PatsFans.com Menu
PatsFans.com - The Hub For New England Patriots Fans
PatsFans.com - The Hub For New England Patriots Fans
  • NEWS ▼
  • FORUM ▼
  • SCHEDULE
  • NFL ▼
  • STATS ▼
  • GAMES ▼
LOGIN | REGISTER
Home › Patriots Blog › Patriots Commentary
Patriots Commentary

Patriots – Texans Key Match Ups, Who Has the Razor’s Edge?

Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri Senior Writer · PatsFans.com since 2011
Sep 21, 2016 at 9:17 am ET · 6 min read · 2.5k views
Never miss a story
Follow Us on Google News Follow on Apple News Newsletter
Photo: Winslow Townson - USA TODAY Sports
6 min read Patriots Commentary

The New England Patriots will play the Houston Texans on Thursday Night Football at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m.

The game will be televised by CBS and can be seen locally on WBZ-TV Channel 4 in Boston. Jim Nantz will handle play-by-play duties with Phil Simms as the color analyst. Tracy Wolfson will work the sidelines. The game will also be aired on the Patriots flagship radio station 98.5 The SportsHub with Bob Socci and Scott Zolak on the call, produced by Marc Capello.

The Patriots (2-0) defeated the Miami Dolphins 31-24 on Sunday in Foxboro. New England jumped out to a 31-3 lead in the third quarter with Jimmy Garoppolo having a strong game. But after his injury, the Dolphins rallied and the Pats needed a Duron Harmon interception in the end zone with two seconds left to seal the victory.

The Texans (2-0) beat the Kansas City Chiefs 19-12 on Sunday. The Houston defense was stout, allowing just four field goals and holding the opponents out of the endzone for the past six quarters. J.J. Watt who had offseason groin and back surgeries looks healthy to start the season. Against KC, he had 1.5 sacks, five tackles, and a fumble recovery.

We here at PatsFans.com are continuing our “Razor’s Edge” column in 2016 to give some quick analysis on some of the key matchups of the game and what you can look for in how the game plays out.

Series History:
The Patriots and Texans will be meeting for just the 8th time as Houston entered the league in the 2002 season. The Patriots hold a 6-1 advantage in these contests while holding a perfect 3-0 advantage at home, including a 41-28 playoff win over the Texans in 2012.

The Patriots dominated the Texans 27-6 just a year ago in Houston but that team that faced New England especially offensively is vastly different than the one they will put on the field on Thursday night.

Here is a look at some of the key matchups and who holds the Razor’s Edge.

First up is the Patriots offense:

Like this article?
Support Steve and buy him a coffee.
PatsFans.com — Independent Patriots Coverage Since 2000

Support Us: Help Us Compete Against The Corporate Media Giants

We need your help. If you enjoy our content, please help us beat Google's Corporate algorithm by adding us as a preferred source on Google News.

Click the button below and check the box next to "PatsFans.com"

Add as a preferred source on Google News
Read Next Podcast: Patriots Victory Review And Texans Preview →
About Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri

A former US Army Special Forces NCO and Officer, Steve has been following the Patriots since their days at Fenway Park. Steve has worked in the film industry and wrote as an Military Editor at SpecialOperations.com, 1945.com as a reporter for the Millbury Daily Voice, Millbury-Sutton Chronicle, and the Grafton News. He's also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)

View all posts by Steve Balestrieri
Tags: 2016 NFL Season 2016 Patriots season Benardrick McKinney Bill Belichick Bill O'Brien Brock Osweiler Chris Hogan Danny Amendola DeAndre Hopkins Dont'a Hightower Houston Texans Jabaal Sheard Jadeveon Clowney Jimmy Garoppolo JJ Watt Julian Edelman LaGarrette Blount Lamar Miller Malcolm Butler New England Patriots NFL Patriots Rob Gronkowski Tom Brady Trey Flowers Vince Wilfork Whitney Mercilus Will Fuller

Comments are closed.

📅 This Week in Patriots History:

From our archive - this week all-time:
May 30 - June 14 (Through 26yrs)

  • ICYMI PHOTO: Tom Brady Shows Off Super Bowl Rings, Says Which Is His Favorite(2019)
  • Tom Brady Seeks Golf Advice From Jordan Speith In Latest Facebook Post(2016)
  • Former Patriots RB Harris Frustrated With NFL Running Backs Being Devalued(2024)
  • Daily Notebook: Tuesday Patriots News and Notes 5/30(2017)
  • WATCH: Cordarrelle Patterson Featured On Barstool Sports “Wine Walk”(2018)
  • This Feels Different: Vrabel's Patriots Are Building Something Special(2025)
FULL ARCHIVE
📈 Recent Most-Read Articles:
1
2022 New England Patriots Draft Picks – Full List
2
2024 Patriots Draft Picks – FULL LIST
3
Patriots Announce Ticket Increase, Dropping Stadium Parking Fees
4
Heading Into Free Agency, Patriots Have Two Tough Player Decisions to Make
5
Tom Brady’s ‘Life Is Hard’ Speech: Full Patriots HOF Transcript
📰 Follow PatsFans.com
Follow Us on Google News Follow on Apple News Get the Newsletter
Right Now At PatsFans.com:
Patriots News 06-14, Patriots Wrap Up Spring Workouts
2026 NFL Offseason:
Patriots News 06-14, Patriots Wrap Up Spring Workouts
By: Steve Balestrieri
  • Patriots Rookie Lomu Reveals "Weird" First Days at Right Tackle
  • Vrabel's Goal For Christian Barmore in 2026: "Being able to finish"

More Patriots News Headlines:

Patriots News 06-14, Patriots Wrap Up Spring Workouts

Patriots News 06-14, Patriots Wrap Up Spring Workouts

By: Steve Balestrieri
Patriots wrap up spring workouts, looking ahead to training camp and the 2026 season. Drake Maye's development, A.J. Brown & Romeo Doubs boost offense.
5 hours ago
Patriots Rookie Lomu Reveals “Weird” First Days at Right Tackle

Patriots Rookie Lomu Reveals “Weird” First Days at Right Tackle

By: Ian Logue
Patriots rookie Caleb Lomu details his 'weird' initial adjustment to right tackle after college, now feeling natural with veteran Morgan Moses' help.
2 days ago
Vrabel’s Goal For Christian Barmore in 2026: “Being able to finish”

Vrabel’s Goal For Christian Barmore in 2026: “Being able to finish”

By: Ian Logue
Vrabel challenges Christian Barmore to 'finish' plays and increase sacks in 2026. His season management is also detailed.
2 days ago
MORSE: Day 3 of Patriots Mini-Camp

MORSE: Day 3 of Patriots Mini-Camp

By: Mark Morse
Analyzing Patriots mini-camp Day 3, Drake Maye's red zone work, a late hit, and defensive dominance highlighted a spirited practice.
2 days ago
TRANSCRIPT: Mike Vrabel Press Conference 6/11

TRANSCRIPT: Mike Vrabel Press Conference 6/11

By: Ian Logue
Here's the full transcript of what New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel had to say during his press conference on Thursday, June 11th, 2026.
3 days ago

Free Newsletter

BE THE FIRST TO KNOW

Join 2,000+ fans getting exclusive stats, analysis, and insights delivered straight to their inbox every week. Never miss a play.

📊
Weekly Stats Deep-dive analysis
🎯
First Access New features & tools
📤
Breaking News Player Signings & Rumors

Subscribe Now

* required

Intuit Mailchimp

PatsFans.com Social Logo
PATSFANS.com

The longest-running independent New England Patriots site online since 2000. Not affiliated w/any school, team or league.

Resources

  • Patriots Forum
  • Schedule
  • Patriots Roster
  • Transcripts
  • Archive

Stats

  • Offensive Stats
  • Opponent Stats
  • Offensive Line
  • Snaps Overview
  • Penalties

Analysis

  • Snap Analysis
  • Personnel Groupings
  • Stats By Personnel
  • Top 10 Plays
  • Offensive Line
  • Defensive Totals

Site

  • About Us
  • Podcast
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us

© 2000-2026 PatsFans.com

Privacy Policy Advertise RSS Feed