The New England Patriots defense clamps down in the red zone, and these matchups against Tennessee’s receiving threats could be crucial.
The Tennessee Titans don’t have great wide receivers and the New England Patriots know that. Tight end Delanie Walker was their biggest weapon this season, but he’s no Rob Gronkowski.
New England will look to completely shut down the Tennessee passing game, forcing RB Derrick Henry to be a one-man show if he wants to win the game. Making the Titans one-dimensional is a top priority for the Patriots, and it will all start with the play of their defensive backs.
Marcus Mariota isn’t a special quarterback, Delanie Walker isn’t Rob Gronkowski, and no one is scared of any wide receiver on the Titans roster. They simply do not have enough weapons to even begin to threaten New England. Look for Malcolm Butler, Stephon Gilmore, Eric Rowe, and Patrick Chung to all have huge games on Saturday night. If they do, this game won’t even be close and the Patriots will walk right into the AFC Championship Game once again.
WR Rishard Matthews v. CB Malcolm Butler
Matthews 2017 Stats: 53 receptions, 795 yards, 4 touchdowns
Butler 2017 Stats: 55 tackles, 1.0 sack, 3 forced fumbles, 12 passes defended, 2 interceptions
In theory, Rishard Matthews is the Tennessee Titans best pure wide receiver, but he was targeted just twice last week against the Chiefs and he didn’t have a single catch. Kansas City was able to shut him down, and New England should be able to once again as well.
Malcolm Butler struggles with slot receivers like Eric Decker, so sliding Stephon Gilmore into that role and allowing Butler to lock up with Matthews makes the most sense. He’s put together a solid season as the #2 corner for the Patriots with 12 passes defended and 2 interceptions, and he could be a difference maker on Saturday night. Expect to see a lot of 1-on-1 matchups between these two players, with New England and Butler having the slight edge. Realistically, the Patriots want to force the Titans to win on the ground and this matchup will be key to that desire.
WR Corey Davis v. Eric Rowe
Davis 2017 Stats: 34 receptions, 375 yards, 0 touchdowns
Rowe 2017 Stats: 13 tackles, 2 passes defended
Rookie wide receiver Corey Davis has been a disappointment for the Tennessee Titans so far this season, though he did have a few catches last week. Against the Chiefs, Davis was targeted 7 times, second-most on the Titans behind 8 for Delanie Walker. Davis hauled in 4 of those passes for receptions but he mustered just 35 yards.
Davis shouldn’t be a problem for the New England Patriots at all and the nickel cornerback Eric Rowe should be able to shut him down. Rowe was limited by injury this season, but he seems to be back and ready to go for this Patriots playoff run. His play on #2 or #3 wide receivers could go a long way towards New England’s success in the playoffs like it did last season when they won Super Bowl LI.
WR Eric Decker v. CB Stephon Gilmore
Decker 2017 Stats: 54 receptions, 563 yards, 1 touchdown
Gilmore 2017 Stats: 47 tackles, 9 passes defended, 2 interceptions
Stephon Gilmore was signed this offseason to be able to lock down receivers in the playoffs. Eric Decker isn’t a superstar, and he isn’t a huge threat, but he’s the kind of player that has given New England problems in the past. Gilmore won’t give up too much physically or athletically to Decker, and he should be able to run right along with him for the entire game.
Last week in Kansas City, Decker caught just 2 passes on 5 targets, but he hauled in a crucial touchdown. Gilmore will look to keep him out of the end zone on Saturday night, forcing others to make plays if Tennessee wants to score at all in this game.
This will be Gilmore’s first career playoff game, and in the national spotlight, he can prove to the rest of the league why New England was willing to pay so much for his services.
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TE Delanie Walker v. S Patrick Chung
Walker 2017 Stats: 74 receptions, 804 yards, 3 touchdowns
Chung 2017 Stats: 67 tackles, 2 fumble recoveries, 9 passes defended, 1 interception
Delanie Walker is the Titans top receiving threat, and his chemistry with QB Marcus Mariota is clearly the best on the team. As always, the Patriots will aim to take away their opponents best weapon, and for that reason, they will look to shut down Walker. Safety Patrick Chung is the player that should be locked on to Walker most of the time.
In 2017, Chung has silently been one of the best players in New England’s secondary. He’s also played extremely well against opposing tight ends. In fact, he’s limited them to 22 catches on 38 targets for 231 yards and two touchdowns. He also has 2 passes defended and his interception when covering tight ends this year.
Next: Get to know the Tennessee Titans
New England should have the edge in the secondary and it doesn’t seem like there is a single matchup they should lose. The Titans will find a way to create through the air at some point, but the Patriots likely won’t give up the big play. The Patriots and Titans Divisional Round game will kick off at 8 PM on Saturday at Gillette Stadium. The winner will face either the Pittsburgh Steelers or Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Championship Game next week.