New England @ Tennessee preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 13, 2018 ) Tennessee 14, New England 35

The Tennessee Titans saw their 2017 season come to an end with a 21-point playoff loss at New England and came away with an important lesson: If you can't beat 'em, get 'em to join you. The Patriots will see a number of familiar faces on the opposing sideline as they seek their sixth consecutive victory against the host Titans on Sunday in Nashville, Tenn.

Tennessee imported a pair of free agents from New England in running back Dion Lewis and cornerback Malcolm Butler as well as bringing in Dean Pees to serve as defensive coordinator under first-year coach Mike Vrabel, a longtime linebacker with the Patriots. "We have to get ready for everybody," New England coach Bill Belichick said. "They all know us, that's the way it is every week in this league. There are always players that we had or they had. It's the National Football League." The bye week did wonders for the Titans, who ended a three-game slide with an impressive 28-14 win at Dallas on Monday night, but they know what they are up against in the five-time Super Bowl champs. "We can't be mentally defeated walking out there," said cornerback Logan Ryan, in his second year with Tennessee after four season with the Patriots. "You gotta go out there and believe in yourself. Do your job to help the team. We gotta bring it, man."

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Patriots -6.5. O/U: 46.5

ABOUT THE PATRIOTS (7-2): Tom Brady has only one touchdown pass in the past two games but it was a biggie -- a 55-yard scoring strike to Josh Gordon in the fourth quarter to put the finishing touches on a 31-17 win over Green Bay last weekend. Brady was without a pair of key starters in tight end Rob Gronkowski and running back Sony Michel, who practiced on a limited basis Thursday but remain question marks for Sunday. Running back James White has been invaluable with a team-high 61 receptions and six TDs to go along with four scores on the ground. The Patriots are 30th in the league in sacks (13.0) and are 26th in passing defense (274.2 yards) but held Aaron Rodgers to a 55.8 completion percentage.

ABOUT THE TITANS (4-4): Marcus Mariota finally ditched the glove on his throwing hand that he was wearing due to numbness in his fingers and compiled a season-high 119.9 passer rating, tossing two touchdown passes and running for another against Dallas. Lewis, who led the Patriots in rushing in 2017, had 122 yards from scrimmage against the Cowboys after amassing a season-high 155 yards from scrimmage in the previous game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Corey Davis, a first-round pick in 2017, has a team-high 36 catches but fellow wideouts Tajae Sharpe and Taywan Taylor are each dealing with injuries. Tennessee's defense is permitting a league-low 17.6 points per game and allows 226.3 yards passing.

EXTRA POINTS

1. New England has won seven in a row (playoffs included) against the Titans, last losing in December 2002.

2. Titans S Kevin Byard has 10 interceptions since the start of 2017, tied for the most in the NFL.

3. Brady has 10 TDs and zero interceptions in the past three versus Tennessee.

PREDICTION: Patriots 27, Titans 20