Brady is gone, but questions linger
Former Patriots QB dominated Texans, who could find themselves battling a familiar face
For only the second time in franchise history, the Texans will play New England without Tom Brady as the Patriots’ starting quarterback.
The Patriots will visit NRG Stadium for the second consecutive season, and the Texans have no idea who New England’s quarterback will be. They know it won’t be Brady, who signed with Tampa Bay last week.
Brady, who turns 43 in August, signed a two-year contract with the Buccaneers. It’s doubtful the Texans will play against him anymore because they beat the Bucs last season and won’t play them again until 2023 when Brady will be 46 and presumably retired.
Brady and coach Bill Belichick have dominated the Texans under coaches Dom Capers, Gary Kubiak and Bill O’Brien. Counting playoffs, the Texans are 2-10 against New England.
In 2019, the Texans beat the Patriots 28-22 at NRG Stadium, where Deshaun Watson outplayed Brady. Watson threw three touchdown passes. He also caught a touchdown pass from receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Brady matched Watson’s three touchdown passes, but his rating was 85.9 compared to Watson’s 140.7.
The Texans are 2-9 against Brady, and the only time they faced another quarterback was in 2016. Brady was serving a four-game suspension because of the Deflategate controversy, and rookie Jacoby Brissett replaced him in a 27-0 New England victory at Gillette Stadium.
After playing the Patriots twice in their first nine seasons of existence, the Texans have played them 10 times in the last 12 years, including twice in the playoffs — both defeats in Foxborough, Mass.
Before Watson last season, the only quarterback to beat Brady was Matt Schaub in 2010 when the Texans won 34-27 at NRG Stadium.
The seven Texans’ quarterbacks who lost to Brady were Tony Banks, David Carr, Matt Schaub twice, Case Keenum, Brian Hoyer, Brock Osweiler and Watson twice. Watson is the only quarterback to face Brady three times.
Fans of Buffalo, Miami and the New York Jets are celebrating Brady’s departure from the AFC East, a division he helped the Patriots dominate on their way to appearing in nine Super Bowls and winning six Lombardi Trophies.
The Texans are glad Brady left New England, too, because they’ve played six games against the Patriots in the last five years, including once in the playoffs.
In his 11 games against the Texans, Brady completed 252 of 397 (63.4 percent) passes for 3,168 yards and 28 touchdowns.
He threw eight interceptions and was sacked 24 times.
The NFL schedule usually comes out in mid-April. The league has given no indication if the release will be delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic. When the schedule is disclosed, the Texans will learn when the Patriots return to Houston.
As it stands today, the Patriots have three quarterbacks on their roster — Hoyer, Jarrett Stidham and Cody Kessler.
Belichick has salary cap issues, so it’s not likely he acquires an expensive veteran. He could sign a quarterback to a contract that doesn’t take up much cap space or he could draft one.
Some who watch the Patriots closely believe Belichick will stick with his current lineup of quarterbacks.
Stidham, a fourth-round draft choice last year, appeared in three games as a rookie, throwing four passes and completing two for 14 yards. The Stephenville native began his college career at Baylor before transferring to Auburn.
Brady, a sixth-round pick in 2000, completed 1 of 3 for 6 yards as a rookie. He was forced into the lineup in 2001 when starter Drew Bledsoe was injured, and he led the Patriots to their first Super Bowl victory.
If Belichick elects to give Stidham a chance to replace Brady next season, then he sees something special in his quarterback, and opponents should take notice.
Hoyer, a 12-year veteran who started nine games for the Texans in 2015, returned to New England last week for his third tour of duty with the Patriots. He has 38 career starts, 12 since he left the Texans.
Hoyer knows New England’s offensive system extremely well. It seems doubtful Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels brought back Hoyer to become their starter after Indianapolis released him.
Kessler, a five-year veteran with 12 career starts, is playing for his third team. He’s the most likely to go if Belichick signs or drafts another quarterback.
No matter who New England’s starter will be next season, the Texans will react like other teams that play the Patriots — they’ll breathe a huge sigh of relief not having to play against the greatest quarterback in NFL history.