Houston it is

[TheBostonStraggler]

Texans have a good chance if kubiak comes out bold and has something creative in his game plan instead of the standard, need to the run the ball and play action and all that especially if it doesnt work early on. To beat teams in big games, you need to take some chances, is kubiak that kind of person ?

"Good chance"? While that is a non specific phrase, I take "good chance" to mean more likely than not. I do not believe the Texans have a more likely than not chance of beating the Patriots by boldly going outside what has led them to a lofty total of 13 wins. Sure, the Texans have struggled as of late but overall they have been a very productive offense. They have largely done that with a combination of handing the ball off to Foster and passing to Johnson and Daniels. In my opinion the Patriot defense not implicitly force the need to go away from your bread and butter....

If the Patriots jump out to a sizable lead is the time for the high risk high reward stuff. But Kubiak doing that out of the gate?? That would say to his team he believes they can't beat the Patriots without rolling the dice. That is what a 9-7 team that barely made the playoffs does not a 13 win team.

 

[PittPatriot]

I wonder how many times the Patriots have played a team TWICE in a season (mainly divisional opponents) and won by more than 14-20 points BOTH times.
My guess is, we have either split alot (nondivisional) or had 1 semi-close game (even when the Bills and Phins stink).
I think I'd be really surprised if the Texans were not at least 1 possession away from a win or a tie next Sunday.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I wonder how many times the Patriots have played a team TWICE in a season (mainly divisional opponents) and won by more than 14-20 points BOTH times.
My guess is, we have either split alot (nondivisional) or had 1 semi-close game (even when the Bills and Phins stink).
I think I'd be really surprised if the Texans were not at least 1 possession away from a win or a tie next Sunday.

I'd focus the exercise on non-divisional opponents as those games tend to be a bit more straight up as opposed to divisional opponents that pretty much know every play and tendency of their division rivals. With that said I'd be willing to wager that the number in BBs tenure would be less than a handful of teams with DEN being one last year.

I do agree, though. I'm pretty confident that we will not see a blowout next Sunday. However I do think that the Pats are a superior team, playing in their element, are more battle-tested than HOU. I'm thinking the Pats will be in the 30s and HOU in the high teens, low 20s for a score..

 

[BTTA]

Schaub has been an over achiever his entire career, from high school to college and into the pros. He is what he is - just good enough to be a solid pro but not to be a good one. He's got a quiet temperament so will never be an energetic leader. He flashes at times and raises expectations but that mindset is about the press and us fans, not him.

He's like most athletes - he does the best he can with what he's got.

 

[pdangle]

How on earth does benching your best offensive weapon prove you take a opponent seriously?

It neither proves nor disproves it. In fact it has nothing to do with it. It's about team discipline, which if lost, loses the Pats more than a series worth of Welker's production.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Schaub has been an over achiever his entire career, from high school to college and into the pros. He is what he is - just good enough to be a solid pro but not to be a good one. He's got a quiet temperament so will never be an energetic leader. He flashes at times and raises expectations but that mindset is about the press and us fans, not him.

He's like most athletes - he does the best he can with what he's got.

I work with a few Texans fans and it's almost like they've come to the realization that in order for the Texans to get to the next level, Schaub is not the guy. They were screaming for Manning when he was available.

They've now begun to question Schaub's leadership ability and mental toughness. That, along with his lack of a top-level throwing arm has the knowledgable demographic of their fan base wondering if this is as good as it gets.

 

[Uncle Rico]

I wonder how many times the Patriots have played a team TWICE in a season (mainly divisional opponents) and won by more than 14-20 points BOTH times.
....

2011 vs Broncos (41-23, 45-10).

That was a big playoff win, because of the previous two one-and-dones. People (even some here!) were doubting the Pats'/Brady's/Belichick's ability to win a playoff game.

 

[Rob0729]

Texans have a good chance if kubiak comes out bold and has something creative in his game plan instead of the standard, need to the run the ball and play action and all that especially if it doesnt work early on. To beat teams in big games, you need to take some chances, is kubiak that kind of person ?

Then they virtually have no chance. They cannot get creative with Schaub as their QB. The play-action hides his many flaws as a QB.

This why I said when the Pats played them that the Pats would and did expose them as a team that can't run with the big boys. They are too limited as a team.

I don't see Kubiak moving away from what they do on offense. We have seen over the last month or so, when Schaub has to carry the offense and not have the play-action to buy him an extra second or two he becomes very ordinary.

 

[RIpats88]

defensively, if you limit the run and keep schaub in 3rd and long situations he is NOT a good QB...

Belichicks game-plan will be to put schaub in uncomfortable situations...

despite the bengals total ineptitude on Offense, the Texans only managed to put up 19points and win by 6.....that game shouldve been a blowout..

if you're the patriots you'll take FG's because the patriots will come back down and score a TD.