The New England Patriots’ 2019 season is over.
The Patriots lost 20-13 in the wild-card round of the AFC playoffs at home to the Tennessee Titans.
The Patriots’ defense struggled early, allowing two touchdowns to the Titans in the first half. They settled down in the second half and forced a punt in the final minutes of the game, but it wasn’t enough. The Patriots had a chance to win the game with 15 seconds on the clock and 99 yards to go in a one-point game, but quarterback Tom Brady was picked off by former teammate Logan Ryan for a pick-six on the first play of the drive.
The Patriots once led 13-7 over the Titans but didn’t put points on the scoreboard in the final 32 minutes of the game. New England gained just 85 yards in the second half.
Here’s what else went wrong for the Patriots:
RUN DEFENSE
Titans running back Derrick Henry carved through the Patriots’ defense like a knife through a Christmas ham. He carried the ball 32 times for 179 yards with a touchdown. Henry had 106 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries in the first half alone.
RED-ZONE ISSUES
The Patriots got the ball down to the Titans’ 1-yard line on a drive midway through the second quarter. The Patriots ran three times and wound up losing 2 yards. They settled for a field goal when a touchdown would have meant a 10-point lead.
The Patriots’ defense let the Titans score twice in the red zone.
OFFENSIVE ERRORS
Early in the second quarter, the Patriots had a chance to put together a drive. It stalled after two mistakes. Rookie wide receiver N’Keal Harry dropped a screen pass from quarterback Tom Brady. Two plays later, Brady completed a 38-yard pass to tight end Ben Watson on a scramble drill, but it was brought back because of an ineligible man downfield penalty on right guard Shaq Mason.
Wide receiver Julian Edelman and tight end Ben Watson also dropped passes. Watson’s nearly led to a pick-six in the final seconds of the first half.
The Patriots also had a costly four-play, 26-yard drive late in the fourth quarter that ended with a punt when they had an opportunity to go on a go-ahead drive.
