Live blog: Patriots romp past Titans in NFL playoffs
The Tennessee Titans face the defending Super Bowl champs, the New England Patriots, in a divisional round playoff game Saturday. We'll have live updates throughout the game right here.
Refresh this page for updates below. Click here for live box score.
FINAL: Patriots 35, Titans 14
4TH QUARTER
► PATRIOTS 35, TITANS 14: Titans trying to salvage some dignity with 9-yard TD pass from Mariota to Davis. They try an onside kick but they're offsides.
► Eight sacks of Mariota. Not sure what the point of having him out there is.
► As we run out the clock on this game and this season, let's check in on the social chatter, which admittedly skews toward the dour:
► Chalk some of it up to playing from behind (and Conklin's absence), but the Tennessee run game has been almost non-existent. Mariota has had a few useful scrambles, but Derrick Henry has just 28 yards on 12 carries, a paltry 2.3 yards per attempt. The hope had been he might add some dynamism to the Titans' offense after taking over as the starter for the injured DeMarco Murray, but that has hardly been the case today.
► Mariota sacked for the 6th time tonight. They won't convert on 3rd and 17. Titans have really struggled in protection since Conklin went out.
► Patriots up to 30 first downs on the night. Titans have 39 total plays.
► PATRIOTS 35, TITANS 7: From 4 yards out, Gronk gets man coverage on the right side with Kevin Byard. Brady lofts it up in the end zone, and you can guess how that ends.
► Brady throws across his body as he flies backward, back across half the field to Amendola for 12 yards and a first down in the red zone. Uncanny.
► For those of you just checking in, the Titans jumped out to a 7-0 lead in this game on a circus catch by Corey Davis, and it's been all New England ever since. Tom Brady has 298 yards and 2 TDs through the air, and generally faced little resistance. Five Patriot receivers have at least 3 receptions, and the Titans are being outgained in total yards 374-173. Fans might point to a few iffy moments of officiating, but the story of the game is Brady and the Pats' offense largely moving the ball at will.
3RD QUARTER
► Mariota is sacked for the 5th time, and the TV crew helpfully points out the Titans have as many penalties as first downs.
► PATRIOTS 28, TITANS 7: Brandon Bolden goes untouched into the end zone from 2 yards out. That feels like a coffin nail.
► First play of the next series, Brady to Gronk for 29. NE has 21 first downs, Titans have 9.
► Decker gets another flag, Mariota sacked on consecutive plays, and Titans punting (again). Pats have good field position (again), 1st down at their 45. It's getting ugly.
► Titans have 8 penalties to the Pats' 2, and a number of them have been drive-killers.
► Titans RT Jack Conklin is out for the game.
► Vandy alum Adam Butler sacks Mariota on 3rd down and Titans punt. Pats ball on their 25.
► Titans will start with the ball. A scoring drive to open the half could make this a game again, and erase a lot of the bad taste from the end of the first half.
HALFTIME: Patriots 21, Titans 7
2ND QUARTER
► Brady hits Amendola for 11 yards and the clock stops very, very quickly to leave 1 second left. They line up for a Gostkowski FG, but he's wide left from 53 yards. Ball don't lie?
► They go, and Derrick Henry loses 5 yards. Just a head-scratching series of decisions there. Didn't need to take the TO. Now Brady gets it about 10 yards outside of FG range.
► 4th and 1 at the Pats' 45 and Titans take their last TO with 25 seconds to go.
► Titans are going to have a shot to at least get in FG range before the half.
► PATRIOTS 21, TITANS 7: Brady finds Hogan wide open in the back of the end zone, and what looked so promising has become dire for the Titans. The Pats offense basically having their way over these last few drives.
► 2-minute warning and the Pats are knocking on the door, 1st and goal from the 6.
► Let's check in with the fan watch party in Nashville:
► Geez... Titans about to flip the field, but they get a neutral zone infraction (originally called a false start) on 4th and 5 to keep the Pats' drive alive.
► Worth revisiting: Titans LB Wesley Woodyard was laid out on block by Chris Hogan on a previous drive. Possibly an illegal hit? Wasn't flagged.
► Another Tennessee drive stalls. Pats will start inside their 10.
► Two quick TDs by New England. Titans really need to settle things down here.
► PATRIOTS 14, TITANS 7: Methodical drive from the Patriots ends with a 6-yard James White TD run. Relevant info below that doesn't include that latest score.
► Mariota hits Eric Decker for a first down, but Decker gets an OPI flag. They kick and NE is set up at the Tennessee 48.
► See it again:Titans' Corey Davis makes one-handed catch for first career TD
► TITANS 7, PATRIOTS 7: Pats waste no time tying it up after having Lewis' TD called back. James White takes a little dump pass to the left pylon from 5 yards out and scores easily. Drive took less than 3 minutes, and Brady has tied Brett Favre for the second most career TD passes in NFL history.
► Dion Lewis rips off a 50-yard TD on a short pass, but it looks like he was down around the 19.
► Jack Conklin is questionable to return, we're told. He headed for the locker room after getting hurt.
1ST QUARTER
► TITANS 7, PATRIOTS 0: Corey Davis makes the first TD catch of his career, a one-handed circus grab in the left corner of the end zone from 15 yards out. The 95-yard touchdown drive reportedly is the longest allowed in the playoffs by the Pats during the Belichick era.
► Mariota picks up another pair of first downs, first finding Rishard Matthews over the middle on 3rd and 3, then taking it around the right side himself for 11. Red zone.
► Titans RT Jack Conklin is down and hurt. That'd be a huge loss if he can't return. He walks off the field, at least, and Dennis Kelly is in to replace him.
► Titans into Pats territory now. Delanie Walker got them out of the goalpost's shadow with a 36-yard grab, then Mariota scrambled for 11 on 3rd and 7.
► Titans almost get burned when Gronk was left uncovered, but the throw was rushed and incomplete as Brady tried to catch the defense flat-footed. Instead, they'll punt. Titans pick up a flag on the return and will be backed up inside their own 10.
► Fun fact: Titans are 2-0 in games where temperature was 25 degrees or less at kick with Mariota at QB.
► Mariota is sacked on 3rd down, and Titans punt it away on their first possession. Corey Davis was getting involved early on a nice out route for a first down. NE ball on their 34.
► It's apparently a hoodie-worthy game for Bill Belicheck:
► Titans get a stop on their first possession, although Gronkowski has already made an appearance, snagging a 14-yard pass for a first down.
PREGAME
Scroll down for TV, streaming and radio information.
► The Titans are about 13.5-point underdogs tonight, which would make a win by Tennessee one of the biggest upsets in NFL playoff history.
► Inactives include former Titans WR Kenny Britt, who's trying to resurrect his career in New England.
► Titans beat writer Jason Wolf and columnist Joe Rexrode preview the game below. Follow them on Twitter (@JasonWolf, @JoeRexrode) for their commentary on the game.
► What happened the last time the Titans and Patriots met in the playoffs? We revisited the game, all the way back in 2004. See photos below.
► More pregame reading:
- Titans' GM Jon Robinson helped build the Patriots dynasty
- Rexrode: Patriots are great, sure, but they're also confirmed cheaters
- Tennessee will need some magic from Dick LeBeau to pull upset vs. Pats
- Keys to victory: Marcus Mariota, Derrick Henry must eat the clock
- From The Boston Globe: Ex-Titan Kenny Britt finds discipline in New England
Television
- Network: CBS
- Nashville affiliate: WTVF NewsChannel 5
- Play-by-play: Jim Nantz
- Analyst: Tony Romo
- Sideline reporter: Tracy Wolfson
- Sideline reporter: Jay Feely
- View coverage map
Streaming
- CBS All Access (free trial)
- NFL Game Pass (replays only)
Radio
- In Tennessee: FM 104.5 (Nashville); FM 98.7 (Knoxville); FM 102.3 (Chattanooga); FM 102.3 (Jackson); FM 104.1 (Clarksville); FM 92.9 (Memphis)
- Elsewhere: Tennessee | Alabama | Kentucky | Outside the Mid-South
- Satellite: Sirius 83, XM 83, SXM 83, XM Internet 830
- National radio: Westwood One Sports