Official Texans vs. Patriots Game Thread, 12/1/2019

[Arky]

The 7-4 Houston Texans will host the 10-1 New England Patriots this Sunday night in prime time. Last time we saw the Texans, they edged out the Indianapolis Colts 20-17 on a TNF game. The Patriots are coming off defeating the Dallas Cowboys 13-9 in the driving rain in Foxboro. The Texans are 1-8 (0-2 in the playoffs) all time vs. the Pats. Bill O'Brien is 0-5 vs. Bill Belichick.

The way I see it, the Patriots should be able to score on the Texans 25th rated pass defense and 20th rated overall defense. The question will be, can the Texans keep up against the #2 rated Pats defense? It will be interesting to see how it plays out, but until the Texans can show they can get the job done, I see it going the Patriots way....

Patriots 30, Texans 20

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TV = NBC (channel 2 local), 7:20 pm, Sunday, December 1, 2019

Announcers = Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth

The line = Patriots by 3 to 3½

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Thursday football:

Thanksgiving Early: Chicago @ Detroit (FOX)

Thanksgiving Late: Buffalo @ Dallas (CBS)

Thanksgiving Night: New Orleans @ Atlanta (NBC)

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Other Sunday viewing in the Houston area:

CBS (early) = Tennessee @ Indianapolis, Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon

FOX (early) = San Francisco @ Baltimore, Kevin Burkhardt, Charles Davis

CBS (late) = Oakland @ Kansas City, Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

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MNF = Minnesota @ Seattle (ESPN)

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All the Sunday games should be interesting. Bye weeks are complete - full 16 game schedule the rest of the year.

[HPF Bob]

How is San Francisco at Baltimore just a 1 o'clock start (Noon CT)? I guess Fox has no better time slot and won't give the game to CBS. Niners-Ravens could easily be the Super Bowl preview.

[HPF Bob]

Is this the first time Watson had played against New England? I know the last playoff game between the two was when Osweiler was our QB (and he wasn't half bad - there just wasn't enough talent around him).

Per ESPN: Watson is 0-2 against Patriots but the losses were 36-33 @ NE (2017) and 27-20 @ NE (2018). Both of those were September games on the road. This will be his first game hosting the Patriots.

[Arky]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

How is San Francisco at Baltimore just a 1 o'clock start (Noon CT)? I guess Fox has no better time slot and won't give the game to CBS. Niners-Ravens could easily be the Super Bowl preview.

506 Sports
@506sports
Fox now says SF-BAL is going to 58% of the US, which honestly isn't bad for a singleheader game.

But still none of the 4 biggest markets. Giants, Rams, Eagles all in the same window, Chicago is getting the Packers.

The map looks a lot larger than 58% getting SF vs. Balt. For sheer area size, more like 75-80%. For a nooner, pretty big market share.....

[HPF Bob]

A little preview of what we're up against:

Tripping penalties in the NFL are rare but the Cowboys were called twice in New England and the league later admitted that neither were correctly called.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/n...e-been-called/

[Arky]

My goodness, a $10 2-team money-line parlay bet of Washington (+435) and Miami (+435) at 5-Dimes would pay $276.22. Didn't see that one coming.....

The Titans are all of a sudden "not an easy game".....

[HPF Bob]

Add a trio of Bengals over Jets and you've got a nice down payment.