The New England Patriots finally snapped their two-game losing skid with a comprehensive 21-point victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday. The defending champions will look to keep the momentum going this coming Sunday when they take on the Tennessee Titans in a critical showdown at Gillette Stadium.
Who will emerge victorious in this all-important matchup? Read on below for a preview of this Week 15 clash and while you’re at it, you can check out our previews of Green Bay vs. Oakland and Arizona vs. Philadelphia.
[sc:Football ]Tennessee Titans vs. New England Patriots Preview
Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
When: Sunday, December 20, 1:00 PM ET
Line: Tennessee Titans (+14) at New England Patriots (-14); total: 46.5 – view all NFL lines
TV Broadcast: CBS
Betting on the Tennessee Titans (3-10)
Things are going from bad to worse for Tennessee as it crashed to a humiliating 30-8 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday. The Titans had no answer for Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick who now, has a single-season career high of 25 touchdown passes with a few more weeks of regular season play to go. Meanwhile, the Titans have now lost four of their last five games.
[sc:NFL240banner ]The Titans will look to get their season back on track when they take on the Patriots this coming Sunday. For the Titans to return to winning ways, they will need to start addressing their failings on the offensive end. They scored just eight points against the Jets on Sunday, posting a total of just 292 yards.
The Titans have struggled mightily on the offensive end this year, averaging just 19.5 points per game this season, seventh-worst in the NFL.
That being said, the onus is on Marcus Mariota to carry the offensive load for the Titans. He completed just 21 of 39 passes for 274 yards in the game against New York with no touchdowns and one interception. That kind of performance simply won’t do against a New England defense that’s allowing just 19.5 points per game this season, eighth-lowest in the NFL.
For Mariota to be effective, though, he needs the Titans’ offensive line to be solid and provide him with enough protection. Mariota was sacked five times by the Jets’ defense on Sunday.
The Titans are 2-4 SU and ATS on the road this season.
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Betting on the New England Patriots (11-2)
The New England Patriots will head to their showdown against the Tennessee Titans with momentum on their side after trouncing the Houston Texans, 27-6, on Sunday. It was another impressive victory for the defending champions, who grabbed their fourth consecutive win against Houston. With the win, the Patriots moved ahead of the Denver Broncos and the Cincinnati Bengals in the race for the top AFC playoff seed.
Leading the way for New England in this bounce-back win was Tom Brady. He completed 22 of 30 passes for 226 yards and a pair of touchdowns with no interceptions. Providing the main support for Brady in this game was Rob Gronkowski. He made a triumphant return from a knee injury he suffered against Denver in Week 11. Gronkowski caught four passes for 87 yards and a touchdown. That score was the 10th of the season for Gronk, making him the first tight end in the history of the NFL with five seasons of at least 10 touchdown receptions.
For New England to make it back-to-back wins this coming Sunday against Tennessee, it needs to continue its excellent play on the defensive end. The Patriots held the Texans scoreless in the entire second half as they sacked Houston quarterback Brian Hoyer a whopping five times. They will need to apply the same kind of pressure against a Tennessee offense that’s averaging just 324.5 total yards per game this season, 29th in the entire NFL.
The Patriots are 6-1 SU and 3-1-3 ATS at home this season.
Writer’s Prediction
The Patriots (-14) roll past the Titans, 38-14.
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