The Tennessee Titans and Marcus Mariota will look to play spoiler in Sunday visiting New England against Quarterback Tom Brady.
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When you look at the best teams in the National Football League and the AFC the New England Patriots have been at the top of their game for quite some time. Once again this season, with close to a month left they have already secured a Playoff Berth. On the other side of the coin entirely are the Tennessee Titans. In fact, if there season were to end today, the Titans would have the top pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and have the opportunity to continue rebuilding around Quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Speaking of Marcus Mariota, his magic continues from the College game at Oregon to the next level. He has used his legs over the last few weeks to show why he was the number two pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. He had an 87 yard touchdown run against Jacksonville two weeks ago and last week had a highlight catch for a score lining up as a Wide Receiver against the New York Jets. The play against the Jets was the lone highlight in a dismal display for Tennessee in a blowout loss giving them 10 losses on the season. It could very well be 11 after Sunday.
Tennessee visits the New England Patriots on Sunday and Mariota will look to do his best, but will do so with an injury prone Offensive Line and a Wide Receiver Corps missing a big target in Kendall Wright, out for his third straight week. Quarterback Tom Brady and Tight End Rob Gronkowski missed practice on Friday. Brady due to illness according to MSN.com. Gronkowski sat out possibly as a precaution from a knee injury he suffered a few weeks ago, but could still play on Sunday.
Update: Brady is expected to play on Sunday.
The Patriots Running Game is also been bit by the injury bug with former Oregon Running Back LeGarrette Blount out for the remainder of the year with a hip injury and Dion Lewis also not set to return to the field this season.
Regardless of the outcome, Tennessee can take solace in the fact that times will get better in 2016. If that top NFL Draft pick does fall to the Titans the biggest area of need is the Offensive Line in my opinion. If a Running Back is available for their second pick, preferably one that can be an outlet for Marcus Mariota, it would help improve the Offense in a big way and sooner rather than later.
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Tennessee and New England meet at Gillette Stadium on Sunday at 10am Pacific Time on CBS.