Electric Patriots Offense Must Prepare For Gritty Texans Defense

FOXBOROUGH, MA. — With nan shape now group for their Divisional Round showdown against nan Houston Texans, nan New England Patriots person begun preparations successful earnest for possibly their toughest trial to date.

While New England’s discourtesy has knowledgeable a pseudo-renaissance this play nether violative coordinator Josh McDaniels, nan Texans defense has some nan unit and prowess to make life miserable for backmost Drake Maye and nan Pats’ supporting violative cast.

The Texans vanished nan regular play classed first successful nan NFL successful full defense (277 yards allowed per game) and 2nd successful scoring defense (17.4 points allowed per game) — while besides ranking 3rd wide pinch 29 full takeaways. Led by an imposing tandem of protect tackles — Danielle Hunter (54 full tackles, 12 sacks) and Will Anderson Jr. (54 full tackles, 12 sacks) — nan Texans defense often succeeds successful intimidating opposing offenses earlier they get connected nan field.

Fortunately for nan Patriots, they person nan unit — led by Maye — to springiness Houston’s preventive portion each it tin grip successful this upcoming playoff clash.

Much for illustration nan Patriots successful their 16-3 playoff triumph complete nan Los Angeles Chargers, nan Texans parlayed a ascendant protect capacity into a late-game surge connected discourtesy to gain nan 30-6 triumph complete nan Pittsburgh Steelers successful nan week’s last chaotic paper information game. Houston’s defense generated 2 turnovers for touchdowns, sacked Steelers backmost Aaron Rodgers 4 times, and constricted Pittsburgh to conscionable 175 nett yards connected offense.

Still … arsenic awesome arsenic Houston’s protect capacity was against Pittsburgh, it should beryllium noted that nan portion looked remarkably quality successful their last 4 regular play games. The Texans allowed an mean of 21.8 points per crippled complete that agelong to nan Arizona Cardinals (20 pts.), Las Vegas Raiders (21 pts.), Los Angeles Chargers (16 pts.) and 31 points to an Indianapolis Colts discourtesy which had precocious been decimated by injury.

The Patriots Offense Can Win This Battle

While few, if any, would rationally propose that Houston’s defense is not a unit pinch which to beryllium reckoned, it tin beryllium neutralized pinch due game-planning and execution.

In statement to nan Texans elite-level protect rankings, nan Patriots classed 3rd successful nan convention successful full discourtesy (379.4 yards per game,) 4th successful passing discourtesy (250.5 yards, 31 touchdowns) and 2nd successful scoring discourtesy by averaging 28.8 points per game. As for Maye, he put up MVP-caliber numbers, finishing nan twelvemonth having completed 72 percent of his passes for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns. He besides added 450 rushing yards and 4 scores connected nan ground.

Unsurprisingly, New England has recovered overmuch of their occurrence connected discourtesy this play by generating explosive plays — utilizing Maye’s elite limb spot and exceptional athleticism to their afloat advantage. However, nan Texans’ walk unreserved is improbable to supply him pinch a wealthiness of clip to run successful nan pocket. 

In bid to counteract nan Texans’ pressure, nan Patriots violative statement must make each effort to artifact it from nan outset. Against nan Chargers, nan Pats o-line grounded to triumph nan conflict successful nan trenches — arsenic nan Bolts produced 12 full pressures and held nan Patriots to an mean 38% rushing occurrence rate. In particular, rookie near tackle Will Campbell (two sacks, six full pressures) and near defender Jared Wilson (two sacks, 4 full pressures) struggled to support gait pinch L.A.’s protect front.

To put it concisely, nan Patriots will request a importantly amended capacity against nan Texans. New England must prioritize coaching up nan statement — particularly their brace of rookies connected nan near — to withstand Houston’s expected onslaught. Otherwise, nan metaphorical quicksand could engulf Maye earlier long.

Additionally, nan Pats’ newly-minted All Pro backmost must free himself of nan shot early — by either making nan propulsion earlier nan three-step, aliases by scrambling. In doing so, he tin thief to mitigate nan effect of some Anderson and Hunter, who excel successful generating unit against opposing quarterbacks without needing to dial-up blitzes. In fact, 1 mightiness beryllium amazed that Houston’s ranks 28th successful nan NFL successful blitz rate. Conversely, their protect beforehand creates unit done skillful domination of nan statement of scrimmage, allowing them to support further defenders successful coverage.

Should New England find occurrence successful holding nan line, expect Maye and institution to trial nan Texans’ secondary pinch a heavy passing attack. Despite their beforehand 7 supremacy, Houston ranks only 14th successful explosive walk play complaint allowed. Accordingly, receivers Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte could thief to return immoderate of nan workload unit disconnected of moving backs Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson.

In nan last analysis, nan clip for nan talk will soon beryllium complete — pinch nan Texans defense taking their talents to Foxborough for a conflict pinch nan Patriots discourtesy connected Jan 18 astatine 3:00pm ET from Gillette Stadium — a matchup which promises to beryllium a existent trial of strength-on-strength.

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