Official Texans vs. Patriots Game Thread, 10/10/2021
 

The 1-3 New England Patriots come to town this Sunday to take on the 1-3 Houston Texans in an early Sunday game. The Texans are coming off a 40-0 road loss to the Bills while the Patriots are coming off a 19-17 home loss to the Bucs. The Pats are led by rookie QB Mac Jones (Alabama) - 112/160 for 70%, 6.3 avg, 4 TDs, 4 INTs, 84.7 rating. Look for RB's Damien Harris and James White in the rushing game and WRs Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor and TE Hunter Henry in their passing game.

The Texans will probably start rookie QB Davis Mills again and it should be a friendlier setting for him playing in NRG rather than in rainy Buffalo.

The Pats really looked good against the defending champion Bucs on SNF so I gotta go with them in this game. Gotta see some improvement and production from the Texan offense just to keep this one close (and I'm not holding my breath):

Patriots 31, Texans 17

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TV = CBS (channel 11 local, noon CST, Sunday, 10/10/2021

Announcers = Andrew Catalon, James Lofton

The line = Patriots by 9 to 10

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Other Sunday viewing in the Houston area:

FOX (early) = Green Bay @ Cincinnati, Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma

FOX (late) = NY Giants @ Dallas, Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

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Prime time:

TNF = LA Rams @ Seattle (FOX/NFLN)

Sunday morning (8:30 CST) = NY Jets vs Atlanta (in London) (NFLN) (Greg Gumbel, Adam Archuleta)

SNF = Buffalo @ Kansas City (NBC)

MNF = Indianapolis @ Baltimore (ESPN)

I actually like a home dog here, so give me the points. The Texans are bad, just not as bad as they were on the road in the rain in Buffalo. And the Patriots aren't as good as they were at home keyed up for a big game with Tom Brady returning.

The Texans still suck though and should lose this game. Belichick has a way of taking away your best offensive option, which means it might be tough for getting Brandin Cooks to take over. So Mills needs to find Amendola or another receiver (not you, Anthony Miller!), use his tight ends, find David Johnson in the flat, etc. I could see a garbage time back door cover here.

Patriots 27, Texans 20

I gotta see a pulse before I back them again. Last Sunday was a total failure across the board - offense, defense, special teams, coaching....

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Sure am glad Directv is doing free Sunday Ticket and Redzone this year. No more getting stuck watching the Cowboys because it's the only game on...

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Speaking of the Cowboys, they seem to be much better than I thought. Also, they are the last team to be a perfect 4-0 ATS. Texans are 2-2 ATS. (covered vs. Jax and Cleveland).

Texans on the board first. Mills hits Auclair for an 11 yard TD.

Fairbairn misses the XP.

Texans 6, Pats 0

4:54 left in the 1st qtr.

The Pats answer with a drive of their own. Harris carries it in for the last yard.

Folk misses the XP.

Texans 6, Pats 6

14:17 left in the half.

Mills with the jump ball at the sideline to Chris Moore, Moore snags it and runs it in for a 67 yard TD reception.

Fairbairn misses the XP. Again.

Texans 12, Pats 6

12:56 left in the half.

Harris runs it in for a TD for the Pats but fumbles while crossing the goal line. Play is under review......

Refs rule the ball was punched out before he crossed the goal line. Touchback, Texan's ball.

Score remains:

Texans 12, Pats 6.

About 8 minutes left in the half.

This team has a lot of problems, insurmountable ones, probably, since they begin with the owner, but this year's team is so much more intelligently managed than those of previous years. It's pretty striking.

It's too bad they got crossways with Deshaun because they might be able to do something with him in this horrible division. I guess the real tragedy is that they gave away so many of their best players. If they'd kept a core group around they might be pretty decent, Deshaun or no Deshaun.

Texans convert a couple of 4th and shorts on a drive on the way to the red zone. Why not?

Mills looking much better this week.

Drive ends with a Fairbairn 33 yard FG.

Texans 15, Pats 6

1:37 left in the half.

Yep, the AFCS could be had this year with a team just above mediocre. Not sure the Texans qualify although beating the Pats would be a good start.

Pats score with a 52 yard FG from Folk as the half comes to a close.

Texans 15, Pats 9

2 seconds left in the half.

Past regime had a knack of sending good players away.

Anthony Miller and Charles Omenihu are not Deandre Hopkins and J.J. Watt, but yet neither is playing this week, either.

This staff though does seem to get guys to outperform expectations, Buffalo trip aside. Winning a division though is not the goal. Been there.

Davis Mills in the first half:

12/16, 202 yards, 12.6 avg, 2 TD, 0 INT, 156.3 rating. Sacked twice.

And I saw "zip" on a few passes.

Opening drive of the second half, Jones throws an INT to Lonnie Johnson. Texan's ball at the Pat 44 yard line.

Flea flicker to Conley goes for the 37 yard TD.

Extra point is good!!!!!111!!!

Texans 22, Pats 9

13:31 left in the 3rd qtr.

welp there you go

Weird punt attempt by the Texans gives the Pats good field position.

Pats convert it into a 52 yard FG from Folk.

Texans 22, Pats 12

8:25 left in the 3rd qtr.

Folk connects on a 32 yard FG for the Pats.

Texans 22, Pats 15

1:50 left in the 3rd qtr.

Receiving stats after 3 quarters:
Chris Moore 5-109-1
Chris Conley 2-77-1
David Johnson 5-46
Pharaoh Brown 2-22
Jordan Akins 2-17
Antony Auclair 1-11-1
Brandin Cooks 1-6

Wow.

Jones hits Henry for the 13 yard TD pass on 3rd down.

Texans 22, Pats 22

9:31 left in the game.

C'mon boys, time to get to work....

Mind boggling idiocy on that punt fiasco and now these morons are likely to lose this game by two scores.

Eh, that non-fake punt cost 3 points. Ka'imi missed 2 extra points.

That roughing the passer call on Maliek Collins after a 3rd-and-long incompletion was way more damaging than either imo, and yeah, that's a weak call even in the 2021 NFL.

I was 100% certain the Pats would pick up that 3rd and 17.

The punt f up was a total momentum changer. It changed the game completely.

Pats take the lead with a 21 yard FG by Folk.

Pats 25, Texans 22

15 seconds left in the game.

Cha-ching.

You mean the incomplete, nearly-intercepted 3rd and 17?

The punt fiasco literally only cost them field position (yes, drive ended in a long FG), and I feel momemtum had already changed anyway. An iffy roughing call extended a game-winning drive.

The non-fake punt was just so poetically Texans it felt like why they lost.

I mean the 3rd and 17 that turned into 1st and 10. That one is the one I mean.

Final score:

Pats 25, Texans 22

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A winnable game that got away from the Texans in the 2nd half. But, that is what bad teams do. What did the announcer say.....something like the Texans are +9 pts in the first half and -61 pts in the second half? Something like that....

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Mills showed very good improvement today but still a long way to go with him. He is not a reason the Texans lost today.

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The punter has a weird, unconventional style. Strong leg but his approach and release point are not "mainstream". I saw this in the preseason but didn't complain because he was getting good distance.

I put the bad punt on him rather than Texans getting "cute"......

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Lots of things to second guess... However, the Texans were 3 for 3 on 4th down. Any fail with one of those and people would complain....

Fairbairn lost 5 pts although the missed FG was a rather long one....

OK, Mr. Humble. Nice call. ;)

If there is one thing I am not when I am right, it is humble. But I promise you won't hear a peep from me when I am wrong. :p

I'm seeing Colts by 10 to 11 next week in Indianapolis.... Seems like a lot. Which Texans team shows up? The one that is really bad or the one that is not so bad?

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This has been discussed elsewhere but more games like today from Davis Mills and it will make it tough to go back to Tyrod Taylor when he is healthy. The Texans will have a decision to make soon.....

Still laughing at this take, just reminded from SNF.

What's so fkn funny? Do share. The punt came off his foot flying low....

Watch the play, dood. Come on.

And I'm still laughing. Everyone else in the football world is goofing on the Nexans' fkwittery on the play and you're literally the only person I've seen who's like Oh well, bad luck, the punter kicked it into the upback's head like you see every now and again.

You guys are some mind boggling redneck Nexan gnobgobblers.

Do you ever talk football, chuckster? I'm trying to remember the last time you said something of substance. Or do you just call people names and criticize? Is that your thing?

What sort of football is there to discuss, though, really, with respect to the Texans? The owner has made it clear he'd rather run a religious cult than a winning football organization. So, week to week, the only thing we'll have is whether the Texans or the Lions are the league's biggest laughingstock.

After yesterday, not just the game but especially the press conference where Culley incoherently tried to explain all the inexplicable shit he did throughout the game, well, it looks like the Texans are edging into the lead.

You seem to have completely forgotten the Jaguars exist. They were crushed by this pathetic Texans team this season, and have lost 3 straight to us as part of their 20 straight losses. And while Culley might be incoherent, he didn't stay behind after our last road loss to 'visit his grandkids'.

The Lions and Texans will have to be content to fight for 31st place.