many of the story lines Eric Rowe Jersey ,have centered around the numerous roster and front office connections between the the two organizations. While the Malcolm Butler, Mike Vrabel, and Dion Lewis narratives are certainly the headliners, there are a couple familiar faces making a name for themselves in central Tennessee that should not go overlooked.The first is Titans GM Jon Robinson. After six seasons as a Patriots scout, Robinson was promoted to Assistant Director of College Scouting on 2008, and then transitioned into the team’s Director of College Scouting role in 2009. Five years later, Robinson followed colleague Jason Licht — a former Patriots scout and Director of Player Personnel from 2009-2011 — to Tampa Bay after Licht was selected for the Buccaneers’ GM job. In 2016, Robinson was hired for Tennessee’s vacant Executive VP and General Manager position following the firing of Ruston Webster — becoming the Titans’ third GM the since the current CBA was signed in 2011, and their fourth of the salary cap era.After back-to-back 9-7 seasons and a road playoff victory last season in Kansas City, an argument can be made that Robinson is off to the best start of any former Patriots front office staffer in the Belichick era — especially considering the circumstances he inherited. While Atlanta’s Thomas Dimitroff started 20-12 in his initial two seasons, the Falcons lost in the 2008 Wild Card round, and he was also afforded the luxury of handpicking his own quarterback in the 2008 draft. Interestingly enough, Mike Mularkey was an integral piece of each GM’s first two seasons, as he was the Falcon’s offensive coordinator in 2008 and 2009, and the Titans’ head coach in 2015 and 2016 before being fired by Robinson.(2.) Now in his third year in Tennessee, it has been interesting to watch Robinson execute his plan and adapt his roster building strategies. The Titans have traditionally been a conservative organization — as evidence by their 24th overall ranking in cash spending from 2013-2016. In fact, until Jurrell Casey’s extension in July of 2017 Authentic David Andrews Jersey , Tennessee hadn’t had a player with an eight-digit salary cap hit since Chris Johnson’s $12 million figure in 2013. That all changed in the spring of 2017. As we’ve seen many teams do, the Titans decided to maximize whatever window they felt Marcus Mariota’s rookie contract afforded them, spurring the signings of free agents like Logan Ryan, Johnathan Cyprien, Malcolm Butler, Dion Lewis, and Bennie Logan over the past two offseasons. Extensions for key in-house player personnel like the aforementioned Casey, left tackle Taylor Lewan, and tight end Delanie Walker have propelled Tennessee’s cash spending ranking from 18th a year ago to 11th this season according to overthecap.com. (3.) The biggest impact Robinson has had since his arrival in Nashville is the amount of depth he’s been able to build within the roster — particularly through the draft. Injuries aside, the Titans have selected somewhere between eight and ten starters from the three draft classes of Robinson’s tenure. Over that same span, the Patriots’ draft classes have yielded between three and four — depending on whether or not Elandon Roberts is starting.Here’s how the two teams’ last three draft classes stack up. This isn’t an indictment on New England, but more so an effort to highlight the work done by Robinson and his scouting staff.Number of players drafted from 2016-2018Titans: 23Patriots: 22Draftees from 2016-2018 currently on the 53-man roster or IR/NFI/PUP:Titans: 16Patriots: 14Games played for organization by 2016-2018 draftees:Titans: 393Patriots: 204(4.) Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Robinson’s first two years was the production the team received from the players whose cap hits accounted for at least 1% of the league salary cap — the “middle” and “upper” classes of the roster. In fact, the Titans led the NFL in the number of such players in 2016 and 2017, and no team in football had a higher percentage of their offensive and defensive snaps come from that specific roster group.(2.) Another former Patriot who has sustained success in the Music City is Titans guard Josh Kline. I wrote about Kline and his “lunch pail” approach as a Patriot back in January prior to the Divisional Round tilt in Foxborough. One thing that stood out was the comments made by Josh McDaniels with regard to Kline in a conference call to reporters that week:(5.) A quick update to that story from January: Kline’s consistent play since 2016 was rewarded with a second contract from GM Jon Robinson in March. The deal keeps the 28-year-old in a Titans uniform through the 2021 season, and is worth a total $28 million with $9.25 million fully guaranteed at signing. Another $2.75 million of his 2019 salary guarantees on the fifth day of the 2019 league year.Follow Brian Phillips on Twitter — @BPhillips_SB The celebratory mob scene in the corner of the end zone broke out far from Ryan Tannehill, leaving him in the open field, running and screaming as he waved his arms. Since he couldn't find anyone to hug Youth Malcom Brown Jersey , he flopped to the grass on his back, the job done and the game won."I collapsed 鈥?just the emotion of the whole thing," Tannehill said.Sixteen seconds from defeat, Tannehill threw a short pass and then watched his teammates save the season with the "Drake Escape."Kenyan Drake ran the last 52 yards as the Dolphins scored on a pass and double lateral on the final play Sunday to beat the New England Patriots 34-33. With that, Miami lived up to its nickname 鈥?the Magic City."They just made one more play than we did," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said.And what a play. The Patriots were on the verge of clinching their 10th consecutive AFC East title when the Dolphins lined up at their 31 after a kickoff return trailing 33-28."We had them right where we wanted," Tannehill said dryly. "Not really surprised with how things turned out."He threw a 14-yard pass to Kenny Stills, who lateraled to DeVante Parker, who quickly lateraled to Drake along the sideline. He cut toward the middle and found a seam, helped by a block from guard Ted Larsen at the 30.Drake beat two Patriots to the corner of the end zone 鈥?defensive back J.C. Jackson and tight end Rob Gronkowski, who was on the field as part of New England's prevent defense."Drake runs a 4.3, and Gronk probably runs a 4.6 or 4.7, so you feel good about that matchup," Tannehill said.Then came one last pass to punctuate the play 鈥?Drake reared back for a celebratory heave into the stands as the Dolphins' bench emptied and teammates swarmed him."Football," said Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, "is a crazy game."The Dolphins call the play "Boise" because it was borrowed from the Boise State playbook, and they had been working on it all year."You rep it in practice over and over http://www.patriotsauthorizedshop.com/authentic-trent-brown-jersey ," receiver Kenny Stills said. "Sometimes it's like, 'Why are we doing this?' And now we know why."It brought to mind other NFL last-second stunners, including Roger Staubach's "Hail Mary", the "Miracle in the Meadowlands" and the "Immaculate Reception". The play was the longest from scrimmage to win a game with no time remaining in the fourth quarter since the 1970 merger.Brady threw for 358 yards and three scores, but the stunned Patriots (9-4) lost in Miami for the fifth time in their past six visits. The Dolphins (7-6) came from behind five times to help their slim wild-card chances."We're playing one week at a time right now," Miami coach Adam Gase said. "Any loss could be the end."The Patriots' Stephen Gostkowski missed an extra point for the first time in 38 tries this season early in the game, and also missed a 42-yard field goal try. But his 32-yarder to cap a 55-yard drive put the Patriots ahead 30-28 with 6:45 left.Belichick opted to have Gostkowski kick a 22-yarder in the closing seconds rather than pin the Dolphins near their goal line. Instead, Miami returned the ensuing kickoff to the 31 鈥?and on the next play pulled off a miracle.Brady broke the NFL record for career touchdown passes including postseason and now has 582, three more than Peyton Manning. His scores covered 2 yards to Julian Edelman, 37 to Cordarrelle Patterson and 16 to Gronkowski .Tannehill missed two plays at the end of the first half after a teammate stepped on his right foot . He returned to start the second half, and his 23-yard touchdown pass to Brice Butler put the Dolphins ahead 28-27 late in the third quarter.But they managed only three first downs and no points thereafter 鈥?until the final play.FRANTIC SEQUENCEThe teams swapped touchdowns and the lead for five consecutive possessions in the second quarter over an entertaining span covering less than 11 minutes.Miami's fourth-string running back Brandon Bolden, who spent six years with the Patriots, scored untouched on a career-long 54-yard run up the middle, and added a 6-yard scoring run.MISSED OPPORTUNITYThe Patriots squandered a scoring chance at the end of the first half. With 14 seconds left and no timeouts, Brady took the snap at the Miami 2, and when he was sacked by Robert Quinn the clock ran out, leaving the Patriots with a 27-21 lead.MOVING UPMiami's Frank Gore ran for 92 yards and had a 24-yard catch Jonathan Jones Jersey , giving him 18,530 career yards from scrimmage, surpassing LaDainian Tomlinson (18,456) for the fifth-most in NFL history. Next up for Gore are Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk (19,154), Walter Payton (21,264), Emmitt Smith (21,579) and Jerry Rice (23,540).INJURY REPORTX-rays of Tannehill's right ankle were negative, but he acknowledged it didn't feel good after the game. "I rolled it pretty good," he said. "Got X-rays and buttoned it up tight."Tannehill finished 14 for 19 for 265 yards, three scores and no turnovers. He has won nine consecutive home starts.UP NEXTNew England plays Sunday at Pittsburgh. The Patriots also traveled there in Week 15 last year, and won 27-24.Miami plays Sunday at Minnesota.Follow Steven Wine on Twitter: ://Steve_Wine
