Patriots On Si Staff Predicts Divisional Round Game Vs. Texans

The New England Patriots person a changeable to scope nan AFC Championship crippled pinch a matchup against nan Houston Texans who boasts nan league's No. 1 defense.

With nan crippled coming close, immoderate members of nan New England Patriots On SI unit said astir their thoughts connected nan crippled up and what to expect.

Ethan Hurwitz

The Patriots and Texans defenses will transportation this game. You deliberation nan 16-3 people successful nan chaotic paper was debased scoring? There's a changeable this week could beryllium moreover lower. CJ Stroud doesn't animate dream to triumph this crippled and lead his squad into nan AFC title game, particularly aft his 5 fumbles connected Monday.

For Maye, he will person his activity trim retired for him against arguably nan champion portion successful nan NFL. In nan postseason, it's important to trust connected nan quarterbacks you spot more. Even though he's 1 crippled into his playoff career, Maye boasts much of a reliable resume to win.

Prediction: Patriots 17, Texans 10

Jeremy Brener

The Patriots are nan favorites going into nan crippled against nan Texans and rightfully so. They person nan league's champion grounds and are intelligibly 1 of nan champion teams successful nan convention this season. However, they are facing a buzz saw known arsenic nan Texans defense. They put up 2 touchdowns by themselves successful nan 4th fourth successful their chaotic paper information triumph against nan Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Patriots defense besides played very good against nan Los Angeles Chargers, suggesting that this crippled could beryllium nan first to 17 points.

The Patriots defense is sound, but they are not forcing turnovers for illustration this Texans defense can. It will beryllium intriguing to see really Drake Maye responds to nan adversity he will face. The truth that he's astatine location helps, but he hasn't seen a defense for illustration this before.

Prediction: Texans 17, Patriots 13

Mike D'Abate

While nan cliche of “best squad we’ve faced each season” tends to beryllium overused successful master sports, it applies for nan Patriots successful narration to nan Texans. New England will beryllium fixed each they tin grip successful each 3 of nan game’s phases. If nan Patriots are incapable to marginally disrupt Houston’s expertise to power nan statement of scrimmage, it will beryllium a agelong day and evening for nan location squad successful Foxborough.

Still, 1 should expect nan Pats to adopt a akin strategy to what they utilized against nan Chargers past week. Offensively, quarterback Drake Maye and institution will request to make conscionable capable plays against 1 of nan NFL's champion defenses.

To find immoderate semblance of occurrence against them, 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. Should New England find occurrence successful holding nan line, expect Maye and institution to trial nan Texans’ secondary pinch a heavy passing attack. On defense, New England must prehend its chances to clasp nan Texans discourtesy successful check.

Look for nan Pats to nonstop other rushers from each 3 levels of nan defense astatine Texans’ backmost C.J. Stroud. Should they find a measurement to moreover their distribution of aggression this week against nan Texans, nan Pats’ further rushers from nan 2nd and 3rd levels could tilt nan crippled successful nan Patriots favor.If they tin do that, they will punch their summons to nan AFC Championship crippled for nan first clip since 2019.

Prediction: Patriots 23, Texans 20

Arnav Sharma

Obviously nan attraction of this crippled is connected nan defenses. As overmuch arsenic I want to dress otherwise, this Texans defense is genuinely reminiscent of nan 2015 Broncos. This is not an exaggeration.

With a 4-2-5 defense that dominates pinch 2 elite separator defenders, speedy end-to-end linebacker play, and a versatile secondary pinch 3 elite corners, location are very fewer weaknesses successful this defense. In my movie study, location are 3 superior areas wherever I consciousness for illustration nan Patriots mightiness beryllium capable to find an separator offensively: A/B spread runs, creation QB runs, and heavy balls connected some cornerbacks, Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter.

Though nan Chargers were capable to consistently find unit past week against Drake Maye, he was besides capable to bargain clip extracurricular nan pouch and scramble erstwhile needed. However, against a Texans defense that is capable to make nan aforesaid (if not more) unit conscionable rushing 4 linemen, uncovering reliable scrambling yards will beryllium difficult — particularly against a speedy linebacking corps for illustration Houston's. However, pinch nan Texans defense thriving against stationary quarterbacks, nan imaginable for creation QB runs opens nan offense's expertise to find numbers matchups against nan linebacking corps, perchance evening nan velocity mismatch.

In nan passing game, some Lassiter and Stingley person been elite; yet, some person shown nan imaginable to springiness up explosive plays. Kayshon Boutte, Stefon Diggs, and DeMario Douglas person each proven tin of generating changeable play potential, particularly outside. Given this, arsenic agelong arsenic nan Patriots violative statement is capable to bargain Maye capable clip for routes to develop, nan champion heavy passing backmost successful nan convention should person astatine slightest a mates morganatic opportunities to deed location runs. If these plays convert, New England will move connected to nan AFC Championship. If not, this will beryllium a slow grinding crippled that will extremity pinch nan first touchdown. This decisive constituent being a genuine tossup intends this crippled could scope anyplace from a adjacent Texans triumph to a Patriots blowout; being superstitious, I taxable nan erstwhile arsenic my general prediction.

Of each nan quarterbacks successful nan league, Maye (and possibly Josh Allen) is nan nonstop and perchance only archetype that tin reliably title this red-hot Texans defense — a speedy mobile backmost who tin nutrient from nan pouch aliases extracurricular building while perpetually imposing a heavy shot threat. If Maye can't extremity this defense, location is simply a existent chance that Houston will beryllium celebrating its first ever Lombardi trophy successful a month.

Prediction: Texans 13, Patriots 7

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