pass intended for Calvin Ridley on third down. Tennessee was close to field goal position but punted after the outstanding cornerback play.
Tennessee got a first down on their third drive, but that was it. Deatrich Wise stepped up with a sack on second down. On third down, Jeremiah Pharms forced Rudolph to throw the ball away.
The Patriots defense had another tough challenge when the Titans started with the ball at the 40-yard line off an interception. It didn’t look like it was going to end well before Jahlani Tavai intercepted Rudolph in the end zone.
Things were going poorly after Ridley caught a 25-yard pass and then White was flagged for a horse-collar tackle. That put the Titans at the 7-yard line. At 12:51 of the second quarter, Rudolph’s pass bounced off the hands of Chig Okonkwo and Tavai made a great play to catch the ball.
The Patriots took a 10-7 lead in the middle of the third quarter and the Titans charged back. On third-and-10, Rudolph connected with Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for 13 yards. Next, Tennessee executed a double pass that resulted in Rudolph hitting a wide-open Okonkwo for 21 yards. That set up a first-and-goal from the 8-yard line, but a holding penalty quickly pushed the Titans back to the 18-yard line.
Nick Folk then tied the game, 10-10, with a 21-yard field goal with 31 seconds left in the third quarter.
After Maye’s fumble, the Titans took over at the 26-yard line. On third-and-6, Rudolph hit Westbrook-Ikhine for a 6-yard touchdown to give Tennessee a 17-10 lead with 4:27 on the clock.
