VJCPatriot

Think about it. Everyone is talking like the Pats can just abritrarily decide if they want to beat the Titans for the seeding. But look at the facts. The Titans are RED HOT. They are currently riding a 6 game winning streak that includes a win over the Indianapolis Colts.

The Titans have everything to win by beating the Pats. With a win over the Pats and some help by other teams they could sneak into the playoffs with a 9-7 record.

Vince Young is perhaps the hottest QB in football right now. And we all can see what he can do when he is hot. (Unless you've been living in a cave the past year you can remember how he almost singlehandedly beat a ridiculously talented USC team). So don't underestimate the Titans. They have the ultimate motivation to win, getting into the playoffs. And they have a QB that could take them there.

In short these Titans are not in any way comparable to the bottom of the basement Dolphins the Pats faced in their final game last year. These Titans are playoff contenders. If the Pats want to win this game they have to fight tooth and nail and bring their A game. Play with anything less than the starters and I think the Pats might get killed.

Agree or disagree? Why.

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Pats67

I disagree with the point about the Dolphins last year. These are parallels, actually - the Dolphins were 8-7 and winners of five straight when they came to Foxboro on New Years Day.

One other thing about this game - the Titans defense ranks near the bottom of the league in every defensive category. The Titans deserve a ton of credit for coming back like they have (they were 11-30 over three seasons before this current winning streak) but they are far from a complete team. They have to play a pretty good team this weekend too, certainly a far deeper and more complete team than they have right now. I like what those guys have done but people shouldn't just automatically assume they will buzzsaw the Patriots this weekend, Vince Young or not.

I'm in favor of playing it straight anyway - its taken them so long to start playing solid football that's not laced with mistakes, I'd like to see them keep up the momentum. But even if they decide to do what they did with the Dolphins last year, the Patriots will be competitive with them and have a chance to win.

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Flying Fungi

The Titans have 2 things going for them--Jeff Fisher and Vince Young.

The Patriots will focus on taking VY out of the game. Contain his running and force him to throw into mixed packages.

He's still a rookie QB that has never faced a Belichick defense.

This game will be as close as the Patriots want it to be.

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mgteich

The patriots are invincable. Playing a team that is 8-2 over the past 10 games with a 6 game win streak, some against good teams, means absolutely nothing. The fact that no team has stopped the Titans and that they are a well-coached means absolutely nothing. That there are playing for a playoff spot means nothing. The patriots can control such a team at will. Pass the koolaid please.

Clonamery

I can't argue with any of your points!!!

This is way you should be thinking all the time........perhaps.

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Paul Brown: A winner never whines.

Pat the Pats Fan

Brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!

desi-patsfan

hmmm so David Thomas is the greatest TE ever and the Titans are unbeatable. I'm gonna go back to my newspaper now.

Jacky Roberts

Put a spy on VY and the game is over (easier said than done, but without huge games from VY, and they have nothing). Not sure how VY helps them on defense, though.

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"Spirituality, Faith, and Democracy are the cornerstones of our country. We are all Patriots, and tonight the Patriots are World Champions."
-Robert Kraft, 2/3/2002




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NYCPatsFan

I disagree about whether we can beat the Titans because I believe we will if we play our entire A team. However, I doubt whether we will field our entire A team for the full game and so think that the Titans will win this one.

After the hit Brady took last week (and I think the Globe reports that he is still recovering), I think that the benefits of a week's rest to the injured players (Brady, Watson, Wilfork, Hobbs etc. top of my head) will outweigh the need to go and play with intensity that could be tapped during the playoffs. Harrison of course will play to absorb more hits but I doubt about the other injured/recovering players.

However, the Pats being Pats, I will not be surprised if Brady decides to play the full game to improve the offensive unit's synch.

Go PATS!!

QuiGon

Vince Young = Michael Vick. A talented and exciting player that will win some games for you, but like all mobile quarterbacks (who rely more on their legs than their arms) simply can't survive deep into the playoffs when they face real defenses.

Sorry, but what Vince Young did against USC is completely irrelevant to what he can and can't do in the NFL. Doug Flutie single handedly beat Miami and Eric Crouch single handedly beat Florida, but that didn't translate into NFL greatness. Danny Wuerffel single handedly beat Florida State and Ty Detmer is arguably the greatest college quarterback of all time. There is simply no direct correlation between NCAA greatness and NFL greatness at the quarterback position.