Tag Archives: Texans

Prediction: The Patriots Will Be Great Against the Pass

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There are few things more satisfying than watching A-Rod serve hungry Boston fans Wahlburgers because he lost a bet. Watching a hyper-focused and well-oiled Patriots secondary shutting down a passing attack is one of those things.

While the New England Patriots were preparing their game plans for the Houston Texans, I’m sure they approached it as another game. Prepare, watch video, practice, evaluate and repeat over and over again. Don’t leave anything to chance and allow for the unexpected. More unexpected than the entire Boston Globe sports staff choosing the Houston Texans to win? Smack my head.

What We Learned

In the end the end the preparations were over-preparing. A healthy Deshaun Watson came into Foxborough and accounted for almost 350 total yards and two TDs. Coming within an epic Brady comeback drive and a Cooks toe-tapping touchdown of winning the contest. Riding a wave of feel-good emotions would do the sophomore quarterback some good as he returned to the site of battle. Those positives vibes were for naught. He rushed for nearly the same yards but accounted for over 125 less air yards. Watching the game unfold I was stuck with one thought, “This secondary looks damn good!”

What We Know

Let’s look at the differences from the unit that allowed Foles to throw three TDs and 373 yards en route to a Super Bowl MVB (Most Valuable Backup) in February. Starters Stephon Gilmore and Eric Rowe were still the same. Malcolm Butler of Super Bowls past was in Belichick’s doghouse and played one snap prior to leaving in free agency for Nashville to join the Elvis Patriots. Devin McCourty was the same defensive mainstay that he has been for a number of years. Jason joined the crew in the offseason too.

And here are the important things: Jordan Richards – Gone, Johnson Bademosi – Gone. Both of them gave up key catches that sustained drives when the team needed just one stop. In their place, Jon Jones was becoming a quality slot corner and backup. A bevy of late round draft picks that forced out 2nd round pick Cyrus Jones. An improved pass rush and new defensive play caller, Brian Flores, would help apply pressure that helps the coverage guys immensely.

The Crew

What is the best way to use a group as talented as this? The coaching staff of the Patriots will put them in the best position to succeed. And based upon experience, scheme and physical attributes it may go something like this. Stephon Gilmore is the classic man coverage, shutdown corner. A long and lean six foot one inch and just over 200 pound. Quick, and instinctual he has shown to be worth every penny of his massive free agent contract. Eric Rowe is just as tall as Gilmore but a little heavier and not quite as explosive. He does bring some big slot coverage that is nice for his versatility. JC Jackson is your next big cornerback. He’s a little lighter, but just as exciting and will grow into his role. A good special teamers, he brings a lot for an undrafted free agent.

 

The next tier are the shorter, lighter cornerbacks. Jonathan Jones seems to be the third option at cornerback and is primarily used inside. The Super Bowl drama would have been reduced if Jones did not suffer the season ending injury against Jacksonville. Keion Cross is a rookie this season and was an inactive on Sunday and barring injuries this will probably he his role all season.

The unique thing about the Patriots secondary is the role of the safeties. The McCourty twins are converted corners. When the defense’s backs get pushed against the wall, Devin’s job changes to primarily covering a receiver. Duron Harmon plays a lot of deep and cover 2 safeties. Jason McCourty is still learning his new position and offers some depth for the corners. Patrick Chung is the only true strong safety and does well with covering pass catchers near the line of scrimmage.

Super Bowl Bound

What does all that mean? Bill Belichick can play chess while much of the league is playing checkers. When you want to change your game plan from week to week in order to exploit an opponent’s weakness, you need versatility and layers. This years cornerback crew offers that. Big outside wide receivers, shifty slot guys, and speedsters up the fieldall need a different plan. The defensive backs that are on the team offer a blueprint for success that ends with hoisting a trophy in Atlanta!

 

 

All photos courtesy of Getty images unless noted otherwise.

Be sure to check out other great articles for all your favorite Boston sports teams on Bostonsportsextra.com

Follow me on Twitter @ALykins32

Biggest Risers and Fallers in Free Agency Thus Far

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In one of its craziest offseasons, the NFL has seen a flurry of free agent moves and trades. Which teams are likely to rise and improve? Which teams are likely to fall and decline?

Risers

Cleveland Browns – This was a gimme. The Browns looked like they belong playing in college football, with winning only one game in two years. What does new GM and resident savior in Cleveland do? John Dorsey reshaped this whole team by trading for Jarvis Landry, Tyrod Taylor, and Damarious Randall, and signing seven free agents, most notably being Carlos Hyde, T.J Carrie, Chris Hubbard, and Darren Fells. They did take a hit with the retirement of Joe Thomas, though. With a transformed offense and still having two of the top five picks, the only way this team can go is up.

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Photo Credit: theplayoffs.com

Chicago Bears – One of the most complete offseason so far, the Bears have acquired good players in all three aspects of the game. They signed two receivers and a tight end in Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, and Trey “Philly Special” Burton, which gives now second-year quarterback Mitch Trubisky some much-needed weapons on offense. They also signed OLBs Aaron Lynch and Sam Acho, along with resigning Prince Amukamara to bolster the defensive side of the ball. The Bears also contain a high draft pick to address the defense too. Along with the signing of kicker Cody Parkey, these Bad News Bears have the chance to change their name.

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Photo Credit: dynastyleaguefootball.com

Tennessee Titans – Am I upset that two of my favorite players are on different teams? Absolutely. Do I wish the best for them? Absolutely, they deserve it. The Titans now boast a two-headed monster with the shifty Dion Lewis and powerful Derrick Henry. Malcolm Butler is going to a secondary that already boasts the interceptions leader and a very promising rookie. There isn’t a lot of weakness on the team. Linebacker is the biggest need and will most likely be addressed in the first round of the draft. Face it, Titans are going to be a scary team this year.

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Photo Credit: theplayoffs.com

Other risers: Rams, Texans, 49ers

Fallers

Seattle Seahawks – Russell Wilson might as well scramble every play with that offensive line that’s “protecting” him. Seattle also lacks a real run game although potential standout Chris Carson is returning from injury, and they lost pass catchers Paul Richardson and Jimmy Graham. The breakup of the Legion of Boom and losses of Michael Bennett and Sheldon Richardson leaves this team with too many needs on both sides of the ball.

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Detroit Lions –  The Vikings got Cousins and Richardson, the Packers got Graham and Wilkerson, and the Bears got A-Rob and Taylor Gabriel (and more). All other teams in their division got better which leaves the Lions grasping for whatever leftovers they can get. They did sign LeGarrette Blount who will improve their otherwise nonexistent run game. However, the losses of Haloti Ngata, Tahir Whitehead, and Eric Ebron are drastic. Deshawn Shead and Devon Kennard can improve the team a little bit, but they are going to need a great draft, a couple more FA signings, and a bigger beard from a certain someone in their management.

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Arizona Cardinals – The solution to losing an injury prone quarterback? Get another one. And better yet, pay him $20 million a year. Especially when your offensive line needs serious improvement. Why not cut one of your best defensive players while you are at it? This was a pretty easy one. Sam Bradford is a high-risk player and the loss of Tyrann Mathieu is devastating.

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Photo Credit: onsizzle.com

Other fallers – It was hard to really say if a team was a faller because many teams lost notable free agents, but made signings that could make up for it. Those teams would be neutral or undecided until further notice.

Winning More Super Bowls Than Brady?

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In an appearance on Good Morning Football, Deshaun Watson had said he wanted to win more Super Bowls than Tom Brady. “I always put my mentality with being the best, and Tom Brady is the best right now, so whatever I have to do to get to that level at age 40, that’s what I’m going to do”. He certainly has flashed the potential to do so, throwing for 1699 yards and 19 touchdowns in seven games, but can he develop into a quarterback better than Brady and win more Super Bowls?

Reasons He Can

One of Deshaun Watson’s major strengths is his mobility. He resembles Russell Wilson with his ability to extend plays out of the pocket with his arm or with his feet. An example of this was his 49-yard rushing touchdown against the Bengals in Week 2. On this play, the Bengals rushed four and were playing a deep zone on 3rd and 15. Carlos Dunlap provided pressure which caused Deshaun Watson to tuck it and run. He used his speed to pass the Bengals linebackers and, with great awareness, took advantage of the secondary playing far back to use blocks downfield to get in the end zone.

Houston Texans v Cincinnati Bengals

Photo Credit: Getty Images

He also has an amazing ability to move the ball downfield and using the pocket to his advantage, showing little hints of Brady in him. In the Texans’ Week 8 shootout with Seattle, Watson had edge defenders closing on him quick, so he stepped up in the pocket which allowed those defenders to be blocked. He then dropped a beautiful deep bomb to a wide-open Will Fuller for a 59-yard touchdown. 

Watson has great speed, pocket presence, a big, accurate arm, and the ability to move the ball downfield. He gave the Texans offense a spark which they desperately needed. It is a shame that he got injured because the Texans’ season could have turned out differently. 

Reasons He Can’t

However, there are some concerns about this Clemson product. Watson has shown the ability to make tight accurate throws to his receivers, but his throws are risky. He often throws to his receivers surrounded by coverage. This resulted in many big plays, but was also the cause of his interceptions. He needs to enhance his ability to go through his reads and try to always find the open man instead of just his favorite targets. Tom Brady does have his go-to receivers, but he creates mismatches and opportunities for them to get open, unlike Watson.

Another concern for Watson was his ACL tear. Looking at the Tom vs. Time videos, we can learn that pliability in muscles can lead to a longer career. How else can Tom Brady play at an MVP level at 40, while his longtime rival Peyton Manning looked like a shell of himself at 39? The ACL tear could have hampered the pliability of Watson’s muscles and therefore reducing the length of his career – not good when he wants to win five Super Bowls.

Indianapolis Colts v Houston Texans

Photo Credit: Getty Images

The last concern is not about Watson himself, but his team. The Texans need to upgrade their offensive line and protect Watson. It will give him the time to make plays and move down the field. They should also revamp their secondary. For Watson to be successful, he needs a defense that he can rely on to stop the opposing offense from scoring points. This was evident in the losses against Kansas City and Seattle.

Conclusion

Thus, Watson does have the talent to be a star in the NFL. However, I do not believe that he will win as many Super Bowls as Brady. His skills still need to be honed and his injury can impact the rest of his career. There are too many factors working against Watson and the Texans’ ability to win games including the emergence of several young quarterbacks on other teams. Watson can be great, but he won’t surpass the greatest.

NFL Week 8: Key Match-ups, “Must Wins” and Score Predictions

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Week 8 has arrived, and that means we are just about half way through the NFL’s regular season. It should be quite an eventful weekend, despite six teams being on bye. Week 8 features nine games between teams with at least three wins each and three divisional match-ups. I’ve highlighted some of the match-ups to keep an eye on. I’ve also called out which teams face a “must-win” scenario and score predictions.

Week 8 Key Match-ups

Denver Broncos (3-3) @ Kansas City Chiefs (5-2)

Football fans have had this game circled on their schedule since the 2018 schedule was released. This match up features the top two teams in the stacked AFC West division. Both teams come off of back-to-back losses after strong starts to the season. For the Broncos it’s far uglier. They have choked in two winnable games vs the NYG and @ LAC. The offense looks terrible during this mini skid, notching just 10 total points in the past two contests. Denver’s defensive unit has not been its usual dominant self over the past two games, allowing 44 points during the span. It is not yet panic time for the Broncos, but they need to improve soon if they want to make the playoffs. The Chiefs have also dropped two straight, but they were both tough games. The first was a one-possession loss vs the 5-2 Steelers. The second, a tough loss in Oakland on the last play of the game versus a team that was desperate for a win (and played like it). The Chiefs do not have much to worry about at the moment, but a win could really help separate them from the rest of the division.

Dallas Cowboys (3-3) @ Washington Redskins (3-3)

Another enticing match up here between two divisional foes. Both teams sit at 3-3 and are tied for second in the division behind the high-flying Eagles. Dallas is coming off a huge 40-10 win in which they looked like a force to be reckoned with. Then again, it was against the win-less 49ers. Washington has played quite well this year despite just a 3-3 record. They have had an extremely tough schedule as their losses have come on the road against the Chiefs and twice against the 6-1 Eagles. They have won some quality games this year vs OAK and @ LAR. Expect a high-scoring affair as Dallas is currently ranked 7th in the league in points per game while the Redskins are 11th.  Buckle up.

Image result for cowboys vs redskins

Houston Texans (3-3) @ Seattle Seahawks (4-2)

Interesting match up here. Houston rolls into Seattle off their bye week. The Texans will attempt to keep their third-ranked high-powered offense going against Seattle’s number one ranked defense. The Texans look a little bit like the Seahawks did a few years back. They feature an elite defense and an offense lead by a young, mobile quarterback. The difference is that Houston is on the rise while the Seahawks have been flying high for years now. This would be a statement win for Houston, though it will be tough without their superstar defensive end JJ Watt, out for the season.

Teams in “Must Win” mode

It may be a little early to start claiming games to fall under the  “must win” category. However, it certainly feels as though a few teams can not afford a loss this week if they want to be in the playoff race or at least meet their pre-season expectations.

Baltimore Ravens (vs Miami)

The Ravens currently sit at 3-4. Luckily they are second in the division but at 5-2 Pittsburgh is beginning to pull away. Their 3-4 record is a result of poor performance by QB Joe Flacco and a defense not playing to its potential. The Ravens limp into a week 8 match up at home vs the Dolphins. Backup QB Matt Moore will be starting for Miami, replacing Jay Cutler. If Baltimore can not win at home versus a mediocre team that is starting their back up QB then they do not deserve to be in the playoff hunt.

Image result for joe flacco loss

Cincinnati Bengals (vs Indianapolis)

Luckily for Cinci, their “must-win” game is against a terrible Colts team. Cinci is just 2-4, but I believe they are better than their record shows. They have talent on both sides of the ball but have not executed well this year. Dalton needs to play better and they need to establish a run game. This game should be a “gimme” and the Bengals need it as they continue to fall out of the playoff race rapidly. With Pittsburgh at 5-2, it is unlikely that they will have a shot at the division title, but a wildcard spot is not out of the question yet.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs Carolina)

After just barely missing the playoffs and looking good for most of last season, the Bucs are just 2-4. It has certainly been a disappointing start to the season. Tampa really needs a win this week to stay competitive. It will be a tough game, but at home vs an inconsistent team that just lost to the Bears, it is a winnable game. The fact that it is a divisional game adds even more magnitude to this match up. The NFC South division is no joke as it feature the previous two NFC champions and a 4-2 Saints team. If the Bucs want to climb out of the NFC South basement, they will need a win this week against the Panthers.

Score Predictions

Miami – 16                Oakland – 24             LA Chargers – 23            Atlanta – 23                  Carolina – 20             Dallas – 27                     Denver – 13

Baltimore – 20           Buffalo – 23               New England – 34          NY Jets – 20                 Tampa Bay – 27        Washington – 31           Kansas City – 27

Minnesota – 26         Indianapolis – 13       Chicago – 17                  San Francisco – 14        Houston – 20            Pittsburgh – 24

Cleveland – 10          Cincinati – 24            New Orleans – 31           Philadelphia – 38           Seattle – 26                Detroit – 30

 

 

5 players to watch in Patriots preseason game No. 2 vs. Texans.

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We have reached week two of the preseason. In last week’s preseason matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, there were a couple of rookies putting on a clinic. Both Austin Carr and Jacob Hollister made big plays, therefore making their case that they deserve a roster spot.

This week the Patriots are taking on the Houston Texans. Once again players on the bubble have a shot to prove their value. With Bill Belichick’s “Next Man Up” mentality there is always an opportunity on this team. It is also a safe bet that we’ll see more of the starters this week.

That being said, here are five players to watch closely in the Patriots second preseason game:

1.) RB Rex Burkhead

Last week Dion Lewis got a bulk of the carries. According to NESN’s Doug Kyed tomorrow nights workload should belong to Rex Burkhead, who is expected to make his Patriots debut.

Burkhead was brought in during the offseason for his versatility. Belichick loves players that can contribute in multiple ways. He is a key special teams contributor and has even split out wide.  Also with Gillislee still out, he has received a majority of running back reps on handoffs with the first-team offense. Look for him to make some plays against that Texans defense.

2.) DE Kony Ealy

Kony Ealy will look to bounce back after a disappointing preseason debut. Ealy did suffer a shoulder injury this week, but returned to the practice field and appears to be okay. With the recent head injuries to rookie defensive ends Deatrich Wise and a knee injury to Derek Rivers (who is now out for the season,) Ealy will receive more opportunities to see the field.

According to CSNNE’s Mike Giardi, Ealy is coming around.

Ealy is a former second-round pick and has all the talent in the world to succeed at this level. The time is now for Ealy and he’s expected to see plenty of snaps on Saturday night.

3.) CB Cyrus Jones

Cyrus Jones played about as bad as it gets in last weeks preseason opener. After getting burned for a 97-yard touchdown fans are ready to give up.

But allow me to remind you how bad Marcus Cannon once looked. Before he turned his career around he was thought to be a bust. Cannon has since then turned himself into one of the Patriots best offensive lineman. Cyrus Jones looks to take a page from Cannon’s book. He’s still a very young player in only his second season. Jones has to bounce back. This is a very important game for Jones and his tenure with the Patriots with so many people calling for Belichick to cut the young cornerback. It’s becoming must watch because he’s either going to muff a punt, give up a huge play, or finally bust open a big return.

4.) QB Jimmy Garoppolo

So looking at Garoppolo’s stat line, you’d say he played pretty well last week. He finished 22-of-28 for 235 yards, with two touchdowns, and no interceptions. However in the words of Bill Belichick, “stats are for losers.”

Some people, such as WEEI’s Ryan Hannable got a little giddy.

But was he really that impressive? Garoppolo started out slow and struggled against the Jaguars starters on defense. It wasn’t until after the first quarter and well into the game that Garoppolo finally got into a groove. Garoppolo missed multiple routine throws. It also shouldn’t go unnoticed that he didn’t play well until he was throwing against Jacksonville’s second and third-string secondary.

Here’s a prime example:

We’ll see if Belichick decides to give Tom Brady the start. If I was a betting man, my money would be on Brady sitting out this game because of the injury risk against that tough Texans defense. However, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald, the plan all week has been for all of the starters to play.

As for Garoppolo, look for him to build off last weeks performance. He has certainly shown flashes, but he needs to show some consistency.

 

5.) LB David Harris

Harris may very well be the Brandin Cooks acquisition of the defense. With all of these injuries piling up, Harris is a compelling piece to the Patriots defense. He gives them a solid linebacker behind Hightower with experience and toughness.  The only question now is whether or not Harris can still move. He was a tackling machine his entire career, but is he savvy enough not to get burned in coverage? I’m looking for the Patriots to give him plenty of snaps in these next couple of games to see if he’s picking up their system.