AT
The reigning AFC Champions kicked
off their 2012 season against a Tennessee Titans team many felt wouldn’t pose
much of a threat to a team led by Bill Belicheck and Tom Brady. The Titans did
more than pose a threat; they shutdown the Patriots offense and cruised to a
27-16 victory.
Titans quarterback Jake Locker wowed the
fans at LP Field in his first NFL start, throwing for 256 yards, one touchdown,
and no interceptions. Locker completed only 59% of his passes, but looked very
comfortable in the pocket. He made good decisions the entire game and wasn’t
afraid to throw the ball away when a play didn’t develop. He also managed to
spread the ball to six different receivers including four passes to wide
receiver Nate Washington for 81 yards.
Titans running back Chris Johnson went
over the century mark for 109 yards on 28 carries. Despite the solid yardage,
CJ never got into a rhythm and did not find the end zone.
The real story of the game?
Tennessee’s defense. They forced four turnovers including three
uncharacteristic interceptions by Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Linebacker Will Witherspoon took one of
those Brady INTs to the house for a touchdown. Defensive tackle Sen’Derrick
Marks led all defenders with seven tackles including four tackles for loss
and one sack. Defensive end Derrick Morgan also added one sack.
The Titans will travel to San Diego
next week for a date with the Chargers. Despite surprising the league with the
victory over New England, the Titans find themselves in the underdog role yet
again. Titans Head Coach Mike Munchak says that’s just the way they like it.
Note: The
statistics and storylines represented within this blog are completely fictional. The information is based on a season play-through of Madden NFL 13 for the Playstation 3. Games
are played on All-Pro difficulty with 12 minute quarters and auto-clock runoff set to "on."
