The Houston Texans have reached the summit of their own success by advancing to the divisional round for the seventh time in franchise history. Will the seventh time be the lucky charm? We spoke with Taylor
Kyles from Pats Pulpit about the upcoming tilt between the Texans and Patriots. This will be the third time the two teams clash in the divisional round. A win against the Pats would go a long way in exorcising some demons.
Battle Red Blog: Drake Maye is obviously the biggest story in New England this season based on his growth from year one to year two. I open the floor to you to make the best MVP case you can for him.
Taylor Kyles: Drake Maye and Matthew Stafford are both worthy candidates, but Maye has done more with less while excelling in adverse conditions. He’s throwing to some ultra-reliable veterans, including wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte and tight end Hunter Henry, but Maye’s poise, mobility, and accuracy have made them among the most productive and efficient players at their positions. The second-year quarterback has also thrived in the toughest conditions, ranking among the league’s best when pressured or blitzed and finishing with one of the best deep passer ratings in at least a decade. Maye is an elite pocket passer at just 23 years old, and aside from occasionally poor ball security, he’s improved in just about every significant area.
When comparing the top two candidates straight up, Maye brings immense value as a scrambler and occasional designed runner, which Stafford simply can’t at this point in his career. Maye is also 6-0 against common opponents compared to Stafford’s 4-2 record, and Maye has the better stat line. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell also did an excellent job debunking the strength-of-schedule argument, revealing that the two teams have faced comparable slates of defenses. So, while I understand the award is likely Stafford’s to lose, given his unreal 46 touchdown passes, I think there’s a much stronger case for Maye.
BRB: The Patriots confused the Chargers in the wild card round and held them to three points. Did this performance surprise you or have you seen this from this group all season?
TK: I think the Chargers’ confusion was more an indictment of their former OC Greg Roman, as there weren’t many wrinkles the Patriots hadn’t shown in previous games. That said, interim DC Zak Kuhr did an excellent job spinning the dial and mixing up pressure schemes against Herbert, and the defense played its most well-rounded game of the season.
The pass defense has been trending upward for a while, albeit against some bad opponents, so their success wasn’t much of a surprise. I was more caught off guard by the sturdy run defense, which had struggled for the first half of the season. Everyone seemed to step up their play, but the returns of Milton Williams and Robert Spillane were key. Williams has contributed to multiple impact plays since returning in the regular-season finale, and Spillane made his presence felt in the middle against the Chargers. With nose tackle/fullback Khyiris Tonga set to return this weekend, the unit could be stronger than we’ve seen it in months.
BRB: The Patriots have one of the more impressive one-two punches out of the backfield in the NFL. How do these two running backs compare, and what does each bring to the offense?
TK: Rookie TreVeyon Henderson struggled with NFL speed early on, but he caught fire mid-season and finished as one of the league’s top backs. He brings contact balance, a finisher’s mentality, and most importantly, home run speed. Though he’s had relatively quiet performances of late, Henderson has turned what should’ve been stuffed runs into field-flipping scores and must be accounted for whenever he’s on the field.
Veteran Rhamondre Stevenson has been white hot since the Patriots’ bye in Week 14, consistently making the first man miss and generating chunk plays as a runner and receiver. He runs with excellent vision, and he’s one of the best in the business at breaking tackles, picking up blitzers, and tracking down the deep ball.
OC Josh McDaniels favors Stevenson on passing downs, as Henderson is still coming along in that area, but he’ll put both on the field to chip edge rushers or create mismatches with linebackers.
BRB: Do the Patriots have any significant injuries you are worried about before the game? How will they impact them on Sunday?
TK: The Patriots actually had full attendance during their Thursday practice, a rarity at this point in the season. Christian Gonzalez (concussion) ditched his red non-contact jersey and was one of multiple players upgraded to full participation, along with Hunter Henry (knee) and Khyiris Tonga (foot). Right tackle Morgan Moses (knee) and jumbo tight-end Thayer Munford (knee) remained limited, but Moses has shown incredible toughness this season, and Munford was moving pretty well.
BRB: Fanduel has the Patriots favored by three. How do you see the game going? Are there any prop bets you feel comfortable recommending?
I think the Patriots pull this one out by more than one score. Mike Vrabel wants to fight fire with fire, and I think Maye hits enough chunk plays to get his team ahead. The offense couldn’t finish in the red zone last week, so that will be an area to watch, but that performance was more of an anomaly. Defensively, I think a healthy New England front makes it tough for Houston to run the ball, especially if Trent Brown doesn’t play. Nico Collins’s absence could also severely limit CJ Stroud’s big-play potential, though Dalton Schultz could find downfield success against man coverage. If the Texans find themselves in too many obvious pass situations, Kuhr’s defense will tee off.
I’d bet on Hunter Henry catching a touchdown in this one. It would be his fourth in five games. I also see Milton Williams getting to Stroud late.
We want to thank Taylor for taking the time to answer our questions, so that we could get some more inside information on our opponent. The Patriots haven’t been here in awhile, but they look a lot like those old Patriots teams that used to give the Texans fits. Here is hoping for a different result on Sunday. We want to wish Taylor and the Patriots the best of luck, but as per usual we hope that luck begins on Monday morning.
