Looking the Patriots and Titans and why running the football still matters… – NFL.com

Why did the Patriots beat the Titans? A lot of reasons. But a main one was simple and old-school. They ran the ball and stopped the run. Maniacal runner Stevan Ridley gained 125 yards on 21 carries… which a TON of carries for a passing team. Aerial assassin Tom Brady? Well, he threw just 31 passes, which is his sweet spot. Instead of sitting back in nickel or dime and waiting for the Patriots to go at them in the air, the Titans had to defend the run. Or, try to. OC Josh McDaniels kept them guessing, making the Patriots offense nearly impossible to stop.