Creech: Preparation, familiarity only go so far against Brady

Patriots’ dynasty.

The Texans avoided prepping to face him when they headed to Gillette Stadium earlier this season because he was serving a fourgame suspension. That was a lucky break, although the Texans didn’t take advantage and still lost the game.

Now the Brady challenge is staring them in the face. And the task at hand in monumental, even for the top-ranked defense in the NFL.

He’s the guy whom defenses fear facing.

“I just think the guy’s the most poised quarterback in the NFL” defensive end Jadeveon Clowney said. “He doesn’t get rattled at all most of the time. He just keeps staying calm, and that’s what makes him so good. He just stays calm back there. Even when you do get the pressure, he steps up and makes the best pass.”

Human measuring stick

He’s the guy around whom opposing coaches spend hours trying to game-plan.

“He’s seen it all,” O’Brien said. “It’s really just a matter of really fundamental football. The thing about the Patriots is that they’re a very fundamentally sound team. You’re going to have to go in there and beat them — they’re not going to beat themselves.”

Brady also is the guy every other quarterback in the league looks to as an example.

Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler used to spend days in Denver picking quarterbacks around the league to watch and learn from, especially Brady.

“When you watch Tom, his competitive fire jumps out to you,” Osweiler said. “He’s one of those guys that no matter what, he’s going to play the full 60 minutes. He’s a tough guy. You can hit him, but he’s going to keep getting up. And he’s going to keep firing the ball downfield.”

Perhaps the most daunting thing about Brady this week is that he isn’t counting out the Texans. He knows about that No. 1 defense, has clearly watched a lot of film, has prepared for them and will be ready. It would be better for the Texans if Brady and the Patriots were looking ahead and counting them out the way the rest of the country is.

No secrets necessary

There aren’t a lot of secrets when it comes to Brady. The Texans know what he can do, what to expect, what he will bring to the table.

Unfortunately, they also know how difficult it is to slow him — something few have done.

“We have to be ready,” cornerback Johnathan Joseph said. “I think it’s always about being in a cat-and-mouse game. Competing against one another, the challenge.

“Every inch you get closer to playing the big game, it’s going to get harder and harder, so I think this is definitely the next step and going up against a guy like that. If you want to get there, you have to go through him.”