The Patriots overcame three giveaways, pulling away late to close out the Houston Texans 34-16 in the AFC Divisional round, just as american football betting thought they would. The Pats now await the winner of the Steelers and Chiefs as they head to their record sixth-straight AFC Championship game.
The Patriots struggled to find a rhythm on offense, but Dion Lewis was a standout, setting an NFL Playoff record by scoring touchdowns rushing, receiving and on a kickoff return. The Patriots have been managing Lewis since the summer with this moment in mind. Now, when it all counted most, Lewis was the go-to playmaker out of the backfield.
The defense was every bit as suffocating as we expected it to be against an impotent Houston offense, holding the slim Patriots lead throughout the game and coming up with three interceptions of Brock Osweiler. Logan Ryan had the game of his career, recording three passes defensed, an interception, a sack, a QB hit, a tackle-for-loss and seven tackles.
There’s plenty to dissect, but most importantly, the Patriots are one game away from the Super Bowl.
More on it all in the Posits…
— The Patriots have never lost with Dion Lewis in the lineup and the AFCDG was just another example of how deadly Lewis can be in a variety of ways. Not having a player like Gronk certainly hurts, but Lewis’ playmaking ability cushions the blow a bit. Expect Lewis to continue to be a focal point for the attack despite the two fumbles. He’s a big play threat every time he touches the ball.
— Logan Ryan made himself some money in this game. The free agent-to-be was all over the place, putting to rest memories of 2014 when he terrified everyone in Patriots nation. Ryan is the perfect Belichick corner and I’ll be very curious to see what kind of deal he gets on the open market. The Pats are somewhat protected against his departure with Eric Rowe, who did have a penalty that killed a drive.
— This was a flat game offensively, no question, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be back on track next week. This was just one of those flukey games with tipped ball interceptions and an untimely fumble. It took forever for them to get on the field. But those three turnovers are why the game was even close to interesting for the better part of three quarters. It’s hard to see the Patriots putting forth two of these kind of games in a row.
— The defense continued their run of solid performances and they seem ready for the varying challenges Pittsburgh or Kansas City would provide. Holding the Texans to 1-3 in the Red Zone is what won the game. The run defense was once again spectacular and that kept the Texans from ever getting going. There’s no debate, this Pats D is one of their best ever at stopping the run. They’ll need their two best games coming up.
.@edelman11: the #Patriots franchise leader in postseason receptions. https://t.co/GN1MWubQyx
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 15, 2017
— Julian Edelman continued his hot streak with eight catches for 137 yards, while setting the Patriots’ team record for post season receptions. Wow. Lewis was fun, but Edelman got the chains moving when the game was still very much in question. When Hogan left the game it was a reminder how much the Patriots depend on Edelman in critical moments.
— Michael Floyd had a penalty and a couple drops after being thrust into extended duty with Malcom Mitchell inactive and Hogan out dealing with a thigh cramp. It was a glimpse of how important Hogan and Mitchell have become to the offense, and how Floyd is quite up to speed for a full workload.
— Danny Amendola didn’t see much action but did come up with a clutch carry on a reverse that kept the clock moving. We’ll see if the work him in a little more next week, he looked like he hadn’t missed a beat.
— It felt like the biggest difference late in the second half was the pass protection. They settled and Brady starting finding open guys. Still crazy to see Brady heaving so many passes deep. Those third down ones to Hogan and Edelman felt lucky, but the Pats renewed deep attack was only further confirmed.
— Pretty sure I went through the five stages of grief with Martellus Bennett before reading he jogged off the field and then seeing him return the next play. The video replay looked like he blew his knee out. But there he was, right back out there. It just continues a crazy season for Bennett, who has done everything asked of him, played through injuries and been a fun new addition to the locker room. Hopefully it’s nothing that will require further attention this week.
— Elandon Roberts seemed like he played a ton and he was very active in containing Lamar Miller. He had three tackles. The Patriots didn’t hesitate to rely on the rookie, which shows their level of trust with him and how he’s combined with Kyle Van Noy to replace what Jamie Collins did.
— Again looked like a lot of Cover 2 as I suspected and it was once again largely effective against Osweiler. The pass rush also came through in some big spots. Trey Flowers was active and it was good to see Malcom Brown bounce back with a start and a sack after the way his season ended. Dont’a Hightower (team-leading eight tackles) kept everyone on the same page the whole game. Clutch Rob Ninkovich showed up as well. The defense is really peaking and ready. I think they’ve got the two games it takes left in them.
— Special teams also did their part with two punts inside the five-yard line and Stephen Gostkowski hitting both field goal attempts and all four extra points. Next weekend will be a great matchup, especially if it’s the Chiefs. But this is where the Patriots really dominate, the hidden yardage. It’s thanks to the importance they place on finding really good special teamers. I remember when everyone questioned Belichick drafting a speedster out of UCLA without a real position. Now he’s a special teams legend named Matthew Slater.
— INJURIES – Sheard limped off and returned. Hogan went to the locker room with a “THIGH” but returned to the sideline with a heating pad and rubbing a golf ball on it. Sounds like cramping. Bennett looked like his knee exploded but missed just one snap. Overall, it looks like the Pats came out of this one in pretty good shape. Bennett’s availability is something to monitor. He’s a key piece and the dropoff after him at TE is severe.
The Texans got some early bounces but beating then Patriots is a sixty minute task and Houston could only keep it close for half of them. It was just a matter of time before Brady and the offense started clicking.
This is what we’ve come to know and love about the Pats, they just stick with it for 60 minutes and no lead on them is ever safe. Whoever comes to Foxborough or Houston will have to win the game in all three phases with perfect play. The game against Houston was as close as they’ll come to giving one away. Winning when you play like that is another sign of a good team.
Now we’re on to tomorrow to see who’s coming to town next Sunday. I think either will pose the toughest challenge of the season. The Steelers have two of the best weapons in the game, while the Chiefs play the kind of game that challenges the Pats, not to mention a defense and special teams that can dominate.
One step closer to another Super Bowl. The ride ain’t over yet…
Good stuff! I like the emphasis on the Pats staying strong and how they keep moving forward. A lot of teams would have crumbled after so many unforced errors and early set-backs. But they were going to punch until the bell.
Yeah, kinda their signature, they’re going to fight for 60 minutes. Closing them out can be nearly impossible. How many QBs have winning records when they’re LOSING going into the 4th quarter?
It’s amazing to me the near satire reactions coming from the press and some fans. The Dolphins have experienced one playoff win this century. One. The Patriots win a playoff game by eighteen points and it’s a national tragedy. Forgive me if my turn of phrase is meekly at best, but Christ almighty get a grip. I’d have taken the headline “offense shows flaws in hard fought victory over Jets” in 2010, that’s for damn sure.
Right? I’ve been ignoring that kind of noise for a long time. There’s nothing left to complain about so it’s now all about how easy the competition is for the Patriots. All the while they ignore that the schedule is set up so you have to play two other teams that finish the same spot as you in the division, so every year they’re playing not only three divisional teams built entirely with beating them in mind, but two other first place divisional finishers. This kind of complaining just comes from people who don’t want to learn the game, just talk narrative while annoying people enough to listen/call in/complain.