The Houston Texans have a chance to make history if they beat the New England Patriots on the road in the Divisional Round.
The Texans have been to the divisional round seven times in franchise history, but they have yet to break the seal into the AFC Championship. NFL.com writer Brooke Cersosimo believes the Texans have a chance to beat the Patriots and advance to the AFC Championship for the first time in franchise history.
“I’m a sucker for elite defenses, so naturally, I’m ALL IN on this Houston unit — even against an MVP candidate on his home turf. The star-studded group had the No. 2 scoring (17.4 PPG allowed) and No. 1 overall (277.2 YPG allowed) defense in the regular season, while ranking third in takeaways (29). The Texans’ D completely overwhelmed the Steelers last week, racking up four sacks and two defensive touchdowns while yielding just 175 yards,” Cersosimo wrote.
“After all, Derek Stingley Jr., Kamari Lassiter, Jalen Pitre and Calen Bullock each logged four interceptions during the regular season, with Bullock adding a pick-six on Wild Card Weekend. Maye could prove me wrong, but even after all that team has accomplished this season, I don’t feel I can fully trust it.”
Houston Texans safety Calen Bullock celebrates a touchdown during the NFL Wild Card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers | Michael Longo/For USA Today Network-PA / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Texans Can Make Their Mark vs. Patriots
The Texans may be the road team and the underdogs going into the game, but they have the confidence to win against any opponent that comes in their path. The defense has been phenomenal this season, and that unit could go all the way to the Super Bowl if it wanted to.
This could be the toughest test for the Texans because the Patriots have been so good all season long, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Quarterback Drake Maye is having a historic season, and he is one of the favorites to win the league’s MVP award for a reason.
Even with Maye playing at such a high level, analysts are still feeling very good about the Texans. It could be partially due to the lack of experience the Patriots have in these types of moments. The Texans have been to the divisional round in the last three years, so they are battle-tested and know what mistakes not to make at this stage of the season.
It won’t be easy, but when two teams are very similar in terms of skill level and experience, defense is usually what carries in the playoffs.
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