The
Huddle
DIVISIONAL
January 7, 2004
Playoff Ticket
|
|
Saturday
|
Sunday
|
|
|
|
|
4:30 PM, FOX at Edward Jones
Dome
|
1:00 PM, CBS at Arrowhead Stadium
|
|
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8:15 PM, CBS at Gillette Stadium
|
4:45 PM, FOX at Lincoln Financial
Field
|
|
| |
Tennessee |
Rush |
Catch |
Pass |
| QB |
Steve McNair
|
10 |
0 |
200,1 |
| RB |
Eddie George
|
50 |
10 |
0 |
| TE |
Erron Kinney |
0 |
30,1 |
0 |
| TE |
Frank Wycheck |
0 |
20 |
0 |
| WR |
Derrick Mason
|
0 |
50 |
0 |
| WR |
Justin McCareins |
0 |
50 |
0 |
| WR |
Tyrone Calico |
0 |
30 |
0 |
|
| |
New
England |
Rush
|
Catch
|
Pass
|
| QB |
Tom Brady |
0 |
0 |
230,2 |
| RB |
Kevin Faulk |
30 |
20 |
0 |
| RB |
Antowain Smith
|
50 |
10 |
0 |
| TE |
Fauria/Graham |
0 |
30,1 |
0 |
| WR |
Troy Brown |
0 |
50 |
0 |
| WR |
David Givens |
0 |
60,1 |
0 |
| WR |
Deion Branch |
0 |
30 |
0 |
| WR |
Bethel Johnson |
0 |
20 |
0 |
|
Game Prediction:
TEN 16, NE 20
Line: New England by 6
The Titans come off a 20-17 win over the Ravens after having
lost the previous five games to them. Steve McNair threw for
159 yards and had one touchdown against three interceptions
but the Ravens inability to generate offense negated the advantage
in turnover differential. Eddie George gained 88 yards on
25 carries in keeping with his typical 3.5 yards per carry
average.
The Patriots come into this game with a 12 game winning streak,
homefield advantage through out the playoffs and have already
defeated the Titans 38-30 back in week five of this season.
They have not lost to anyone since that game.
The Titans have Eddie George with a bum shoulder but he continued
to play and is slated to practice and start this week against
a very tough defense. Steve McNair suffered further aggravation
to his calf but continued to play last week and will also
start.
Since that week five game, the Patriots have not allowed
a visitor to score more than 13 points in any game including
two shutouts. This was aided by bad weather in a couple of
instances but there may be no better overall defense in the
NFL than the Patriots at home this year. Since that week five
game, the Titans have allowed road opponents to score at least
24 points other than JAX and that includes teams like ATL,
NYJ and HOU.
The Patriots do not have the running game that Baltimore
had (nor does any team really) but they feature one of the
most complex passing attacks in the league that favors no
one player and cannot be defended merely by relying on cornerbacks
to stop two wideouts.
Played in New England, the Titans come in off an emotional
road win over the Ravens and face the team that has hit their
peak long ago but has never started any downturn. Eddie George
is no gem as a tailback and McNair is still a banged up warrior.
The Patriots have had time to prepare and with homefield,
can take this game.
| Team Comparisons - Current team
rankings (1-32) for FF points scored or allowed
by position |
| Rank (1-32) |
QB
|
RB
|
WR
|
TE
|
PK
|
DEF
|
| TEN Scores |
3
|
28
|
7
|
4
|
9
|
13
|
| NE Allows |
25
|
1
|
15
|
25
|
3
|
8
|
| TEN AP |
22
|
-27
|
-8
|
21
|
-6
|
-5
|
|
| Rank (1-32) |
QB
|
RB
|
WR
|
TE
|
PK
|
DEF
|
| NE Scores |
18
|
23
|
12
|
9
|
14
|
1
|
| TEN Allows |
17
|
11
|
18
|
14
|
28
|
26
|
| NE AP |
-1
|
-12
|
6
|
5
|
14
|
25
|
|
Offensive ranks = #1 gains most points, Defensive
ranks = #1 allows least points
AP = Advantage Points, the net difference between a positional
rank gained or allowed by the teams.
|
TEN
|
NE
|
2003 Game Averages
|
NE
|
TEN
|
|
Gains
|
Allows
|
QB's
|
Gains
|
Allows
|
|
241
|
202
|
Pass yards
|
224
|
216
|
|
2.0
|
1.2
|
Pass TDs
|
1.3
|
1.2
|
|
0.8
|
2.3
|
Interceptions
|
0.8
|
1.3
|
|
10
|
12
|
Rush yards
|
4
|
13
|
|
0.3
|
0.8
|
Rush TDs
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
|
---
|
---
|
RB's
|
---
|
---
|
|
103
|
74
|
Rush yards
|
87
|
75
|
|
0.2
|
0.0
|
Rush TDs
|
0.7
|
0.8
|
|
18
|
42
|
Receive yards
|
40
|
40
|
|
0.2
|
0.0
|
Receive TD's
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
|
---
|
---
|
WR's
|
---
|
---
|
|
176
|
136
|
Receive yards
|
149
|
144
|
|
1.2
|
0.8
|
Receive TD's
|
1.0
|
0.8
|
|
---
|
---
|
TE's
|
---
|
---
|
|
48
|
23
|
Receive yards
|
35
|
32
|
|
0.7
|
0.5
|
Receive TD's
|
0.3
|
0.2
|
|
---
|
---
|
PK's
|
---
|
---
|
|
1.5
|
1.2
|
Field Goals
|
1.5
|
1.8
|
|
2.8
|
1.5
|
Extra Points
|
2.5
|
2.5
|
|
---
|
---
|
DEF/ST
|
---
|
---
|
|
0.5
|
0.8
|
Fumbles
|
0.5
|
1.3
|
|
1.2
|
0.8
|
Interceptions
|
2.3
|
0.7
|
|
0.3
|
0.0
|
Touchdowns
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
|
2.0
|
2.2
|
Sacks
|
2.7
|
1.8
|
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
Safeties
|
0.2
|
0.0
|
|
|
Tennessee (12-4) |
|
Score |
Opp. |
| 25-20 |
OAK |
| 7-33 |
@IND |
| 27-12 |
NO |
| 30-13 |
@PIT |
| 30-38 |
@NE |
| 38-17 |
HOU |
| 37-17 |
@CAR |
| 31-7 |
@JAX |
| Week 9 |
BYE |
| 30-17 |
MIA |
| 10-3 |
JAX |
| 38-31 |
@ATL |
| 17-24 |
@NYJ |
| 27-29 |
IND |
| 28-26 |
BUF |
| 27-24 |
@HOU |
| 33-13 |
TB |
|
|
Patriots (14-2) |
| Score |
Opp. |
| 0-31 |
@BUF |
| 31-10 |
@PHI |
| 23-16 |
NYJ |
| 17-20 |
@WAS |
| 38-30 |
TEN |
| 17-6 |
NYG |
| 19-13 |
@MIA |
| 9-3 |
CLE |
| 30-26 |
@DEN |
| Week 10 |
BYE |
| 12-0 |
DAL |
| 23-20 |
@HOU |
| 38-34 |
@IND |
| 12-0 |
MIA |
| 27-13 |
JAX |
| 21-16 |
@NYJ |
| 31-0 |
BUF |
|
* Fantasy point rankings calculated using standard Huddle
fantasy points |
