Five Questions Ahead of Titans vs. Patriots

The Tennessee Titans are getting ready for their Week 7 matchup against the New England Patriots.

To learn more about the Titans' next opponent, we spoke with New England Patriots On SI reporter Mike D'Abate.

The Patriots have won three games in a row. What’s been the secret to their success?

While the Patriots have performed well in all three phases of the game, their newfound success is due largely in part to emergence of Drake Maye as a bona fide franchise quarterback. Perhaps best known for his ability to turn off-script plays into big yardage gains, Maye has made huge strides in decision-making and ball security.

In addition to increasing his own prowess, Maye has also raised the playing level of his pass-catchers as he takes on a leadership role within New England’s offense.

Defensively, the Patriots have been stingy against the run — ranking fourth in the NFL in rush EPA. While New England’s pass defense was temporarily weakened by the absence of second-team All Pro Christian Gonzalez [out for the first three games due to a hamstring injury,] the Pats have improved, leading to greater success in containing some high-octane offenses through the season’s first six weeks.

Former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel has appeared to have done a good job with the team. How has he fit in with the Pats?

To date, Mike Vrabel has been everything the Patriots both needed and wanted. Determined to instill a culture of winning through hard work and accountability, New England has demonstrated growth in the standings. At 4-2, the Pats have already equaled their win totals from both 2023 and 2024. The team is off to its best start after the first six games since starting with a 6-0 record in 2019, while also improving to a 3-0 record on the road. Not only are they currently in prime position to compete for a playoff spot, they also find themselves atop the AFC East for the first time since Week 15 of the 2021 season.