How Patriots Match Up Vs. Texans In Playoff Game

The No. 2-seeded New England Patriots saw their divisional information force yet beryllium revealed arsenic nan No. 5 seed Houston Texans earlier this week.

Houston will sojourn Gillette Stadium connected Jan. 18, pinch some teams successful nan hunt for a Super Bowl LX quality and imaginable championship.

For New England, nan Divisional Round of nan playoffs travel aft it secured a 16-3 triumph complete nan Los Angeles Chargers — a ascendant protect showing that saw opposing backmost Justin Herbert beryllium sacked six times.

For nan Texans, they blew nan crippled unfastened successful nan 4th fourth to gain a 30-6 triumph complete nan Pittsburgh Steelers.

Houston earned nan apical Wild Card spot pursuing a second-place decorativeness successful nan AFC South. But, it's worthy mentioning that nan Texans person yet to beforehand past nan divisional information successful their full 24-year history.

Here's a starting look astatine how nan Patriots matchup against nan Texas franchise.

What Playing nan Texans Means for nan Patriots' Postseason

Fans should expect to spot a crippled akin to New England's astir caller slugfest against nan Chargers.

Offensively, second-year backmost Drake Maye — who is successful his first NFL postseason — will really request to ray things up against an elite Texans defense.

Houston vanished nan regular play pinch nan second-ranked portion successful scoring defense (17.4 PPG) and expected points added, trailing only nan Seattle Seahawks successful some categories. The Texans are besides nan No. 1 classed defense successful EPA per drop-back.

Schematically, the Patriots won't person overmuch to fig out; nan Texans are a zone-based defense that structurally doesn't confuse many, which Houston does dress up for pinch its skill. New England caput coach Mike Vrabel and co. should expect post-safety coverages mixed successful arsenic well.

"Yeah, of course," Vrabel said astatine his Jan. 14 property conference erstwhile asked if nan Texans will person nan champion defense nan Patriots person faced truthful acold this year. "They person awesome talent, [a] awesome scheme, they play hard. I respect really difficult they play. They are not only talented but they person a play demeanor I tin appreciate."

Though, possibly wherever nan Pats tin look to excel is nan truth that nan metrics don't look to emotion Houston's walk rush, arsenic they rank 18th successful squad unit complaint and 21st successful pass-rush triumph rate.

New England will besides spot a acquainted look return successful erstwhile Patriots adjunct Nick Caley, who presently coordinates nan Houston offense. Under his complaint nan Texans vanished nan twelvemonth classed 13th successful scoring discourtesy and person struggled to people points arsenic a consequence of really they execute situationally.

Houston's discourtesy statement has seen amended times — nan Texas are classed 30th successful pass-blocking triumph complaint and past successful run-blocking triumph rate. For nan New England franchise coming disconnected nan antecedently mentioned high-number of sacks against Herbert, this will beryllium a cardinal to exploit.

While nan Texans will undoubtedly person nan full Lone Star authorities pulling for them, the Patriots beating Houston could awesome that New England is not conscionable simply winning different postseason game, but that nan dynasty has erstwhile again been reignited.

Make judge you bookmark New England Patriots connected SI for nan latest news, exclusive interviews, movie breakdowns, and truthful overmuch more!