Getty Ray Lewis predicts the Titans will defeat the Patriots.
It looks like people aren’t as confident in the New England Patriots as they have in year’s past.
As the Patriots prepare to play on the first weekend of the NFL playoffs for the first time since the 2009 season, there are some that don’t even believe New England has what it takes to win their first playoff game at home.
According to Ray Lewis — who was actually a member of the 2009 Baltimore Ravens team that handed the Patriots their last loss during Wild Card weekend — he believes that New England will lose to the sixth-seeded Tennessee Titans at Gilette Stadium on Saturday.
Via Adam London of NESN:
“The bottom line is, the mentality of Derrick Henry and the way he can run the football on the New England Patriots — guys, I’m just telling you, I think they can go in there and they can beat the Patriots. …You know what? Honestly, man, I’m gonna go with the Titans,” Lewis said on the latest edition of Showtime’s “Inside the NFL.”
Ray Lewis Warned Patriots About Losing First Round Bye
For those who have forgotten, it was Lewis who warned the Patriots not to squander their opportunity at a first-round bye by losing to the Miami Dolphins in Week 17.
“I got a stat about the Patriots. Last time the Patriots been in the Wild Card was 10 years ago, 2009. They ran into the Baltimore Ravens. That didn’t end well, 33-14, Brady three picks,” Lewis said on the latest edition of Showtime’s “Inside the NFL.” “Handle your business, Brady. Don’t get in that Wild Card spot. Anything happens, guys.”
Pats Are No Longer Unbeatable at Home
Of course, the Patriots did squander that opportunity by falling to the Dolphins by a score of 27-24 at home. It was their first loss to the Dolphins in Foxborough with Brady under center since the 2005 season.
It’s worth noting that that regular season finale back in 2005 was a meaningless one as New England was already locked into their playoff seed. Matt Cassel actually played the majority of that game.
So in other words, this most recent defeat was Brady’s first real loss at home against the Dolphins in his career.
Why is this all being brought up? Because not only do the Patriots appear to be at their weakest point during their dynasty era — they’re no longer unbeatable at home. New England finished the regular season 6-2 at home — far from the 8-0 home record that they finished with during the 2018 season.
With that being said, the playoffs are a different story. You have to go all the way back to the 2012 season to find New England’s last playoff loss at home — to none other than Lewis’ Ravens. Since then, the Patriots have gone 9-0 at home.
During the Brady era, the Patriots have gone 20-3 at Gillette Stadium — an 86.9 winning percentage.
According to Odds Shark, the Pats will enter this game as 5-point favorites.
Although New England is still favored to win at home, the Titans are quickly becoming a dark horse favorite of many — including the likes of Lewis, who knows a thing or two about beating the Patriots on their home turf in the postseason.