Buffalo is the better battle-tested team between Buffalo/Denver so hopefully the Broncos can put them away next week.
What are you saying, that you would rather see DEN win? I would not care much but if the Pats were to make it that far, a DEN win means a road game at 5,280 ft, a BUF win means a home game. I think a BUF win is better for the Pats.
As to the PIT, HOU game, not sure it matters much who wins. HOU is probably the better team, a lot like LAC with a good defense but nothing particularly scary on offense. I guess the best thing would be a tough, smash mouth game where both teams end up beat up.
The Pats weakness, as it has been all season in my view, is the OL. LAC was able to put a lot of pressure on Maye. He made some great plays both with his arm and his legs, and he has done that all season, but man, they should be better. If you exclude runs by Maye, it was 19 carries for 80 yards (4.2 per). That is not bad. I will take that, but I think the LAC game plan was to concede the run to some extend and focus on pressuring Maye. I expect either HOU or PIT to do the same.
Houston is a much bigger problem for the Pats, IMO. Their defense is elite and they are capable to give Maye problems on a bigger scale than what the Chargers did last night.
Pats match up better with Pittsburgh. Pats had no reason losing to them in Week 3 and I imagine the Pats won't turnover the ball 5 times this go around.
I am very conflicted on this one. I think the Pats would mop the floor with the Steelers and it would be great to avenge that early season turnover fest, but I have a really hard time pulling for the Steeler EVER. Hosuton would be the tougher opponent for sure.
On top of these conflicting feeling I have Houston as the last leg of a 6-game parlay still alive that wiuld pay $52 for my $1 wager.
In the end, the Pats are going to need to beat good teams and I think they should handle either at home.
Houston's pass rush and overall defense would give the Pats fits. The Chargers D-Line is fierce, but the Texans' are even better which is scary considering Campbell and Wilson got wrecked yesterday. It'd have to be a gameplan with a lot of screens or maybe even designed Maye runs with the risk of him getting hit.
But I will say, PIT/HOU aren't known for scoring a ton of points either on offense. I would still pick NE to win next Sunday at home against either team, but I would feel SO MUCH better if it's the Steelers than the Texans. In fact, I think the Chargers were a tougher foe than the Steelers even with their O-Line issues. People want to talk about the Pats easy schedule and such, but PIT literally backdoored in thanks to a missed 44 yard field goal at the end last week. Metcalf is really their only true threat, and then it's Gainwell who is a RB
