New England Patriots Vs Houston Texans: Bold Predictions For Week 3 Of The 2016 NFL Season

According to Patriots.com, the New England Patriots will kick off Week 3 against the visiting Houston Texans. Both teams are coming into this game undefeated, but the Texans are coming in as the one-point favorites. Houston has a 56 percent chance to beat the Patriots on Thursday night. This game will be televised on CBS at 7:25 p.m. Central Time.

Last week, the Texans beat the Kansas City Chiefs in a rematch of last year’s wild card playoff game. Houston defeated the Chiefs 19-12. The Texans were led by wide receivers DeAndre Hopkins, Will Fuller V, and their defense. Hopkins had 113 yards on 13 receptions with one touchdown. Fuller V had 104 yards on four catches. The defense forced three fumbles all in the first half.

The Patriots defeated the Miami Dolphins 31-24 in a division matchup, but New England picked up a victory with a price. Starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo went down with a right shoulder injury. Garoppolo threw for 234 yards to go with three touchdowns in the first half.

#Patriots injury report & game statuses: https://t.co/rP7zgDyfyj pic.twitter.com/TNnbMQZhri

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 21, 2016

Coming into this matchup against the Texans, the Patriots are uncertain that Garoppolo will be able to play against Houston on Thursday night. New England are preparing rookie quarterback Jacoby Brissett as the starter.

Head coach Bill Belichick wouldn’t say if they were going to bring in another quarterback, but the Patriots have been giving some quarterback reps to wide receiver Julian Edelman. The former Kent State star played quarterback during his college days.

Star tight end Rob Gronkowski has not played a game yet this season. New England is unlikely to have Gronkowski against the Texans.

LeGarrette Blount will play a key role for the Patriots. He has been a steady force for the team and has 193 rushing yards.

Brissett will have plenty of weapons around him. Tight end Martellus Bennett and wide receivers Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, and Danny Amendola should provide good support.

The Texans have been amazing on the defensive side of the ball. Houston has forced six turnovers in the past two game. The defense has notched an interception and five fumbles. The defense has not allowed a touchdown in six quarters. They are one of the best third-down teams in the NFL. The Texans are led by star defensive end J.J. Watt.

During the offseason, the Texans added some key pieces on the offensive side of the ball. The team signed Brock Osweiler to a huge deal to be the quarterback of the future. Houston also added running back Lamar Miller this past summer. The Texans drafted wide receivers Will Fuller V and Braxton Miller.

In the first two games, Osweiler has thrown for 499 yards to go with three touchdowns. Lamar Miller has rushed for 189 yards. Hopkins has 167 yards on 12 receptions to go with two touchdowns. Fuller has been the big play threat for the Texans. Fuller has 211 yards on nine catches.

The Patriots and the Texans have several connections to one another. Head coach Bill O’Brien was the offensive coordinator for Belichick. O’Brien’s defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel was also with Belichick in New England. Linebackers coach Mike Vrabel played for Belichick, and so did Texans nose tackle Vince Wilfork.

Some people might expect this game to be very lopsided in favor of the Texans, but do not underestimate the Patriots. Belichick is one of the best coaches in the NFL. New England will have to figure out a way to slow down J.J. Watt and the rest of the Texans defense. The Patriots are coming into this game with the fifth-ranked offense, while Houston has the third best defense in the league.

[Featured Image by Scott Halleran/Getty Images]