Where the Houston game will be Won/Lost IMHO

I expect the Patriots are going to go run heavy with a big does of Mason pulling, extra lineman setting the edge and right after that slows down the rush and pulls the safeties up play action.

For the Patriots to lose this game they'll have to lose the turnover battle by at least three, the Texans will have to return a kick or maybe even two for TDs and NEM will have to fall in love with small receivers and corners.

Keyser Söze said:

Most games are decided in the trenches and fans thinking it will be a blow out has no effect on the game

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Last year this was key - no argument here: the injury losses on the line were the critical component to the Pats final loss.

This year I would posit that special teams are where I'd focus on if we're playing the crystal ball prediction - dropped/fumbled/mishandled punts/kickoffs especially where the ball can change hands on a short field, bad weather close game where we have to have the extra point or field goal...

If Watt and Clowney were both playing at the former's regular production and the latter's newly found ability - I would see some concern along the lines, but given the improvement on our OL and the demonstrated schema in regards to good rushers this season - if I had to put money down on "thing likely to bite this team if something HAD to go wrong" (which 94+% of the time likely wouldn't) it would be special teams this year.

Couldn't agree more. Although you can say any game will be won or lost in the trenches, I really think some games it matters more than others. The key to negating a pass rush is to have success running the ball. Sometimes we run it good sometimes we don't (we have had success against good run defenses, and we've also struggled against some too) I don't see houstons offense doing much however. I think that's why some will think it i will be easy. I think what they mean by easy is that pats will win by 2 scores. And I think they will. But it's never easy, maybe only if the other team doesn't try

Where? If they wear their letterman jackets again

DaBruinz said:

Sorry, but thinking that this game will be easy is a mistake on your part.. This isn't the same Houston Team we faced in September with Brissett at the helm..

Yes, we're improved, but so are they..

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If they improved by more than the amount of the difference between Jacoby Brissett and Tom Brady, they would be winning every game 100-0.

I just can't take this game seriously.

DaBruinz said:

Weren't you one of the ones talking that way just prior to the 2007 SB against the Giants? How'd that turn out?

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Yah, like that Brady guy ridiculing people for saying they'd only score 17 points

NFW Houston wins Sunday

This is the toughest minded Pats team I've seen since the Bruschi/McG years. Having home field, the rest and bringing the focus they've brought to every single game they've played this season, I just don't see how a Houston is going to waltz in here and walk away with a win. The things that would have to happen for this to occur would be akin to that Philly game LAST season....punt returns, INT's for TD's, multiple turnovers. I've tried to make a case...I can't.

I think Whitney Mercilus is the one front seven guy that needs to be stopped. He's the most fierce competitor on that defense. The upside for us is that he's the ONLY ONE to compensate for--because I think, as tough as the rest of that line is, we can handle them.

I get the point but I think the other lines are the more important. The Texans OL has been bad at run blocking. The only way the Texans win, IMO, is if that changes and they run well, then are able to throw off it. If they can't run, they won't pass effectively either. The Patriots will score,at the low end, in the low 20s. Probably more but if we get to 23, I just don't think the Texans can get to 24 without controlling the ball.

DaBruinz said:

Weren't you one of the ones talking that way just prior to the 2007 SB against the Giants? How'd that turn out?

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I wasnt

I am sure that the 2010 Jets game has been emphasized during practice. As a few have already mentioned the Patriots would need to play a very bone headed game to lose. They would need to commit a boatload of penalties, allow several turnovers, and play terrible special teams to hand this game back to the Texans.

DaBruinz said:

Sorry, but thinking that this game will be easy is a mistake on your part.. This isn't the same Houston Team we faced in September with Brissett at the helm..

Yes, we're improved, but so are they..

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I am legitimately asking here, where have they improved?

DaBruinz said:

Sorry, but thinking that this game will be easy is a mistake on your part.. This isn't the same Houston Team we faced in September with Brissett at the helm..

Yes, we're improved, but so are they..

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Why is it a mistake?

They suck on the road....like always

And no....they're no better than week 3. .... they just played ****tier teams

Tony2046 said:

Agree except I save an out for the exception of a few Osweiler mishaps which would change the game quickly.

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I'm expecting Osweiler to start and do nothing much in the first half. BOB will pull him at halftime, Savage will start the second half to get the advantage of all the other halftime adjustments. He won't set the world on fire but he'll look better than Brock, which will make O'Brien's point about the QB decision that he was saddled with by McNair.

Let's all be over-confident but not tell the Patriots about it that way there's no risk that they'll get overconfident too.

Pinkie swear not to tell them, everyone.

Article about the emergence of clowney. The gif where he throws down #71 is amazing.

Jadeveon Clowney is finally the monster we thought he’d become

DaBruinz said:

Sorry, but thinking that this game will be easy is a mistake on your part.. This isn't the same Houston Team we faced in September with Brissett at the helm..

Yes, we're improved, but so are they..

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Obrien runs the exact same offense that the NE defense sees in practice every day.

Orsewieller beat NE last year running Denvers bootleg offense where he looked much more comfortable. Orsewieller has been a train wreck running Obriens offense. Oakland and Conner Cook sucked worse than Houston last week so the Texans move on.

Now it gets real outside of the dome and into bad weather.

meatface said:

I am legitimately asking here, where have they improved?

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Only thing I can think of is they now have their starting LT back, he was injured I believe for the week 3 game.