Texans at Patriots: Final Thoughts and Score Prediction
The Texans try to make this about them and not about Drake Maye
The Houston Texans have been here before.
The team gutted out a win at home against what many believed should be a good team. They then hit the road against a struggling offense but a defense that had a little more juice than you’d expect from the poor record.
Last year in this spot the Texans lost to the Carolina Panthers in one of the most disappointing games of the season.
They will look to avoid history repeating itself today against the New England Patriots.
The offense was the issue last year. C.J. Stroud and company inexplicably failed to move the ball consistently. The Panthers did enough with their underrated defense to keep Houston’s point total low and steal the win.
Houston should be focused and snapped into reality on offense this week. Wide receiver Nico Collins was placed on the injured reserve earlier this week, changing how they operate their league-leading passing attack. Running back Joe Mixon is set to return from his ankle injury with the hope he can save the abysmal rushing attack.
The offense must be ready to go. Allowing a rookie quarterback and the New England defense to turn this into a rock fight would leave the door open for the upset. The Patriots have a top-ten scoring defense but are bottom-ten in yards allowed.
Get Mixon going, figure out how to operate without Collins, and score plenty.
DeMeco Ryans has to have his defense dialed in too. Last week the Texans forced Josh Allen into one of the worst performances of his career. The challenge this week is much weaker.
Rookie quarterback Drake Maye will make his first start behind a shaky offensive line. The best running back for the Patriots, Rhamondre Stevenson, will miss this game. The pass catchers aren’t explosive or scary. The offensive line allows the most quarterback pressure in football while Houston creates the most quarterback pressure.
All that said, Houston can’t underestimate the Patriots.
Ryans has to have his defense flying around and attack as if Allen is back there. This week is about the Texans handling their defense and responding to the Patriots. They don’t need to guess. It is hard to gameplan for a rookie and an offense missing their best player. The Texans should control the game on defense.
No repeat. Get a win. Get out of New England healthy. Sounds easy enough right?
Score Prediction
The Texans will win 28-13. That might be closer than you expect but the Texans have a lot to figure out on offense this week. They look good enough, score early, and keep New England off the scoreboard. The defense finally gets home on some of those sacks making a miserable day for Drake Maye who scores his lone touchdown on the final drive of the game. Houston goes to 5-1 with a trip to Green Bay up next.
Drake Maye is going to be shocked, just like CJ was in his first NFL game, about how big and fast EVERYONE is compared to college. As crappy as thier O-Line is he should find himself under a pile of big, sweaty Texans after running for his life.
Unless we have a major defensive breakdown and Maye finds an open reciever behind the safeties I don't see the Patriots scoring a single TD. They will be lucky to get into FG range.
I may be a tad biased......but having your first start against the Texans is WAY worse than what CJ faced having to face the Ravens first.
CJ is no longer a rookie........and I do not think the Patriots will get much pressure on him. This is the perfect team to give CJ and our back-up receivers some route perfecting time.....and our starters, not named Nico, some time to shine.
I believe Drake Maye will be a good QB with time....as long as the Patriots address their O-Line issues....... If they don't, he could end up just another one of those high pick QBs that failed.
14-6 at the half....
38-9 Texans Final
KEEPING THE FAITH!!!!
GO TEXANS!!!!
SWARM