• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Hot Titans have slim playoff hopes

Dec 31, 2006 - 2:25 PM New England (11-4) at Tennessee (8-7) Sunday 1:00 pm EST

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- The New England Patriots are headed to the playoffs for the fifth time in six years. The Tennessee Titans would like to join them in the postseason party.

The Titans have won six straight games to keep alive their playoff hopes heading into Sunday's contest against the Patriots.

Tennessee needs a win along with losses by Cincinnati and Denver and a win by Kansas City to make the playoffs.

But even if the Titans fall short, the streak has served notice to the rest of the league that the franchise is on the rise with rookie Vince Young at quarterback. Since coach Jeff Fisher made the move from Kerry Collins to Young, the Titans have gone 8-4.

The third overall pick in the draft, Young has passed for 1,972 yards and 12 touchdowns with 11 interceptions and rushed for 523 yards and six scores.

Young scored on a 36-yard run and Travis Henry rushed for 135 yards in the Titans' 30-29 win at Buffalo last week. Henry has rushed for 1,184 yards this season.

The winning streak has virtually assured that the Titans will pick up coach Jeff Fisher's $5.3 million option in 2007. They probably should lock up Fisher to a long-term extension.

The Patriots have won four straight AFC East titles under coach Bill Belichick.

Two-time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady passed for 249 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown to rookie tight end David Thomas, in last week's division-clinching 24-21 win at Jacksonville.

Brady has been the quarterback for the Pats' five division crowns since 2001. Included in that is three Super Bowl titles from 2001-04.

The key to the latest division crown was a 6-1 road record heading into the contest at Tennessee.

The Patriots welcomed back star safety Rodney Harrison last week after he missed six games with a broken shoulder blade. Harrison recovered a fumble by Jacksonville quarterback David Garrard in the final minute to seal the win over the Jaguars.

Only Baltimore has allowed fewer points than the Patriots (14.3 per game). Yet Richard Seymour, who plays end and tackle, was the lone Patriot selected to the Pro Bowl.

New England will play in the wild-card round next week.