NFL Sunday: The Patriots Offense vs the Texans Defense

Our number two NFL Sunday Sports Radio WEEI. Chris writes from WEEI dot com former patriots linebacker Matt Chatham. Patriots running back Kevin fall practice there this is where we talk about the practice. Thank you very much. I don't normally. Feel obligated to address. Some of the folks on the text machine summer car. Good ballot questions and we use them jumping off point when it gets out of the way because there are a fair number of people out there who just. We -- not about Monday night dale just another tough game that crafts buddy Goodell gave your patriots at home. Pats tough games all at home including two in a -- wake up everybody up fixes him. Dear sir and -- I can tell you who the patriots are gonna play five years from. It's all laid out already. Roger Goodell has nothing to do win this. In in other -- the schedule is set up that you know I am just using this as an example this year the AFC east they're playing against the NFC central right. And and the number one team in the AFC east plays the number one team in the NFC -- I mean it's all laid out the -- is all laid out if you go to the NFL guide today. I can tell you the patriots are gonna play next year in the year after that. There is a way to detect if a team has -- and you look for the travel. Look at you know happening to have coming off a short week you're going to get to division rival who doesn't have a short week and be in the travel. Doorways -- can look for little -- you know if you thought you know if you're conspiracy theory -- person I agree. Roger mills got nothing to do with that but I think the patriots have had enough for a -- that's overly uncomfortable situation -- now they have a situation like this where. They get the long we can they get to stay home for what would be a big game but there's been an awful in the war. That's section uncomfortable situation didn't go to play division rival who gets to sit longer than you when you're coming off a short week -- the travel or so there's enough on both sides is just -- -- -- -- as an -- -- your perfect formula this -- a team that played. What is it over the course of four weeks in three different time zones one in Seattle won in knowing when one of London I don't think the beautiful schedule makers going out of their way to who make things easier. And -- by the way if Roger Goodell and Bob Kraft our bodies. Roger Goodell has zero to do who with any of us right wing criticize Roger Goodell and -- well. For a lot of different cities around. On world top of that -- -- rises -- one of those is Christmas stated it is it is it is. It's a rotating system and we can bring it up these beautiful schedule is such that the AFC east plays this year please NFC west opponents and then you know the -- your -- -- background yet you know I think it's the NFC north next year -- all. But don't play. The division games the played those games with a homer on the road -- -- -- -- and assigned series of opponents going forward off that. I had this is the partial portion of the program where we take a look at the patriot. Offense against the Houston Texans defense. Via the patriots have the top scoring offense in the NFL and oh by the way -- -- In in the the statistical world of the NHL and NFL. Their their advantage is pretty significant. But let's let's begin and I know I was half joking about the JJ watt thing in the -- who has been helping me too because most folks when they talk about the Houston Texans defense. They talk about a six foot five inch 295. Defensive end. Who has. If theme pass defenses this year. It's me about that from ever seen a guy that we that stat -- I've wrote about it several times this week fifteen and half sacks and fifteen past the difference. -- near there and a sexton a given when this -- Debbie are you yeah you know he's got sixteen and a half sacks now and fifteen passes -- you you guys -- much better than me -- defensive end. We -- fifteen to pass defense this. Keep you I think there's five quarters I read in -- league you have more pass defense -- here's the thing worse that's. You have an affecting you know I'm not in the world's least fat stack -- You can disrupt the play when one person can basically taken kill possession. You view was one of those and in a sack is something McGee chief these huge contracts regular guy goes to fifteen -- is gonna make big money to lecture fees free agent. A pass breakup is not something you plan for which you talk about this in the frame of reference -- this year where. A lot of stuff that Vince does doesn't give a statistic we don't know exactly how to put in the box -- -- our time understand and this is something where it's like okay he's doing something and on the other defense of -- beleaguered -- We have ever done yes so how do you value it and that's that's bid to have the curious thing I'd I'd tongue in cheek and then you know actually the more more thought about it this week. Kind of early start to believe it did. One of the more important things this game especially with. The patriots are my I believe going a little bit more spread this week I think -- still -- their capsule need to establish a running game but I do think it's going to be a sub run game initially. Because of the finesse in the secondary that Houston's dealing with. But. Assuming that in assuming that Houston is not gonna bring a lot of pressure because of the issues that Denver showed when they tried to do that because the issues doesn't seem to showed. When they try to pressure -- usually not the when he formula. That means a lot of -- lines. And what that means is that the patriots continue protect but either five or six. My view is that one of the most important got to be on the quarterback this week beyond whatever supercharged the most in whenever -- the running back. Is that uncover -- an undercover -- is a god has never got over you know if you've got five walkers in their four rushers there's always someone who's free tickets to help. A double what -- -- call it. To me that uncovered guys it'll be -- one right guard normal political dissent on some plays in certain fronts and maybe a left court but whoever's on Covert gets to be to wipe out this week. It's Steve Neal was always really good -- -- key -- there's a lot of other guys that sort of have a knack for clean and pockets and given -- a good look. Whoever can make those points free for Tom to throw all these pretty passes the guy that does the best job that this week -- is going to be in my view one of the MVPs. -- is notre Dante's coordinate your career really had a fun time this week would offensive lineman Tom I know we spoke about. Though that the Iraq gates and he knows China in the -- JG and everything but. I know still joked he wasn't used tennis racquets this week he was gonna use broke susteren. Well early on the thing that we talked about it they had five. The difference -- -- -- -- now -- up to fifteen out amazing what you know that the -- I can just -- imagine hear him right now is in my it right now. Had an offensive line to give. The defensive -- hands down and by doing that all you have to do just keep your hands on them keep them active if you keep them active as offensive -- They can't react to the ball being thrown you have to keep -- if you can't just relax -- which you have to keep reacting to him with the duke wanted to. One of things as tough as an -- that's -- -- in the situation and why is so good to this because his link. When he engages in realizes he's not gonna get the sack he often gives a little bit of ground. -- -- an -- -- -- because if you want to attack them to give the sans dog you might be illegal man downfield so that's the advantage has you engaged in -- relays is not a -- he's not. Pressing a pregnancy often the alarm and put his hands up he's given yarder to brown were -- offensive -- can't chase and that's tough to defend two things -- stand on this situation first of all we know that -- more often than not usually lines double on the right hand side of the -- -- -- into this is going to be a test for workers at right guard that it would -- poems intimate. Gonna assume it's going to be Connolly is wall's former Ballmer was a little bit banged up. We saw against Miami was not moving Willis you know we we've seen over the course of your the other thing is in. Talks about -- in this stood out from mean. That's. NFL films had a peace officer noble gesture where breed becomes the sideline has talked about throwing RG PP. And he sort of like forced up their you know these guys have their hands up all the damage really difficult really hard to do it. I'm fascinated to see how he deals with that in in how the -- -- I tend to think -- that really. Hyper aggressive defense of front that they have might lend itself -- Draw plays might lend itself to all that's happened yeah -- -- -- I got to step to use that aggression against the most go back the idea that you guys Ingraham used a lot of that when we put in a noted that there there's some similarities -- just in terms of the over aggressiveness you might be able to get off. Well you do that against his Berlin on the game because Pittsburgh defense is not known for attacking. These Texans defense is -- known for attacking that -- at -- front you're talking about known for attacking the wrong. Between JPP. They're -- it was. The first problem because there were three other guys in their defense of my footage -- they -- -- throat to throat through as well because Tut. Both the -- and can't all have all have great -- The reason why that team is so success is because of their defense. We we know that the patriots are next man up kind of football team and we know that you know there it is a war of attrition in the NFL players -- down every single week and and your job is to make sure that you continue to get production -- of the players who were available Julian Edelman is now done. And for the season with a broken foot. I think he's a real important part of the passing game for this team and this is going to be something they're gonna have to work real hard to overcome. The. And it's interesting that the timing of this I mean it's obviously never planned -- You -- rock for an extended period of time you have gone Hernandez back -- I mean had this sort of continued to persist and we were having that as the other second leg. I think it would be more an issue. We're still waiting for Dion -- if you -- it's healthy as ever brought back. The real question mark has done a -- through I really have no idea to project how he's used but I feel like somehow someway we will need to be. Because. You know from a numbers point of view yeah you just need depth at the position do you you know looking for a guy who's gonna get ten or twelve target to week I just think you need an. Her body young and I just had a twelve targets. How many current that this team going deep. Who is that guy to run the fourth. There's nobody will leave their big -- is -- -- where I if I could be that I've showed you I have haven't seen it yet. And I'm not saying anything about his performance whatsoever. He's not looking like big guy that can stretch the field for that I got at time need to take that as to defend the deep you know to to keep that under any receiver that opens -- Remember the play in buffalo the the the photogenic player of the diving. It sounded -- lets you see us now as a vertical outside -- around part of your -- -- attackers -- but it's -- it's not -- -- -- but I -- That you write it but I think that's a research issue I think he was never -- guys think you see him on deeper and cuts at the you can see him across his stuff and deep strikes -- -- was so I don't think they didn't really happen got to be honest when it was us they'll say that oh he's that deep guy and doing great the guy. But because if the patriots offensive line can give Tom Brady time. On on Monday night. This is a secondary it's gonna give up some play Korea very -- -- -- and that's that's the utility's view that the Steve honestly believe that goes there anything that was it. Between the numbers. In those quarterbacks this safeties are good and aggressive but you can attack those quarterbacks to professor saint Louis the -- up over the bridge bridge into the murders while that lost they got -- -- this -- -- -- practice that they probably potentially in the -- also lost was there but the big name -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Yeah for the year and so I mean it's. There's holes all over the place and I mean this is the issue we talked about early in the year where. The most important. Thing is to arrive in December hole. And that's probably going to be the bigger the Texas biggest test in his next fortified to six weeks if they get back and we see. For summary reason these teams and a plane -- another gain here which is quite likely. I think one of the biggest factors as well who's going to be Flanagan is -- going to be grown keys are going to be. Chandler Jones bracket full strength is -- going to be. You don't Deon or Brandon Lloyd back you know getting more targets I think they'll be a different phase of that game than what we're gonna see tomorrow night. Byron knows reference -- -- as far as you know who was ever there. You've got to win this football oh yeah but I just don't think it's gonna be replication of what we see you later I mean I think. This is going to be a fun and petitioning gate and based on who's here and now but I have a feeling Texans a little look a little different page tools well.