Patriots Will Host Titans In Divisional Round Of Playoffs
By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- The New England Patriots have learned which team they'll be hosting in Saturday night's divisional playoff game in Foxboro.
That team will be the Tennessee Titans, who won in upset fashion on Saturday afternoon in Kansas City.
The Titans appeared to be down and out when they trailed 21-3 at halftime on Saturday, but they rallied to a thrilling 22-21 victory at Arrowhead Stadium to eliminate the AFC West-champion Chiefs.
The Titans next travel to Foxboro, as they are they lowest seed remaining in the AFC playoffs, after the Buffalo Bills lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. The Jaguars will travel to Pittsburgh next weekend.
The Patriots and Titans did not face each other this year. The Patriots have won six straight games against the Titans over a span from 2003-15. The Patriots won the most recent meeting 33-16 in December of 2015. The Patriots won the 2012 season opener in Tennessee and, of course, won the famous 59-0 game in snowy Foxboro in 2009.
But most of the players on both rosters have changed since even the 2015 meeting in Foxboro, making this year's divisional round matchup a truly fresh slate.
The Patriots and Titans did share four common opponents -- Oakland, Houston, Miami, and Pittsburgh -- this season. The Patriots went 4-1 in their five games against those teams; the Titans went 1-4. The Titans were also just 3-5 on the road, with quarterback Marcus Mariota throwing five touchdowns and 11 interceptions in seven road games played.
Mariota went 19-for-31 for 205 yards, two touchdowns and an interception against the Chiefs, while running for 46 yards on eight rushes and throwing a key block on a third-down run by Derrick Henry to seal the win. Interestingly, one of Mariota's touchdowns was thrown to himself, after he caught a pass that was deflected by Darrelle Revis and then ran into the end zone.
Henry ran for 156 yards and a touchdown and caught two passes for 35 yards against the Chiefs, while tight end Delanie Walker led Titans receivers with 74 yards on six receptions.
