3 keys for Patriots to beat Titans in AFC wild-card playoff

Three keys for the Patriots to upend the Titans on Saturday.

After an 8-0 start to the season, the New England Patriots (12-4) finished out the regular season with a 4-4 mark, which included a devastating 27-24 home loss to the Miami Dolphins (5-11) that dropped the defending Super Bowl champions down to the AFC’s No. 3 seed. Now, they’ll need to beat the AFC’s No. 6 seed, the Tennessee Titans (9-7), in New England’s first wild card matchup since 2009.

Here are three keys for a Patriots victory.

1. Limit Derrick Henry

Tennessee enters this game winning seven of their last 10 matchups since Ryan Tannehill took over. And although Tannehill has certainly been the player most responsible for Tennessee’s late season run, running back Derek Henry is the Titans’ hottest player.

The second-team All-pro running back — and voted second-team All-pro flex position — has rushed for 896 yards and 10 touchdowns in just his past six games, carrying Tennessee in the months of November and December.

Considering this is Tannehill’s first postseason start, and the fact that he is 0-6 in his career in New England, Tennessee head coach Mike Vrabel will likely try to run Henry down the throat of New England’s defense.

Run stuffers Lawrence Guy and Danny Shelton, as well as New England ‘boogeymen’ linebacking core will be responsible in shedding blocks to slow down the NFL’s leading rusher.

2. Establish run to open up passing game

Despite their inexplicable loss to the Miami Dolphins last week, the Patriots have shown promise in the run game, garnering 353 yards on the ground in their last three games.

Right on queue, as New England similarly found a rhythm behind Sony Michel and Rex Burkead from Week 16 and on, last season, which helped spawn a Super Bowl run.

The Patriots would be wise to rely on the running game, in hopes of setting up the play-action pass from Tom Brady, who may be able to find the likes of Julian Edelman and Mohammed Sanu on crossing routes behind the Titans’ safeties.

As evidenced in the above clip from ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky, Tennesee’s tough safety tandem of Kevin Byard and Kenny Vaccarro tend to cheat up to stop the run.

3. Utilize experience, mental toughness

Quite simply, despite their glaring inefficiencies on offense, and their recent inconsistency on defense, the Patriots are rightly favored here because of their experience.

Despite the prognostications of doom, New England still sits at 12-4 with a playoff game at home.

Although somewhat brash and physically tough, the Titans are not a team loaded with playoff experience. The Patriots put ugly losses behind them in short time perhaps better than any team in the history of sports. They’ll need to do that once more on Saturday, and they will.

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