NASHVILLE – The Titans and Patriots are discussing plans to hold joint practices leading up to their Week 2 preseason game in Nashville.
The exact dates and more information should come into better focus in the coming months, but if the plan comes together, football fans would have another chance to see the defending Super Bowl champs vs. the Titans, this time at Saint Thomas Sports Park.
The time frame of the game at Nissan Stadium is currently listed as August 15-18, per the NFL.
Titans coach Mike Vrabel said at the NFL owners meetings last month the Titans and Patriots requested to play against one another in the preseason.
At the time, Vrabel and Patriots coach Bill Belichick began conversations about the practices. Titans Online held the information until the release of the preseason schedule on Tuesday, when it was announced as a Week 2 contest. A Week One or Week Four contest would have potentially foiled the plan.
Now, it's very much alive.
"Clearly you know all the head coaches, but you have a better relationship with some of the other ones, and Bill is one that I have a better relationship with," Vrabel said. "So it was, "Hey, we're putting in to play you guys in the preseason. And Bill was like, "Can we come to Nashville and practice?'
"I think that would be a great idea. We practiced against the Patriots when we were in Houston (with the Texans), and I feel like they are a good team to practice against just because of the same expectations, trying to get stuff done, trying to get things accomplished but not fighting or anything."
The Titans beat quarterback Tom Brady and the Patriots 34-10 at Nissan Stadium last November.
Last August, the Titans practiced against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"I think it just breaks up camp," Vrabel said of joint practices. "And it is always great to see what they are doing. We don't right now play them, hopefully until the playoffs. …. You can say, 'Hey, we're going to be base. Or we're going to be vanilla. Or let's do some blitzes. And Bill is easy to work with."
