Four Ups, Four Downs From Patriots' 33-16 Win Over Titans
By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston
FOXBORO (CBS) -- What took place on the Gillette Stadium turf on Sunday afternoon was not exactly the type of game that will be remembered for years to come. It was a lopsided matchup from the get-go, with the best team in the conference hosting the worst, and though the Patriots showed brief flashes from time to time, the fans in attendance weren't quite wowed for 60 minutes.
But that's what is to be expected from such a matchup in Week 15, so without further ado (we may have surpassed the proper "ado" amount already), here are the Four Ups and Four Downs from the Patriots' 33-16 win.
FOUR UPS
Tom Brady
Let's start with the quarterback, the one who missed practice Friday due to illness but looked no worse for the wear on Sunday. He started the game by going 7-for-7 for 70 yards and a touchdown on the opening drive, and it was his way of ensuring that the Patriots set the tone early to avoid having a repeat of the Philadelphia game from two weeks ago.
The final numbers weren't particularly eye-popping -- 23-for-35, 267 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs -- but it was really that initial showing that stood out in this game.
The two touchdowns brought his season total to 35, and it's the fourth time in his career that he's reached that mark. That ties him for the most of all time with Peyton Manning.
Rob Gronkowski
Like Brady, Rob Gronkowski's numbers don't jump off the page. He finished with five catches for 54 yards and a touchdown, a relatively modest day of production for him.
But Gronkowski set out to play in the memory of his friend and trainer, Dana Parenteau, and it didn't take long for Gronkowski to accomplish what he set out to do.
On a second-and-9 at the Tennessee 25-yard line, Gronkowski motioned left to right and caught a pass in stride before rumbling up the sideline for a gain of 13 yards on the Patriots' first possession of the game. Three plays later, on a third-and-3 from the 5-yad line, Gronkowski ran a simple out route, gained separation, and hauled in a touchdown catch -- his 11th of the year.
Gronkowski pointed to the sky and after releasing his patented spike, he recovered the ball and handed it to a member of the Patriots training staff. Though it was the 66th touchdown of his career, this one clearly carried some extra meaning.
"I definitely dedicated that touchdown to him. I pointed up, I know he was up there watching," Gronkowski said. "Definitely that score was for him, and I know he was going crazy, knowing it was dedicated to him."
Akiem Hicks
It'd be hard for a defensive lineman to score a touchdown and not end up on the list of Ups. So here is Akiem Hicks.
The man who was traded to New England in exchange for Michael Hoomanawanui at the end of September has been a steady contributor on the D line since joining the Patriots, but he came up with a highlight-reel play on Sunday.
With the Patriots leading 7-0 early in the second quarter, Chandler Jones fought through an illegal block of his face from left tackle Taylor Lewan and managed to strip the ball free from Marcus Mariota just as the quarterback attempted to throw a pass. Hicks was there to pounce on the loose ball, initially knocking it toward the end zone and eventually falling on top of it for six points.
Hicks also had a sack earlier in the game, one that helped lead to a Tennessee punt.
Jamie Collins
When Jamie Collins missed four weeks due to a mysterious illness, many folks were concerned that he might have lost too much weight and might not be the same disruptive force that he's come to be for the Patriots. Well, after his third game back, it's safe to say that nobody's too worried about Collins.
The third-year do-it-all linebacker was everywhere, recording eight total tackles, one sack, and a fourth-quarter interception and 51-yard return to set up the Patriots' final field goal.
With Dont'a Hightower leaving the game due to injury, Collins' performance was much needed.
Extra Point: James White
Sometimes four isn't enough, and the story of this game can't be told without mentioning the contributions of running back James White. Used almost exclusively in a receiving role, White caught seven passes for 71 yards and a touchdown, and he also had a 70-yard catch-and-run, but that was called back due to offensive pass interference on Keshawn Martin.
In the past three games, White now has 21 receptions for 224 yards and two touchdowns. He's not Dion Lewis, but he's proven plenty capable of stepping up in recent weeks, and he'll likely play a key role come January.
Honorable Mention: Joey Iosefa
Normally, 51 rushing yards on 14 carries wouldn't warrant much of a mention. But considering he's got a pretty cool football journey, and considering he did this to Coty Sensabaugh ...
Iosefa gets a mention. Well done.
FOUR DOWNS
Danny Amendola
The receiver/punt returner has been fighting through a sprained knee for several weeks, and it got the better of him before halftime after a 22-yard return. Amendola came up in obvious pain, and he soon thereafter left the field for the locker room and did not return.
But the injury wasn't the only down for Amendola, as he coughed up the football on a punt return early in the second quarter, giving the Titans the ball and 55 yards of field position. The defense stepped up after Amendola's turnover, holding the Titans to a field goal, but the punt return unit has been a problem in the Denver and Houston games, and it popped up again in this one. Even the sure-handed Amendola couldn't solve the unit's woes.
Dont'a Hightower
Like Amendola, Hightower was working his way back from a knee sprain. And like Amendola, Hightower had to leave the game early due to injury.
It might not be serious, but whenever a player as important as Hightower goes missing, there's always concern. For now, that concern from the team has to be focused on ensuring that Hightower is ready to go by mid-January.
Patrick Chung
The safety has been a crucial part of the Patriots' defense this season, and he too has been battling injury in recent weeks. He suffered another injury, this one a hip issue, when trying to tackle Delanie Walker midway through the fourth quarter. The Boston Herald's Jeff Howe said there is optimism regarding the injury, but the injuries continue to mount.
"Double-Score" Execution
The Patriots love themselves the "double score," when they put points on the board before halftime and score again after receiving to start the second half. It's a way of putting 10 or 14 points on the board in a row, thereby completely changing the scope of the game and forcing the opponent into scramble mode.
That plan was not executed on Sunday, after the Patriots took over near midfield with 1:13 left in the second quarter and a timeout in their back pocket. They drove to the Tennessee 30-yard line, but Brady threw incomplete on third down to set up 48-yard field goal attempt. Stephen Gostkowski had a rare miss, and the first part of the double score was ruined. The Patriots headed to the locker room with a 24-3 lead.
And coming out of the break, the Patriots were flat, going three-and-out and punting to the Titans, who drove the length of the field and scored a touchdown to cut the lead to 14 points.
It was an opportunity for the Patriots to really put the game away early by going up 30-3 or even more, but they didn't get it done.
Read more from Michael Hurley by clicking here. You can email him or find him on Twitter @michaelFhurley.
