The New England Patriots will undoubtedly be looking for redemption after an embarrassing 27-24 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
But the new-look Tennessee Titans will be no easy team to take down, and quarterback Tom Brady, who threw one interception against Miami, will have to know where safety Kevin Byard is at all times.
Arguably the best at his position in the NFL, Byard has more interceptions than any other player in the past three seasons with 17.
Marcus Peters and Darius Slay are tied for second-most in the category behind Byard with 13, so there’s quite a gap there.
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Byard comes off a standout performance in last week’s 35-14 victory over the Houston Texans, and totaled seven tackles with an interception.
On the season, Byard totals 84 tackles, nine passes defensed and five interceptions in a passing defense currently ranked at No. 24 overall in the league.
The safety was a consistent factor last year as well, with 90 tackles, eight passes defensed and four interceptions.
He was named a Pro Bowl alternate this season, considered a snub by many, as Byard has maintained his dominance but hasn’t made a Pro Bowl roster since 2017.
Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar noted that Byard is no “one-year wonder.”
“He had four picks in 2018, five more in 2019, and he’s responsible for locking down the deep third of Tennessee’s defense,” he wrote. “No matter when schemes you’re running, that’s one of the toughest jobs in football.”
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The Titans and Patriots are set to face off at 7:15 p.m. CST on Saturday in Gillette Stadium.