New England Patriots: Divisional Round Preview

The Patriots offense struggled against the Chargers last weekend to say the least, and they are going to have to turn things around very quickly against the Texans. Houston’s defense is full of weapons, and has probably the best pass rush in the league at this point in the season. This is not good news for New England since Drake Maye was under constant pressure last week. The hope amongst Patriots fans is that offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will be able to create a gameplan to help not only the offensive line, but Drake Maye as well. The first thing that comes to mind is bootleg play action passes so Maye can use his legs as a threat in the passing game. This will hopefully keep the defense honest knowing that Maye can hurt you with his legs just as much as his passing ability. This would also alleviate some pressure on the offensive line, specifically rookie left tackle Will Campbell who didn’t look like his normal self against the Chargers. Campbell may be still recovering from his knee injury, or he may be getting used to the bright lights of the playoffs, but either way, the Patriots are going to need him to have a shot at the Super Bowl. This matchup for Campbell against Houston’s Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter will likely be the biggest of his young career so far, and it will be interesting to see how he performs as well as the offensive line as a whole.

Can the New England defense terrorize C.J. Stroud the same way they did Justin Herbert?

The Patriots defense dominated against the Chargers on Sunday, and consistently had quarterback Justin Herbert under pressure. New England’s defensive tackle tandem of Milton Williams and Christian Barmore is one of the best in the league, and always wreaks havoc on opposing offenses. Luckily for the Patriots, Houston’s offensive line has been struggling recently, and this could be perfect for yet another Milton Williams masterclass. If C.J. Stroud is being pressured and sacked by the Patriots pass rush all game, it is going to be very hard for the Texans to leave Foxborough with a win. The hope is that if New England’s defense can dominate on Sunday, then the offense will be able to have some breathing room and not be in desperation mode whenever they have the football.

What could Sunday’s matchup look like?

The Patriots and Texans are two very similar teams. They both have very good defenses and young gunslingers at the quarterback position who are the future of this league. Maye and Stroud battling it out in the playoffs is a matchup we will likely see for many years to come, and we have the privilege to watch their first playoff showdown this weekend. This game is going to be very interesting to see how these young quarterbacks handle the bright lights of the playoffs as well as dominant opposing defenses. If all goes to plan, Sunday’s game will be incredibly entertaining and could begin a new New England and Houston rivalry for the foreseeable future.