The Tennessee defense had managed just one interception all season. Amani Hooker had a career-best two in the Titans’ 20-17 overtime win over New England on Sunday. Tony Pollard had his most rushing yards in a Titans uniform – getting 36 of his 128 on the game-winning drive in overtime — and Tennessee reached 400 yards of offense for a second straight game to rebound from a difficult loss last week.
Hooker, a sixth-year safety, intercepted Drake Maye on an underthrown pass to secure the win in overtime, following Nick Folk’s 25-yard field goal on the Titans’ only OT possession. Hooker also picked off Maye on the first play of the second quarter.
But other than those miscues, Maye showed plenty of poise in leading a comeback for the Patriots (2-7). The rookie guided New England on an 11-play, 50-yard drive that ended with a sensational, 5-yard touchdown pass to Rhamondre Stevenson on the final play of regulation. Joey Slye’s ensuing extra point sent the game to overtime. Maye, who was 29 of 41 for 206 yards, also ran for 95 yards to lead the Patriots.
However, for most of the fourth quarter, Tennessee’s defense kept Maye in check. Jeffery Simmons sacked the rookie on the first play of the period, then recovered a fumble on Arden Key’s strip sack with 7 minutes remaining. Five plays later, Mason Rudolph found Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for a 6-yard touchdown that broke a 10-10 tie. The Titans held New England to just 3 of 11 on third down and allowed only 295 total yards of offense.
Rudolph, who made a second straight start while Will Levis heals a shoulder injury, found tight end Nick Vannett on a 9-yard touchdown pass to give the Titans (2-6) an early 7-0 lead. Levis is expected to return to start next week’s road game against the Chargers.
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