FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Running back Derrick Henry steamrollered through the New England Patriots in what could be quarterback Tom Brady‘s final game with the franchise, and the Tennessee Titans knocked the Patriots out of the playoffs with a 20-13 victory on Saturday at Gillette Stadium.
The loss marks the earliest the Patriots have exited the playoffs since a 33-14 wild-card loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Jan. 10, 2010. They also became the third team to lose in the wild-card round after starting the season at least 8-0, joining the 2015 Cincinnati Bengals and 2013 Kansas City Chiefs.
The sixth-seeded Titans will visit the No. 1 Ravens in the AFC divisional round.
Meanwhile, the Patriots enter the offseason earlier than they are accustomed to and with a major question looming over them.
Since Brady is a free agent after the season for the first time in his career, and the Patriots can not assign him the franchise tag, it set up a scenario that has never been in play in Brady’s 20-year career: The possibility this was his final game.
But asked if he would consider retirement in his postgame news conference Saturday, Brady replied that “it’s pretty unlikely,” before adding, “Hopefully unlikely.”
As for a return to New England in 2020, Brady said, “I love the Patriots. … It’s the greatest organization and playing for Mr. [Robert] Kraft all these years. And for Coach [Bill] Belichick. There’s nobody whose had a better career, I would say, than me — being with them. So I’m very blessed.
“I don’t know what the future looks like so I’m not going to predict it.”
The crowd acknowledged Brady before the first snap Saturday with chants of “Brady! Brady! Brady!” and others brought signs to acknowledge him, with one reading, “Don’t leave Tommy.”
“I personally appreciate everything they’ve contributed — not just this year, but a lot of years,” Brady said of his message to the New England fans. “Just very grateful for the experience playing this year for the team, this organization, and over the course of my career, too. I appreciate it. I hope I’ve always tried to do the right thing out there. Who knows what the future holds? So I’ll leave it at that.”
The Patriots’ inability to gain a yard on back-to-back drives in the second quarter was a critical part of the game, with the Titans decisively slamming the door.
After stopping fullback Elandon Roberts on a third-and-1 dive near midfield five minutes into the quarter, the Titans then stiffened on the Patriots’ ensuing drive after the Patriots advanced to the 1-yard line.
The Patriots attempted three straight runs — with running back Sony Michel losing 1 yard on first down, running back Rex Burkhead held just short of the goal-line on a 1-yard run on second down, and then Michel dropped for a loss of two yards, as linebacker Rashaan Evans was in on all three tackles.
The Patriots settled for a 21-yard Nick Folk field goal to go up 13-7, and the Titans quickly responded with a seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in 1 minute, 41 seconds in which Henry accounted for all 75 yards.
After taking a 14-13 lead into halftime, the Titans’ defense then held the Patriots scoreless in the second half. According to ESPN’s Stats & Information, it was just the third time the Patriots were held scoreless in a half in 41 playoff games (82 halves) since 2001.
The 6-foot-3, 247-pound Henry finished with 34 carries for 182 yards and one touchdown, marking the most rushing yards against a Belichick-coached Patriots team in a playoff game. With one catch for 22 yards, Henry had 200 total scrimmage yards, becoming the first player since Calvin Johnson in 2011 to have 200 scrimmage yards in a season finale and in his first playoff game the same season.
Also, with the Titans coached by former Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel, Belichick has now lost his most recent game against each of his former assistants and players that are active head coaches — Vrabel, Miami’s Brian Flores (2019, Week 17), Houston’s Bill O’Brien (2019, Week 13) and Detroit’s Matt Patricia (2018, Week 3).
Source : ESPN
