Around the NFL

Titans over Pats? Mularkey says 'anything can happen'

Published: Jan 08, 2018 at 02:11 AM

Around The NFL Podcast Co-Host

Keep counting out the Titans.

That's just fine with Tennessee, the team that authored the largest road playoff comeback since 1957 in a stunning 22-21 wild-card win over the Chiefs.

Next up: New England, a powerhouse most humans expect to methodically steamroll the Titans come Saturday night. Coach Mike Mularkey -- after possibly saving his job -- isn't giving much credence to the doubters.

"It will be a good challenge obviously," Mularkey said Sunday, per the club's official website. "They're the No. 1 seed, home-field advantage throughout. I'd like to just see us play our best football to see where we are at with these guys.

"It will be a big challenge going up there. But I like our football team, I like their mindset, and when you get into the playoffs, anything can happen."

It's a massively tall order -- knocking Tom Brady and friends off their axis in January -- but the Titans finally looked like the team so many expected to see during a rousing second half against the Chiefs.

Running the ball with authority and getting stellar play from quarterback Marcus Mariota, Tennessee dominated the clock and put together a trio of ground-and-pound touchdown drives to squeeze the life out of Kansas City.

Asking them to double down and punch out the Patriots is a bit much, but the Titans successfully shed their image as a hyper-dull offense on Saturday. Do they have one more stunner in the bloodstream? We'll find out soon enough.

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