Patriots v.s. Texans Preview

And just like that the Pats get back on track. They shut down a team that gave them all sorts of trouble last season.  Sure it was rainy and the heavens opened up right when the Ravens needed a comeback, but a win is a win. Maybe I should pick against them more often and they’ll pull off more wins like that. This week they won’t have the weather conditions on their side, but they face a team that’s been a mess. The Texans are 2-0 vs Jacksonville, and 0-7 vs everyone else.

The offense hasn’t been any secret over these last couple of wins, and they just need to keep doing what works. Pound it with Damien Harris 75% of the time, and let Burkhead and Cam be a little bit of change of pace running the ball. Then they just need to feed Jakobi Meyers. He clearly knows what he’s doing because even the elite corners in Baltimore’s secondary couldn’t cover him. If they can continue to get the ball to Meyers, eventually it’ll open up opportunities for the guys who should be playing at a high level. Maybe we’ll finally get some production out of N’Keal Harry and James White this week if Houston really keys in on Jakobi.

The Texans offense has been incredibly disappointing this season, especially with one of the brightest young talents at the QB position. Keeping Watson in check will absolutely be the key to winning this game for the Patriots. The Texans don’t have much of a running game at all anymore with David Johnson out. Duke Johnson didn’t do a whole lot in replacement of him last week, and now he’s questionable with an illness. The Texans receivers are really the wild cards in the equation. With no DeAndre Hopkins, they have a whole bunch of very solid, but not great receivers. WIll Fuller, Brandin Cooks, Randall Cobb, and Kenny Stills. They are all proven NFL receivers, but not really any game breakers. They all contribute in their own ways, but nothing this Patriots secondary shouldn’t be able to handle. Look out for JC Jackson’s 6th straight game with a pick.

Overall this is absolutely a winnable game for the Patriots in their pursuit of a playoff spot. They have momentum moving in their direction, and they have a lot of young guys hitting their stride at this point in the season. 27-18 Pats.

-Jake Kobierski (@TheRealKobe83)