Nashville, TN – The Houston Oilers and Boston Patriots were charter members of the American Football League in 1960. In the league’s inaugural season, the Oilers swept both games, winning 24-10 in New England and 37-21 in Houston.
The teams met 20 times as part of the AFL (1960-69), with the Patriots earning a 10-9-1 advantage.
Upon the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, the Oilers moved to the AFC Central Division, and the Patriots began play in the AFC East. They officially became the New England Patriots in 1971.
Since 1989, the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans have met 15 times, and all but four of those games were played in New England.
Most recently, the Titans and Patriots played at Gillette Stadium on November 28th, 2021. The Titans had two players—Dontrell Hilliard (131) and D’Onta Foreman (109)—exceed 100 rushing yards. However, four Titans turnovers and 310 passing yards by Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones helped the Patriots pull away for a 36-13 victory.
The last time the Patriots visited Tennessee was Week 10 of the 2018 season. Marcus Mariota’s two touchdown passes and Derrick Henry’s two rushing touchdowns helped the Titans to a 34-10 victory. The Titans never trailed in the game against that season’s eventual Super Bowl champions.
There have been four total postseason meetings between the organizations. The latest was January 4th, 2020, when the Titans traveled to New England for a wild card playoff battle. In what would be quarterback Tom Brady’s final game with the Patriots, the Titans won 20-13, as Henry established franchise records with 182 rushing yards and 204 scrimmage yards. Then-second-year head coach Mike Vrabel earned his first career postseason victory.
The 2019 game came only two years after a matchup in the 2017 divisional round, when the Titans traveled to face the top-seeded Patriots and fell by a final score of 35-14. Brady passed for 337 yards and three touchdowns, out-dueling Mariota (254 yards, two touchdowns).
In a 1978 Divisional playoff contest, the Oilers traveled to Schaefer Stadium and advanced to the AFC Championship with a 31-14 win, courtesy of three touchdown passes by Dan Pastorini and 118 rushing yards by Earl Campbell.
Most Recent Games
2017 Divisional Round • Jan. 13, 2018 • Titans 14 at PATRIOTS 35
The Tennessee Titans’ season comes to an end in New England courtesy of a 337-yard, three-touchdown passing performance by Tom Brady. Marcus Mariota passes for 254 yards with a pair of touchdown passes to rookie receiver Corey Davis (five catches for 63 yards).
The Titans take a 7-0 lead into the second quarter before the Patriots score 35 consecutive points. Five different Patriots score touchdowns. Danny Amendola catches 11 passes for 112 yards for New England. Mariota is sacked eight times.
2018 Week 10 • Nov. 11, 2018 • Patriots 10 at TITANS 34
The Tennessee Titans score 17 points in the first quarter and never trail in the contest. Marcus Mariota passes for 228 yards with touchdown passes to tight end Jonnu Smith and receiver Corey Davis. Davis totals 125 yards on seven catches. Derrick Henry rushes for two touchdowns.
The Titans defense shuts out the Patriots in the second half and for the game limits the Patriots to 40 rushing yards on 19 attempts. The Titans sack Tom Brady three times and hold him to a 70.6 passer rating.
2019 Wild Card Round • Jan. 4, 2020 • TITANS 20 at Patriots 13
The sixth-seeded Titans defeat the third-seeded Patriots, as Derrick Henry rushes for 182 yards and a touchdown on 34 carries. Henry sets franchise postseason records in rushing yards, rushing attempts and scrimmage yards (204). Ryan Tannehill passes for 72 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown to tight end Anthony Firkser.
Cornerback Logan Ryan caps the win with a nine-yard interception return for a touchdown. Tom Brady and the Patriots offense is shut out by the Titans defense in the second half.
2021 Week 12 • Nov. 28, 2021 • Titans 13 at PATRIOTS 36
The New England Patriots score the game’s final 20 points after leading 16-13 at halftime. Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones passes for 310 yards with a pair of touchdowns to Kendrick Bourne, and Nick Folk connects on five field goals for the Patriots. The Patriots defense records four takeaways, including three fumble recoveries.
Titans running back Dontrell Hilliard leads the team with 131 rushing yards, including a 68-yard touchdown. D’Onta Foreman adds 109 rushing yards, as the Titans feature a pair of 100-yard ball carriers in the same game for the first time since 2008.
