How short-handed Texans can keep vibes high against struggling Patriots

TEXANS ON TAP

How short-handed Texans can keep vibes high against struggling Patriots
The Texans and Patriots square off this Sunday. Composite Getty Image.

The Houston Texans head to Foxborough this weekend to take on the 1-4 New England Patriots. The Pats will have a different look this week, with rookie QB Drake Maye making his first NFL regular season start.

The Texans also come into this matchup with some changes in place, as superstar receiver Nico Collins is on the injured list with a hamstring injury.

Receivers Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell will need to pick up the slack with Collins sidelined. Diggs will have his work cut out for him though against New England's standout corner Christian Gonzalez.

Diggs may be able to escape Gonzalez when moved into the slot, but it's hard to know how both teams will choose to match up this week. Will Diggs play more on the outside with Collins out of the equation? Will Gonzalez shadow Diggs all over the field? Gonzalez had success pressing Dolphins all-world receiver Tyreek Hill last week, and recorded 1 interception and 2 forced incompletions.

Per PFF, Pats corner Marcus Jones was actually the highest-graded Patriots player last week against Miami, so this team has some talent in the secondary.

The big question for the Texans passing game comes down to Dell's usage. Even with Collins out for most of last week's game, Dell only received four targets and played on 68% of the snaps.

Houston receiver Xavier Hutchinson actually out-snapped Dell, playing on 71% of the snaps, but with one less target.

Texans OC Bobby Slowik likes having bigger receivers on the field to help block in the running game. So we should learn a lot this week about how Slowik will deploy his weapons with Collins injured.

Speaking of the running game, both Dameon Pierce (full) and Joe Mixon (limited) returned to practice this week. It would be huge for the offense to get those guys back, to say the least.

Slowik should also be prepared to get the tight ends more involved, to take advantages of mismatches. The Texans brought back tight end Teagan Quitoriano this week. If he's active, perhaps we see him used for pass and run blocking, with Dalton Schultz lining up in the slot from time to time.

Bulls on Parade!

On defense, the Texans should have success against a rookie quarterback in his first start, especially after seeing what they did to Josh Allen last week.

Both Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter played well against the Bills receivers. But Lassiter is dealing with a shoulder injury that may prevent him from getting on the field. He didn't practice on Wednesday or Thursday.

Fortunately for Houston, the Patriots don't have a ton of talent at receiver. But with a new quarterback in the fold, anything can happen.

The Texans' ability to pressure Maye with Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter should give the team a big advantage. Houston leads the league with a 42% pressure rate.

The Patriots' biggest weapons this season have been running backs Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson. Stevenson is dealing with a foot injury and didn't practice on Wednesday or Thursday. If he's at all limited or doesn't play, that will work in Houston's favor.

What does Vegas think?

The Texans are favored by 7 points, and the total is set at 38. So don't expect too many points in this contest!

There are so many angles to cover in this matchup. Be sure to watch the video above as the crew from Texans on Tap gets you ready for the big game!

Most Popular

The Astros roster is taking shape.Composite Getty Image.

With spring training about to get started, it appears Alex Bregman has finally narrowed down his options to three teams, according to ESPN's Buster Olney.

Olney indicates the Astros are out of the mix, and Bregman will choose between the Tigers, Red Sox, and Cubs. There is also a belief that Breggy will make his decision by the end of the week, and MLB Network's Harold Reynolds said his sources are telling him Alex is heading to Chicago.

We still haven't seen any concrete evidence that there's a long-term deal on the table greater than the Astros offer, which makes us think he'll sign a shorter deal with a higher AAV. Don't be surprised if Breggy inks a 3-year $105 million deal with opt-outs just like Carlos Correa did a few years back.

Houston reportedly increased their offer to Bregman last week, but we don't know exactly what that entails. Based on reports Scott Boras didn't feel Breggy should take a pay cut. It would make sense if Houston added some money to the frontend of the deal, but whatever they did, it doesn't look like it's enough.

Had the Astros been willing to go 6-years, $180 million, perhaps that would have sealed the deal. But there's also a possibility Bregman is ready to move on to another team. Maybe he doesn't feel like the club is heading in the right direction after trading Kyle Tucker and Ryan Pressly. There were also reports last season that he wasn't happy with the communication from Astros manager Joe Espada when he was moved down in the order. We'll definitely have more clarity when we see the final numbers from the contract he ultimately accepts.

Call to the bullpen

Speaking of Espada, he joined the Crush City Territory podcast this week and spoke about some pitchers that will be counted on this season with Pressly now in Chicago.

The three pitchers he named were Tayler Scott, Bryan King, and Forrest Whitley. Espada spoke about how he trusted Scott in high-leverage spots, and how well King through the ball last season. He also mentioned Whitley as a player he's excited about. Based on these comments, we expect Scott and King to get opportunities in the seventh inning with Pressly out of the picture.

What does Vegas think?

It depends on which sportsbook you look at. But as a frame of reference, MyBookie has the Astros as the favorites to win the division, and they have their win total at 88.5.

If the Astros end up winning the division after moving on from Bregman, Tucker, and Pressly, should Houston fans consider that a win?

Don't miss the video above as the crew from Stone Cold 'Stros breaks it all down!


*Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!

https://houston.sportsmap.com/advertise


Most Popular

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome

Listen Live

ESPN Houston 97.5 FM