NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Jerod Mayo and Brian Callahan face the challenges that first-year NFL coaches usually face.

Balancing the need to win now with the patience needed when developing young quarterbacks. It’s not easy, and Mayo brings his New England Patriots in Music City on Sunday to play Callahan’s Titans with both at the bottom of the NFL standings.

This causes fans to either see a tank job in progress or call for more losses for a better one. draft next April. It’s not a coach’s top priority as the calendar turns to November.

“Our job is to put the best product on the field every week, play as hard as we can, do everything we can to win a game,” Callahan said. “And I will always take that position.”

His Titans (1-6) matched the franchise’s worst start since 2015, costing Ken Whisenhunt his job in his second season. Tennessee was defeated 52-14 in Detroitand the Titans return home desperate for their first win in Nashville after an 0-3 start.

Tennessee is one of only two teams in the NFL to have just one win with Carolina. Mayo and his Patriots (2-5) are not far behind thanks to last week’s game 25-22 victory against the Jets. Fans forget that jobs are on the line no matter the record, especially with so much of the season remaining.

“There are too many risks and too much at stake for anyone to do anything other than everything they can to win a game,” Callahan said.

QB mix

While the Patriots wait rookie Drake Maye to get out of the concussion protocol, they at least saw encouraging signs from Jacoby Brissett.

The nine-year veteran started the first five games, going 1-4 before being replaced by Maye. THE first round pick left last week’s game after a helmet-to-helmet hit and is in the NFL’s concussion protocol.

Brissett came off the bench and led New England to two field goals in the fourth quarter to end a six-game skid.

“I feel very comfortable putting Jacoby in there because he is a professional and always stays ready as you saw in the last game,” Mayo said. “Having a veteran quarterback like Jacoby makes us feel comfortable.”

The Titans started veteran backup Mason Rudolph the last two games at second-year quarterback. Will Levis recovering from an AC joint sprain to his right, throwing the shoulder in hopes of a comeback on Sunday. Their only win came at Miami after Levis was injured and Rudolph finished on September 30.

It doesn’t matter who starts. These teams are last in the NFL in fewest passing yards.

Improved protection

The results haven’t shown where it matters most, but the Titans are protecting the best player at quarterback. After give up 15 bags through the first three games, they have conceded just five over the last four games, which is tied with Arizona for the fewest allowed during that span in the NFL.

Despite rotating through right tackles, the Titans have allowed just one sack in two games and didn’t even allow one in another. That’s an average of 1.3 sacks allowed, which ranks fourth in the league over the last five weeks.

Good feedback

As the offense struggles to move the ball, a punt returner such as Marcus Jones can be even more valuable to the Patriots. He had a 62-yard return against the Jets to set up a touchdown. It was his second career punt return of 60+ yards, to go along with an 84-yard touchdown run in 2022.

The Patriots defensive back is second in the NFL and first in the AFC with an average of 13.1 yards per punt return.

“Even though he’s a defensive player, he’s one of the most explosive players in the league when he has the ball in his hands,” Mayo said. “Even if you go back throughout the season, there were times where he was very close to making one. … I can’t wait to continue like this.

Special teams have been a big priority for the Titans after being gashed for 190 yards on punt returns alone, including a 90-yard TD.

Protect the ball

Turnovers were the Titans’ biggest problem, aside from struggling to score in the second half. Only the Raiders (17) had more than Tennessee’s 16 after four more last week. Center Lloyd Cushenberry said it was a big topic of conversation.

“We took them out, man, we’ll be in a better position,” Cushenberry said. “We moved the ball. Run the ball well. The protection has even improved. These are just reversals. This is killing us.

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AP Sports Writer Jimmy Golen contributed to this report.

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