Patriots 2025-26 Season

[Redz]

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.

[Phantom255x]

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

[Phantom255x]

Patriots vs. Texans, Sunday 3 PM EST on ABC/ESPN

[slightly biased bias fan]

Saw this online

The Patriots went to 5 Superbowls, won 3 of them, lost Tom Brady, drafted a bust replacement, rebuilt a team, drafted another franchise quarterback in Drake Maye and won a playoff game

All since the Jets last playoff appearance.

[Vermont Green]

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.

I was not debating the HOU or PIT part. It was the DEN or BUF part. Which is better, if Pats get there, DEN in DEN or BUF at home? 

[Vermont Green]

Patriots vs. Texans, Sunday 3 PM EST on ABC/ESPN

Winnable, I believe, but can not make as many mistakes as they did vs. LAC. 

[boscel33]

Patriots vs. Texans, Sunday 3 PM EST on ABC/ESPN

Winnable, I believe, but can not make as many mistakes as they did vs. LAC.

I think the Chargers offense is better than the Texans, I just hope we can move the ball against them.

[Moranis]

Patriots vs. Texans, Sunday 3 PM EST on ABC/ESPN

Winnable, I believe, but can not make as many mistakes as they did vs. LAC.

I think the Chargers offense is better than the Texans, I just hope we can move the ball against them.

Houston scored more points and turned it over less than the Chargers, though Chargers had a bit more total yards. Houston had a significantly better defense.  In other words, Houston is better than the Chargers and it isn't particularly close.  And while you can debate if Herbert is better than Stroud overall in the playoffs it isn't close, Stroud performs significantly better than Herbert who has the 2nd lowest career passer rating in the playoffs of any QB with at least 3 playoff starts (at least that is what I had heard - didn't verify). 

Pats will need to play much better to beat the Texans, which it shouldn't be that hard for the Pats to play better as they were not very good against the Chargers.  Whether they play well enough to beat the Texans we won't find out until Sunday, but I do favor the Pats in the game. 

[Neurotic Guy]

I think the Texans have to play better to beat the Pats. Houston was pretty unimpressive for 3+ quarters and Pittsburgh/Rodgers just fell apart at the end. Steelers were over their head being in the playoffs this year.   Texans defense looks excellent.  The question is whether NE can figure out ways to keep Drake upright. The rookies on the line need to play better and McDaniels needs to scheme to get Drake enough time to throw. Hopefully Pats can establish a running game but I?m not counting on it.
Excited for this new era of Patriots football. 

[Vermont Green]

Pats are favored by 3.  This is going to be a tough game.  Winnable for the Pats, but they will have to earn it.  Make plays, limit mistakes, hope for breaks.

I am not sure if HOU is any better than LAC.  They didn't look if for 3 quarters vs. PIT.  But I expect they will be harder to beat, if nothing else, just due to the fact that it is an even bigger moment for the Pats.  Pats did not look all that great vs. LAC.  They will likely have to play better, play cleaner, to win this one.  I think they have it in them, but we shall see if they can do it on the big stage.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Gonna be tough to beat the Texans. Pats will need to play a much cleaner game than what they played against the Chargers. In particular, the Texans D is dominant, so the Pats O-line is going to have to step up, or else Maye is gonna get a lot of visits from Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter.

[Phantom255x]

Maye vs. the Texans pass rush on Sunday

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Maye vs. the Texans pass rush on Sunday

LOL, probably

[Moranis]

Since losing by 3 to Denver, Houston has won 10 straight games including beating the Chargers in LA.  They are on fire though many of the games were close.  They don't blow teams out, they keep it close and win games with their superior defense.