New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots cruised to a 31-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans in Week 7, pushing their record to 5-2 on the season. While the game was largely a wash in the second half, there was a point in time when things didn’t look great for head coach Mike Vrabel‘s crew.
After falling behind 10-3 early in this one, New England rallied to take a 17-13 lead heading into halftime. With the team receiving the ball on the opening kickoff in the second half, that gave them a great opportunity to extend their lead right out of the gate.
With the Patriots driving down the field, quarterback Drake Maye picked up a six-yard scramble on 1st & 10 at the Titans’ 35-yard line. However, he hit his head hard on the ground when he was tackled by Roger McCreary, and he ended up getting removed from the game to be evaluated for a concussion.
That forced backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs into action for three plays. After handing the ball off to Rhamondre Stevenson for a one-yard loss, that set up a crucial third-down situation. After evading pressure, Dobbs found Demario Douglas for a 12-yard gain, giving the Pats a big first down.
After handing the ball off to Stevenson one more time, Maye came back in for Dobbs after it was determined he didn’t have a concussion. It may not seem like much, but Dobbs’ crucial play earned him a strong four-word message from Vrabel after the game.
“Way to be ready,” Vrabel said to Dobbs as he entered the locker room after the game.
Instead of settling for a field goal, which would have kept it a one-score game for the Titans, the Patriots would eventually score on this drive, pushing their lead to 11 points. Moments later, K’Lavon Chaisson would get a four-yard scoop-and-score touchdown on defense, which effectively ended the game.
Dobbs’ ability to keep the pedal to the metal against Tennessee helped New England escape a hairy situation in this one. Now, the Pats will turn their attention to their upcoming Week 8 matchup with the Cleveland Browns, where they will look to win their fifth-straight game.
