FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Williams & Simmons: When the Patriots signed defensive tackle Milton Williams to a franchise-record four-year, $104 million contract in March, the plan was straightforward. Just as Patriots coach Mike Vrabel built his old Tennessee Titans defenses around three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, he would rely on Williams in a similar fashion.
So far, so good -- and the ties that bind Williams and Simmons will be on display Sunday when the Patriots (4-2) visit the Titans (1-5) at Nissan Stadium.
The Patriots are concerned with Simmons' knack to single-handedly ruin a game, as offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels called him one of the NFL's best players regardless of position. Meanwhile, the Patriots are buoyed by Williams' strong start to the season as he's tied for fourth among defensive tackles in pass rush win rate (16%), with Simmons leading the way (20.6%).
"Disruption. Athleticism. Playmaking ability. An attitude to want to make plays. Ownership in his production, his craft," defensive playcaller Zak Kuhr said of Williams' attributes. "He's brought a lot to us."
Another trait Williams has brought the past two weeks is versatility, aligning wider across from offensive tackles instead of his usual spot vs. interior offensive linemen. That's also a Simmons staple, with the Patriots noting one of the challenges preparing to face Simmons is that he aligns all over the line.
"It's just showing being productive from any spot on the D-line, wherever I line up, I'm trying to affect the game," the 6-foot-3, 290-pound Williams said. "The past couple games, teams were attacking the 'C' gap area, so we were like, 'We're going to put a bigger body there and put some more guys inside and see if they can run the ball.' That was the thinking behind it."
Kuhr said that is part of Williams' value to the Patriots, with the ability to "move him to a bunch of different spots." The Patriots are the only team in the NFL not to allow a running back to eclipse 50 yards in a game this season, and they've totaled 13 sacks after registering a league-low 28 last season, with Williams totaling 2.5.
Williams was utilized more as a pure interior pass rusher in his first four NFL seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles but has embraced doing more in New England.
"I think that's probably my biggest asset, being able to fit in any scheme, any configuration of a defense," he said. "It's easier for the team and helps the coaches being able to come up with a game plan."
He's also playing more. Williams totaled a career-high 48% of the defensive snaps last season in Philadelphia, used in a rotation alongside starters Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, among others. He's a starter in New England and has played 65.4% of the defensive snaps.
Meanwhile, in Tennessee, the 6-foot-4, 305-pound Simmons has played 87% of the defensive snaps.
Not surprisingly, Williams watches him closely.
"Right now, he's looking like the best D-tackle in the league the way he's playing. Every spot he lines up, he's dominating, affecting the game," Williams said. "He has it all -- size, speed, strength, athleticism. I definitely watch a lot of his tape when he's going up against guys I'll see in the future and see what works. If he does something that works that's part of my tool bag, I try to add it. If not, it's something I can work on in practice."
Williams added that Vrabel and defensive line coach Clint McMillan have referenced Simmons, a 2019 first-round draft pick, in their conversations with him.
"I'll be hard on myself. I'm a perfectionist. I like to do s--- right," Williams said. "They always like to tell me it wasn't perfect for him starting off. He was a young player, and he had to learn and get adjusted to what they were teaching him. You see what it turns to."
2. Interim concern? Vrabel said the Patriots have to be prepared for everything in facing the Titans in their first game under interim head coach Mike McCoy, who steps in after Brian Callahan was fired on Monday.
Since 2003, a total of 38 teams have fired their head coach during the regular season, and those teams were 17-21 the following week.
3. Moore vs. Campbell: The Patriots aggressively pursued free agent left tackle Dan Moore Jr. in March before Moore, the former Pittsburgh Steeler, signed a four-year, $82 million deal with the Titans with $50 million guaranteed.
It's worked out OK for New England, however, as first-round draft pick Will Campbell has filled its gaping left-tackle void.
Moore has played every snap for the Titans this season. He ranks 31st among tackles in pass block win rate (89.5%) and 42nd in run block win rate (73.1%).
Campbell has played 98.4% of the offensive snaps (getting a breather late in a blowout win), and he ranks 52nd in pass block win rate (84.8%) and 23rd in run block win rate (76.2%).
4. Pass D lags: The good news for the Patriots? They have been one of the NFL's toughest teams to run against, ranking fourth in the NFL in run stop win rate (34%). But opponents are averaging 239 passing yards per game against New England, which ranks 25th.
"We have to get better in the pass [game] -- first and second down. In third-and-3 [or more], we're pretty up there right now in terms of production," Kuhr said. "I will kind of put that to, a lot of these guys are still getting familiar with each other. A lot of guys haven't played with each other before this year. I think as a defense we've gotten better each week as far as understanding each other's play styles. I think that does take a little time."
5. Diggs' health: It was unclear when leading wide receiver Stefon Diggs (32 catches, 387 yards) sustained a chest injury that limited him in practices Wednesday and Thursday, and led the team to list him as questionable for Sunday's game. A source told ESPN's Adam Schefter Saturday that Diggs is expected to play.
Diggs made the trip with the team to Nashville after practicing fully on Friday. How the chest injury affects his game status, and potential usage, becomes a notable storyline. He's played 55.3% of the offensive snaps this season.
Diggs held his weekly Q&A at his locker with reporters Wednesday and made it sound like he planned to play in a third-straight road game, saying: "We're looking forward to coming home next week, but right now we have to play what's in front of us. ... I'm back on the grind."
6. Pop's faith: Receiver DeMario "Pop" Douglas hasn't been on the field as much this season (34.4% of the offensive snaps) compared to his first two seasons in the NFL (55% and 62%), but his patience was rewarded in a Week 6 win at New Orleans when he caught a 53-yard TD pass.
He credited team chapel, led by director of player development James Mitchell, for helping him.
"The last couple chapels have been 'stay patient' and 'to get to the top of the mountain you have to go through obstacles.' It's definitely different for me, but I felt it's what I needed," he said.
7. Kickers unite: Former Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski (2006-2019) is scheduled to provide analysis for USA Radio's national call of Sunday's Patriots-Titans game.
Gostkowski knows both franchises well, having concluded his career playing for the Titans in 2020.
Earlier this season, he reached out to Patriots rookie kicker Andy Borregales to offer him encouragement, with Borregales saying Friday, "We've texted here and there, and hopped on a call here and there again. Really just trying to pick his brain, especially in this place here [in New England] and just mentally because he did it at a very high level for a very long time. It's a great person to lean on as a mentor."
8. They said it: "It's just a different year -- punts are way down but kickoff returns, everybody's getting an opportunity. Most of my tackles have been on the kickoff. I learned from playing on the kickoff return how hard it is to block these guys, so definitely have some confidence when I'm out there on kickoff to go make plays." -- Patriots LB and former Titan Jack Gibbens, whose nine special-teams tackles are tied for seventh in the NFL and have smashed his career-high of three (from 2023, 2024)
9. Maye's week: One week after Diggs had his personal chef cook for offensive linemen at center Garrett Bradbury's house as part of the weekly offensive line dinner, quarterback Drake Maye hosted his blockers this past Thursday with a hibachi chef.
Rookie guard Jared Wilson said the dessert baked by Maye's wife, Ann Michael, was devoured so quickly that it was a favorite among the group. He described it as an oatmeal apple cinnamon crisp.
Then on Friday night, Maye appeared at one of Massachusetts' top high school games and had fans buzzing at the Xaverian Brothers' last-second win over Catholic Memorial.
Fans chanted "MVP, MVP, MVP" as he departed.
10. Did you know? Maye is the fourth different quarterback in the past 10 seasons with 1,500 passing yards, 10 passing touchdowns and to lead his team in rushing first downs in the first six games of a season. The others are Patrick Mahomes (2025, 2021), Josh Allen (2022, 2021) and Kirk Cousins (2017).