The Patriots have the building blocks for a solid run over the next few seasons with Drake Maye (left), a quarterback they can build around, and coach Mike Vrabel.
The Patriots have the building blocks for a solid run over the next few seasons with Drake Maye (left), a quarterback they can build around, and coach Mike Vrabel.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
Welcome to Season 14, Episode 7 of the Unconventional Preview, a serious yet lighthearted, nostalgia-tinted look at the Patriots’ weekly matchup . . .
Among all of the encouraging developments with the AFC East-leading Patriots this season, and over the last three weeks in particular, the most important is this:
We know, with almost 100 percent certainty, that they have the right coach in Mike Vrabel and the right quarterback in Drake Maye, and nothing determines a football team’s present and future more than having the right people in those spots.
Because of them, and assorted others in supporting roles, the Patriots are better and far more interesting than they have been since Tom Brady headed south, including the 2021 mirage of a playoff season.
As for their opponent this week, let’s just say the Titans are in a bit of different situation, though not completely dissimilar to the one the Patriots faced last year. They are stuck in the worst overall situation in the league right now, which is saying something considering the Jets exist.
The Titans hope that they have the quarterback, having spent the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft on Miami’s Cam Ward. But Ward is struggling mightily to protect the ball and himself. Ward turned the ball over three times (interception, two fumbles) in a 20-10 loss to the Raiders last Sunday. He has already been sacked 25 times this season, and the Titans — who rank 31st in the league at 13.8 points per game — have scored just six touchdowns in six games.
As for the coach, well, it’s fair to say a past decision is likely to haunt the Titans Sunday. Vrabel went 54-45 as Tennessee’s head coach from 2018-23, guiding the Titans to the AFC title game in 2019 and winning back-to-back AFC South titles in 2020-21.
After a second straight losing season in ’23, Vrabel was fired. Owner Amy Adams Strunk had become miffed at Vrabel for several reasons, including his decision to return to New England for his Patriots Hall of Fame induction during the Titans bye week. Seems like he knew exactly what he was doing there, doesn’t it?
Vrabel was replaced by Brian Callahan, who went 4-19 before his firing on Monday. Mike McCoy, who coached the Chargers with little distinction from 2013-16, has taken over on an interim basis.
I don’t believe we’ll catch Vrabel shooting hate-lasers with his eyes at Adams in the owners’ box a la Roger Clemens v. Dan Duquette back in the day, but I bet we find out just how much this one means to him when it’s over. The whole truth sometimes comes out in those celebratory postgame locker room videos.
Kick it off, Borregales, and let’s get this thing started . . .
Three players worth watching other than the quarterbacks
Kayshon Boutte: One of the many pleasant surprises of this Patriots season through six games is the revelation that a several different pass-catchers can deliver as one Maye’s top targets in a given week.
This is probably a testament to how Maye, in collaboration with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, has used the talent at his disposal. But its also a tribute to the Patriots’ skill players in the passing game, who have been better — and complement each other better — than anyone anticipated.
Against the Panthers, and then in his homecoming against the Bills, Stefon Diggs looked like one the best (and savviest) receivers in the league. DeMario Douglas broke through with a 53-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter against the Saints, and would have had another long touchdown before the first quarter was over if the officials were at all on the ball. Tight end Hunter Henry, who had two touchdowns against the Steelers, remains a trusted friend to a young quarterback.
And then there’s Boutte, who has had uneven but extremely encouraging season. He was downright superb against the Saints, catching all five of his targets for 93 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while also hauling in a key 12-yard reception late in the game. It was his most productive game since Week 1, when he had six catches for 103 yards in the loss to the Raiders.
Kayshon Boutte had two touchdowns during last Sunday's win over the Saints.
Kayshon Boutte had two touchdowns during last Sunday's win over the Saints.Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
From Weeks 2-5, Boutte totaled seven catches on 10 targets for 105 yards and a touchdown, falling back into a secondary role as Diggs emerged. But as he proved against the Saints — and as he may again against a Titans defense that is 22nd in total yards allowed at 343.3 per game — he is ready to through when called upon.
Craig Woodson: When the Patriots selected the University of California safety in the fourth round (106th overall) in April’s NFL Draft, the consensus suggested he’d be a versatile depth piece in the defensive backfield, with some special teams value. Patriots.com, for instance, said he had the “potential to evolve into a reliable rotational player and spot starter.”
He has been much more than that. Woodson has teamed with veteran Jaylinn Hawkins (currently dealing with a hamstring injury) to give the Patriots an all-new starting safety tandem, with Kyle Dugger falling down the depth chart and Jabrill Peppers being a surprise cut before the opener.
Woodson has played a team-leading 97.8 percent of the Patriots’ defensive snaps, including 100 percent twice — in the opening loss to the Raiders, and last Sunday against the Saints, which was the first time he didn’t play a single special teams snap.
His versatility was on display against the Saints. He forced an incomplete pass on a third-down blitz, made six tackles, had lockdown coverage on an unsuccessful deep ball to speedy Rashid Shaheed, and most important, had the awareness to pounce on Chris Olave’s fumble after Christian Elliss punched the ball loose.
Woodson hasn’t been flawless — he’s given up three touchdowns on the 21 times he’s been targeted in coverage. He has played more and better than anyone anticipated when the Patriots took him on Day 3 of the draft. Also, when the Patriots wear their Pat Patriots jerseys, his No. 31 in those colors is a welcome reminder of Fred Marion.
Jeffery Simmons: Now here’s a guy that deserves better. The Titans’ three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle is just 28 years old and still playing at a high level for this lost-cause of a team.
Simmons was a singular force in the loss to the Raiders, finishing with six tackles (two for a loss), two quarterback hits, and a sack. It was his third straight game with a sack, and he has 4.5 on the season after having 5 in 16 games last year.
Simmons already has more QB hits (11) than he had a year ago (9), and his eight tackles for a loss are four shy of his career high of 12, set in his first Pro Bowl season, 2021.
Grievance of the week
Coming into the season, the closest thing to a certainty with the Patriots offense was that they would be decent at running the ball.
It, uh, hasn’t quite worked out that way. Maye has done the heavy lifting, emerging at the speed of Bethel Johnson to become one of the most prolific and exciting quarterbacks in the league. His ascension to franchise QB status has occurred with modest-at-best support from the running game.
The Patriots are averaging 91 yards per game on the ground, 26th in the NFL, and a mere 3.5 yards per attempt. Last Sunday against the Saints, the Patriots’ running backs ran 22 times for just 45 yards, an average of 2.1 yards per carry. That’s fine if it’s intended as a tribute to 1994 Marion Butts, but pretty lousy otherwise.
Reasons for the struggles can be found at both the team and individual levels. The Patriots linemen have created some holes, but haven’t done a great job holding their blocks. The backs, collectively, have been poor at breaking tackles. Rhamondre Stevenson’s fumbling issues make you hold your breath all the way through the whistle. Rookie TreVeyon Henderson’s attempts to be patient have made him tentative. Antonio Gibson tore his ACL against the Bills and is lost for the season.
Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels took some heat after the Saints game for trying to establish the run in the second half, when the Patriots scored just 3 points. It was frustrating because Maye was cooking, but it was understandable. The Patriots suddenly have real hopes of a playoff berth this season, and they’re going to need to get this running game repaired to fulfill all of this newfound potential. Perhaps it happens against the Titans, who rank 25th in the league in rush defense (133.7 yards per game).
The flashback
During those six seasons as Titans coach, Vrabel squared off with the Patriots twice. The second time, in the 2019 AFC Wild Card Round, won’t be forgotten. Vrabel outwitted Bill Belichick with some clever play-clock shenanigans, ex-Pat Logan Ryan intercepted Tom Brady late, and an era officially ended with a 20-13 Titans victory in Brady’s final game with the franchise.
Logan Ryan celebrates after returning a Tom Brady interception for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the Titans' 2019 Wild Card Round win over the Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
Logan Ryan celebrates after returning a Tom Brady interception for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the Titans' 2019 Wild Card Round win over the Patriots at Gillette Stadium.Steven Senne/Associated Press
But do you remember the first? That, too, was a Tennessee win, a 34-10 rout in Week 10 of the 2018 season.
I bet you’d need at least a half-dozen guesses to name the only Patriot to score a touchdown in that one.
[Pause.]
It was fullback James Develin. Anyone get it right away?
That ’18 season, of course, ended much better for the Patriots than the one that followed. I believe it involved confetti and duck boats.
Prediction, or it’s a good thing Calvin Ridley said no to the Patriots . . .
Two weeks ago, the Patriots faced the five-time defending AFC East champion Bills in prime time, on their turf. They passed that test in one of their most stirring victories in years.
Last week, the Patriots’ challenge was avoiding a letdown against a struggling but feisty Saints team. They passed that test, thanks largely to Maye.
And this week? In a quest for a third straight road victory, they take on a Titans team in disarray, with a new coach and a confused rookie quarterback — a team, frankly, that they should throttle. In advance, consider it another test aced. Patriots 38, Titans 10.
Chad Finn can be reached at chad.finn@globe.com.