The Tennessee Titans face a big test in Week 7 when they host the New England Patriots at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, this Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CDT.
Even before Brian Callahan was fired this week, there were already storylines around this game swirling. Mike Vrabel is making his return to Nashville, the Titans are rebuilding behind a rookie quarterback, the Patriots are surging behind Drake Maye, and the Titans still don’t know their identity.
There are even more storylines now, so let’s take a look at the five biggest storylines heading into this Week 7 matchup.
Mike Vrabel returns to Nashville
Mike Vrabel was fired as the Titans’ head coach in 2023 after six seasons. His team made the playoffs in three of those six seasons. Now, Vrabel is the head coach of the Patriots, and he’s making his first return to Nashville since being fired. He will be highly motivated, no matter how he presents himself publicly. Especially since his successor was fired after a 4-19 record.
There are many in Nashville who were incredibly unhappy with Vrabel’s firing and would still like to see him come back. It’s an incredibly unlikely scenario, but never say never.
Titans’ coaching changes
After the Titans fired head coach Brian Callahan, offensive line coach Bill Callahan (Brian’s father) resigned from his position. The interim head coach is senior offensive assistant Mike McCoy, who hopes to stabilize a team that averages just 13.8 points per game, good enough for 31st in the NFL.
This will be the Titans’ first game under new leadership, and it comes at a difficult time with the surging Patriots and Mike Vrabel coming to town. Midseason coaching changes are always difficult, and, historically, there have been mixed results. The Titans hope they will be on the positive side of the situation, but we’ll have to see how it plays out.
Drake Maye surging in Year 2
So much for a sophomore slump. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is thriving with a revamped supporting cast. Stefon Diggs, Hunter Henry, TreVeyon Henderson, and Kayshon Boutte have provided rushing yards and targets for Maye to throw to. Diggs, Henry, and Henderson have combined for 370 yards after the catch, aiding the Patriots’ offense in a big way.
Under Josh McDaniels, Maye’s decision-making has improved, as has his red zone efficiency, making New England’s offense multidimensional. This will present a major problem for the Titans’ defense.
Titans’ identity crisis
After Vrabel was fired, the Titans have cycled through general managers and coaches. Their record is 4-19 since his departure, putting Titans’ ownership under scrutiny. They have no identity right now, no one part of their game stands out from the rest, and the organization as a whole is in chaos. This game could be a referendum on the Titans’ decision-making over the last two years.
Titans’ run defense coming on
Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons is one of the league’s top interior linemen. He is responsible for a big part of the Titans’ run defense, but linebacker Cedric Gray has shown up in a big way in 2025. He’s recorded 12 or more tackles in three straight games. The Patriots average just 3.5 yards per rushing attempt, and they average less than 100 rushing yards per game. With the breakout of Gray over the last few games, the Titans’ run defense has an opportunity to make itself known in Week 7.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans vs. Patriots: 5 biggest storylines in Week 7
