NASHVILLE Rock Ya-Sin Jersey , Tenn. (AP)The Tennessee Titans‘ draft strategy underscores how close they believe they are to competing for a Super Bowl berth.Convinced of their depth elsewhere, the Titans traded up to select defensive players they had long targeted and largely ignored their offense .They ended up with just four draft picks – the fewest of any NFL team this year and the least in franchise history.”Some of these names we drafted are guys we talked about in February,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel said.Vrabel was hired in January to improve a team that went 9-7 and lost to New England in the AFC divisional round after earning its first playoff victory since January 2004 .”I think we are a more talented roster now, and it’s our job,” general manager Jon Robinson said . ”That’s our job, to try to get as many good football players on the team as possible and let them compete for spots.”They didn’t take a single offensive player until drafting Pac-12 career passing leader Luke Falk of Washington State in the sixth round with the 199th overall pick.The Titans’ defensive picks included Alabama linebacker Rashaan Evans in the first round, Boston College outside linebacker Harold Landry in the second round and Arizona defensive back Dane Cruikshank in the fifth. The Titans traded up and gave up draft picks to get each of those three players.That represents a huge change for a team that had taken an offensive player with its first pick every year from 2011-17.Tennessee already had addressed its major offensive concerns in free agency with the additions of running back Dion Lewis , guard/tackle Kevin Pamphile and guard Xavier Su’a-Filo .Evans and Landry boost the front seven, the Titans’ top draft priority with Derrick Morgan and Brian Orakpo entering the final years of their contracts and Avery Williamson having already left for the New York Jets as a free agent.Cruikshank adds depth to the secondary for a defense that ranked 25th against the pass last season. The Titans already released veteran safety Da’Norris Searcy in March, leaving their depth thin behind All-Pro safety Kevin Byard fellow starter Johnathan Cyprien. Tennessee did sign cornerback Malcolm Butler away from New England in March.Other things to know about the Titans’ draft:LONG WAITFalk expected to get taken much earlier. The former walk-on set Pac-12 records in yards passing, total offense, touchdown passes, pass completions and pass attempts.”I think just the word that came to mind would just be `shocked,”’ Falk said. ”It wasn’t exactly how I thought it would play out http://www.coltscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-ben-banogu-jersey , but I’m very grateful. I’m grateful that a team in Tennessee took a chance on me and is giving me an opportunity to compete and go in there and help the football team.”Falk’s two sisters are aspiring country singers who live in Nashville. Falk gives the Titans someone to groom as a possible backup to Marcus Mariota after signing veteran Blaine Gabbert in March.MAGIC NUMBERThe 6-foot-4 Falk went to the Titans with the 199th overall pick. That’s the same pick New England used on Tom Brady back in 2000. Falk considers himself a big Brady fan.”I just think that we kind of have the same similarities and style of play,” Falk said. ”We are not the most mobile guys. We do stuff in the pocket, creating throws in a small space. We are accurate. He’s the best to do it and somebody I look up to and just try to model my game after. It’s a huge coincidence that it is pick 199 and Tennessee took a shot on me.”VERSATILE CRUIKSHANKAlthough he spent much of his college career at cornerback, Cruikshank says he could play anywhere in the secondary and that NFL teams were primarily viewing him as a safety. The Titans are listing him merely as a defensive back for now and praised Cruikshank’s versatility .”Whatever they need me to play, I’m willing to play,” Cruikshank said. ”I feel like I can do it all.”PICKING FROM THE BESTCruikshank, who is 6-1 and 209 pounds, picked off three passes for Arizona last season. Two of his interceptions came against first-round draft picks Sam Darnold of Southern California and Josh Rosen of UCLA .WHAT ABOUT RECEIVER?The Titans didn’t draft a single wideout and will lean heavily on a batch of young receivers to complement Rishard Matthews, who is entering his seventh NFL season. Tennessee didn’t bring back Eric Decker and signed Michael Campanaro, who’s more of a special teams player with 31 combined receptions in four seasons.That leaves Corey Davis, the fifth pick overall a year ago, along with Tajae Sharpe and Taywan Taylor. Sharpe spent last year on injured reserve, and Taylor is entering his second NFL season.—AP Pro Football Writer Teresa M. Walker contributed to this report.— SCOREBOARD
Saturday, Jan. 13
Atlanta at Philadelphia Parris Campbell Jersey , 4:35 p.m. EST. Matt Ryan passed for 218 yards and hit Julio Jones for an 8-yard touchdown with 5:48 to play to lead the defending NFC champion Falcons (11-6) past the Los Angeles Rams 26-13 in the wild-card round. Nick Foles played well for the first five quarters he filled in for the injured Carson Wentz, but then struggled in the past five for the Eagles (13-3), who had a first-round bye.
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Tennessee at New England, 8:15 p.m. EST. The Titans (10-7) earned their first playoff victory in 14 years when Marcus Mariota rallied Tennessee to a 22-21 win over Kansas City after trailing by 18 points at halftime. Tom Brady and the Patriots (13-3) have home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs as they begin their postseason with an opportunity to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
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STARS
Passing
– Drew Brees, Saints, passed for 376 yards and two touchdowns, and New Orleans held off Carolina’s late comeback bid to seal a 31-26 victory in their NFC wild-card game.
– Cam Newton, Panthers, threw for 349 yards and two TDs in a losing cause as Carolina fell to New Orleans.
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Rushing
– Blake Bortles, Jaguars, ran for 88 yards and passed for 87 yards and a touchdown in Jacksonville’s 10-3 win over Buffalo, becoming the second starting quarterback in the past 25 seasons to win a playoff game with more yards rushing than yards passing.
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Receiving
– Michael Thomas and Ted Ginn Jr., Saints. Thomas had eight catches for 131 yards, while Ginn caught four passes for 115 yards http://www.ravenscheapstores.com/miles-boykin-jersey-cheap , including an 80-yard touchdown against Carolina.
– Ben Koyack, Jaguars, caught the go-ahead 1-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter of Jacksonville’s victory over Buffalo.
– Greg Olsen and Christian McCaffrey, Panthers. Olsen had eight receptions for 107 yards and a score, and McCaffrey caught six passes for 101 yards, including a 56-yard TD.
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Special Teams
– Brad Nortman, Jaguars, booted nine punts for a 42.0 net average, including a 62-yarder, in Jacksonville’s win over Buffalo.
– Graham Gano, Panthers, made up for an early miss by kicking field goals of 27, 39, 58 and 29 yards in Carolina’s loss to New Orleans.
– Vonn Bell, Saints, had nine total tackles and the victory-sealing sack of Cam Newton in New Orleans’ victory.
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STREAKS & STATS
Jacksonville’s 10-3 win over Buffalo was its first playoff victory since beating Pittsburgh 31-29 in the wild-card round on Jan. 5, 2008. … Drew Brees’ 80-yard TD pass to Ted Ginn Jr. in New Orleans’ 31-26 win over Carolina was the longest play from scrimmage by the Saints this season and their longest score in the playoffs since Reggie Bush’s 83-yard punt return in 2009. It was also the longest play from scrimmage allowed by Carolina this season. … The playoff game between the Saints and Panthers marked the first since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 in which kickers from both teams made a field goal of 55 yards or longer: Carolina’s Graham Gano made a 58-yarder and New Orleans’ Wil Lutz kicked a 57-yarder.
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MILESTONES
Blake Bortles’ 88 yards rushing in Jacksonville’s 10-3 win over Buffalo were the most by a Jaguars quarterback in a single game in franchise history – regular season or playoffs. … New Orleans became the first team in NFL history to score 30 or more points against a team (Carolina) three times in a single season and win all three games. The Saints are also the first team to beat an opponent three times in the same season since the 2009 Dallas Cowboys did it against Philadelphia.
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BLAKE THE SNAKE
Jacksonville’s Blake Bortles became the second starting quarterback in the past 25 seasons to win a playoff game with more rushing yards than passing yards (88 rushing, 87 passing). The other was Atlanta’s Michael Vick in the 2004 divisional round against the Rams (119 rushing, 82 passing).
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SPREADING THE WEALTH
New Orleans’ 31-26 win over Carolina was the first playoff game to feature multiple 100-yard receivers for each team since the 2009 AFC championship game. The Saints’ Michael Thomas (131) and Ted Ginn Jr. (115), and the Panthers’ Greg Olsen (107) and Christian McCaffrey (101) joined Indianapolis’ Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie, and the New York Jets’ Jerricho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards in performing the feat.
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SIDELINED
Buffalo quarterback Tyrod Taylor slammed his helmet hard against the ground after getting thrown down by Dante Fowler Jr. with 1:27 remaining in the Bills’ 10-3 loss at Jacksonville. Taylor had to be helped off the field and forced backup Nathan Peterman into the game. … Jaguars linebacker Paul Posluszny left with a hip injury, tried to return and then headed to the locker room for further evaluation. He was listed as questionable and returned to the sideline after halftime. Receiver/punt returner Jaydon Mickens left with a hamstring injury and did not return. … Saints starting left guard Andrus Peat was carted off the field with a left shin injury in New Orleans’ win over Carolina. His replacement, Senio Kelemete, later needed help off the field for an undisclosed injury.