Pats have all the tools
Texans must face stout ‘D’ — and deal with Brady as well
As if conditions at Gillette Stadium won’t be harsh enough for the visiting Texans, with temperatures expected to be in the 20s and the Patriots installed as two-touchdown favorites, the Texans must find a way to crack a Patriots defense that has been one of the NFL’s best over the last two months.
The Patriots allowed four opponents to score 20 or more points in their first nine games and gave up a season high in a 31-24 home loss to the Seahawks on Nov. 13. Only one opponent has scored 20 or more points during their seven-game winning streak.
The Patriots went three weeks in the middle of the season without forcing a turnover, and 14 of their 23 takeaways have come in their last six games.
The Patriots apply heavy pressure from the edge. They have 34 sacks, led by defensive ends Trey Flowers (seven), Jabaal Sheard (five) and Chris Long (four) and outside linebacker Rob Ninkovich (four). And they have two outstanding cover men in cornerback Malcolm Butler and safety Devin McCourty.
The Patriots will mix coverage schemes and blitzes to confuse Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler, who reclaimed his starting job in the final week of the season and led his team past the Raiders in the first round.
“You have a bunch of really tough, hard-nosed players that are very well coached,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said. “Their scheme presents a problem too.”
The Texans are no slouches on defense. They allowed an NFL-low 301.3 total yards and 17 first downs per game this season, and their 201.6 yards passing allowed per game was second best in the league.
End Jadeveon Clowney, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 draft, had an interception in his first playoff game last week and has four tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble in his last four games. Linebacker Whitney Mercilus had two sacks and three tackles for loss in last week’s victory over the Raiders.
But the Texans couldn’t slow an offense without Brady in a 27-0 loss to the Patriots on Sept. 22, so few give them much chance against Brady.
Brady has 22 career playoff victories, most for a quarterback in NFL history, and is the NFL postseason leader in completions (738), attempts (1,183), passing yards (7,957) and touchdown passes (56).
“It’s a great opportunity going against, in my opinion, the greatest quarterback of all time,” Texans cornerback A.J. Bouye said. “He has great weapons around him.”
The Patriots are rested and have had an extra week to prepare. The Texans defense will keep them in it for a while, but their offense will give it back too many times.