The New England Patriots wrapped up their 2023 preseason with a dud of a performance on the road in a 23-7 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Friday night.
Granted, things started off strongly—at least on the defensive side of the ball—when the Patriots forced a three-and-out against Tennessee with starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill under center.
However, things got progressively worse when backup Malik Willis came into the game
The defense looked completely baffled at times by his ability to scramble around with the football and make plays on the run. They were able to get consistent pressure, but Willis kept buying time with his legs for receivers to get wide open.
That was pretty much the story of the game with the Titans sticking with their second-year quarterback the rest of the way, after the initial drive by Tannehill.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Patriots looked like they were playing in quicksand. They couldn’t get anything going.
The offensive line was getting pounded into oblivion, and Bailey Zappe became a sack lunch for a ferocious Titans defense. Tennessee finished the game with six sacks and three forced fumbles. The Patriots recovered one fumble, and the other two ended up being takeaways for the Titans.
With the preseason now in the rearview, the Patriots can turn the page towards next Tuesday’s 53-man roster cut deadline. That’s when the team will settle on their final roster in preparation for their Sept. 10 regular season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.
A meeting with the defending NFC champions is a good gauge to know exactly where the Patriots stand as a football team right out of the gates.
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