Suddenly, the New England Patriots look vulnerable. They're losers of two straight, are playing without Julian Edelman, and though Rob Gronkowski is expected to be back, he might not be 100 percent. If there were a time for the Houston Texans to score an upset, it would be Sunday night on NBC.
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The Patriots are reeling heading into Sunday night’s matchup and looking to avoid their first three-game losing streak in 13 years.
Ever since Edelman broke his foot against the Giants in Week 10, Brady hasn't looked the same. He's only completed 52 percent of his passes in Edelman's absence and is constantly under duress in the pocket. Brady has been hit 37 times over the last four weeks and taken 29 sacks this season, which is eight more than he took all of last year.
Earlier in the fall, the Patriots were able to mitigate the impact of their depleted offensive line, which is without starting left tackle Nate Solder, because Brady was able to get rid of the ball quickly. But with Gronkowski and Edelman out of the lineup, he's been forced to hold the ball for longer. As a result, he's getting knocked down a lot more.
That bodes well for the Texans and reigning defensive player of the year J.J. Watt. Watt has 13.5 sacks on the season, including four over his last three games. The Texans defense as a whole has been dominant as of late, only allowing 65 points since Week 8.
Houston did suffer a hiccup last week, losing to the Bills by a score of 30-21. LeSean McCoy was able to bust the defense open with 112 yards on the ground, which opened the field up for Tyrod Taylor and Buffalo's passing attack.
It’s unlikely the Patriots will be able to replicate the success the Bills had on the ground, considering they only average 3.8 yards per carry (fifth-worst in the league). The Patriots are in the bottom five in the league in rushing attempts as well.
At 38 years of age, it is all on Brady's shoulders once again. He's on pace to throw the fourth-most passes in NFL history this season and attempted more than 50 throws for the third time this season in last week's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Drops have plagued the Patriots' receiving corps over the last few weeks and halted several of their offensive drives. Brady has been the victim of 11 more dropped balls than any other QB in the league this season. The worst offender is Brandon LaFell, who has failed to get in sync with Brady after missing the first six games of the year with an injury.
Even though the Patriots have struggled offensively over the last two weeks, they’ve still put up 24 and 28 points, respectively. The Texans, conversely, have only reached the 28-point threshold once this season.
Points should be at a premium for Houston once again Sunday, given that the Patriots have a top-10 scoring defense in the league. If New England is going to have a chance at a first-round bye, its defense is likely going to have win games in spite of its offense. Talk about a change of pace.
How to Watch
When: 8:30 p.m. ET
Where: Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas
TV: NBC
Commentators: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michelle Tafoya
Online: NBC Sports
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