End of New England dynasty? Titans stun Brady's Patriots in NFL playoffs

Sacha Pisani

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End of New England dynasty? Titans stun Brady's Patriots in NFL playoffs image

The Tennessee Titans stunned defending NFL champions the New England Patriots 20-13 in the AFC wild-card round on Saturday.

Tennessee overcame a hostile environment to take down the Patriots in what could have been Tom Brady's final game in the NFL.

The Patriots – playing in the wild-card round for the first time in a decade – were held scoreless in the second half as their hopes of back-to-back titles were dashed.

Brady, who is aged 42 and out of contract at the end of the season amid uncertainty over his future, was 20 of 37 for 209 yards and an interception.


Ryan Tannehill completed eight of his 15 throws for 72 yards, a touchdown and an interception as the Titans earned a divisional round clash with the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens.

New England have dominated the NFL with Brady under centre, winning six Super Bowls since the quarterback's arrival in 2000, however, the Patriots were upstaged on home soil.

After the Patriots' Nick Folk converted a 36-yard field goal, Tannehill threw a 12-yard pass to Anthony Firkser for the touchdown and 7-3 Tennessee lead.

The Patriots, though, regained the advantage via a five-yard rush from Julian Edelman to ease some of the tension in Foxborough, where another Folk field goal put New England 13-7 ahead.


However, the Titans – who had suffered seven consecutive losses to the Patriots before defeating New England in November 2018 – went into the half-time interval with a 14-13 cushion after Derrick Henry's one-yard rush.

Neither the Titans nor the Patriots added to the scoreboard in the third quarter and the theme continued in the final period.

The Titans milked the clock with tactical delay of games and long drives, frustrating Brady – who threw an interception at the death as Logan Ryan capitalised to seal a huge road win.

Sacha Pisani