Listen, we all knew that the Patriots (4-6 overall, 1-4 away) were not going to win the Super Bowl this season. However, at least in the last few weeks they had given us not only a reason to tune into their games but also a brief moment to consider that perhaps they could be a playoff team in 2020 with an improbable late-season run. That all came to a crashing halt today in Houston (3-7 overall, 2-3 home) as they lost to a terrible Texans club 27-20 at NRG Stadium. Before today, the only other team that Houston had beaten this season was its wretched AFC South rival Jacksonville (1-9) as they already swept that dog poop season series. The Pats already had little margin for error but now realistically, they probably would have to at the very least go 5-1 to even have a chance to be a Wild Card team but more likely 6-0 to finish 10-6. Sigh.
Since they have what has to be one of the least explosive offenses in the NFL, the Patriots can't afford to fall behind by too many points since it takes way too much time and effort to scratch out anything from many of their drives. After scoring first and being tied at seven after the first quarter, the Texans outscored them 14-3 in the second quarter to take a 21-10 halftime lead. New England actually outplayed Houston in the second half-outscoring them 10-6-but much like previous losses this season at Seattle, vs. Denver and at Buffalo, the Pats had a shot to tie it late but they couldn't convert on 4th-and-4 from the Houston 24-yard line which for all intents and purposes sealed their fate.
Despite their clunky first half performance, this loss shouldn't be pinned solely on Cam Newton (26-of-40 for 365 yards and 1 TD) or New England's 1950s style offense. Wide receiver Damiere Byrd (6 catches for a season-high 132 yards, 1 TD on 7 targets) had his best game as a Patriot and running back Damien Harris scored another touchdown while James White (64 yards receiving, 19 yards rushing) stepped up after Rex Burkhead suffered what looked to be a torn ACL in his left knee on a rushing attempt. Two field goals by kicker Nick Folk accounted for the other six points by the Patriots.
Nope, this latest setback falls on New England's invisible defense that allowed Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson (28-of-37 for 344 yards, 2 TDs; 36 yards rushing, 1 TD) to dominate them. The Pats secondary is supposed to be elite (especially with Stephon Gilmore finally back after a month away due to his shady knee injury) but they couldn't contain the likes of former Patriot Brandin Cooks (4 catches for 85 yards on 5 targets), tight end Jordan Akins (5 catches, 83 yards on 6 targets) set a career-high in yardage while wide receiver Will Fuller (6 catches for 80 yards on 8 targets) continually beat the Patriots on intermediate routes. The Pats defense might as well have not made the trip to Texas since they didn't record a sack let alone a turnover. Houston had two sacks and J.J. Watt came back from the dead to deflect four passes which seems like an absurdly high total for his ghost in 2020.
The game started off very well for the Patriots as they forced a Texans punt on their first possession then New England put together their best drive of the afternoon: 10 plays, 84 yards in 5:32 that ended with a toss to Harris that he ran in the end zone from nine yards out. Houston responded on their next drive as they tied it on Watson's three-yard touchdown pass to Randall Cobb. Folk's 45-yard field goal early in the second quarter briefly gave the Pats another slim lead (10-7) but once again, the Texans answered right back with a four-yard touchdown run by Watson that ended with him running over Pats safety and captain Devin McCourty as he powered his way into the end zone. That play was a good summary of this mostly forgettable campaign by the Pats. For good measure, Houston tacked on a back-breaking touchdown with 10 seconds left in the first half when Watson found Keke Coutee with a six-yard pass.
They might stink but I wouldn't say that this team has tuned out head coach Bill Belichick since they have usually come out motivated to start the second half this season. Cam had one of his best plays as a Patriot-a 42-yard dime to Byrd for a gorgeous over-the-shoulder grab that cut it to 21-17 Texans early in the third quarter. The Pats defense at least held Houston to a 36-yard field goal by Ka'imi Fairbairn to put the home team back up by seven points (24-17). The Pats had a chance to tie it midway through the fourth quarter but their drive stalled out on the edge of the red zone. Folk's 36-yard field goal turned out to be their final points while Fairbairn's 46-yard field goal on the following drive gave the Texans some more breathing room.
Thanksgiving is not going to be the same for any of us this week and when we next see the Patriots in action on Sunday afternoon (1, FOX) they will be hosting the Cardinals (6-4 overall, 3-2 away) at Gillette Stadium. Everybody knows that with Kyler Murray under center-one of the great young QBs in the league-that Arizona is a better team than New England. They are also in the middle of a tight playoff race in the NFC West-the best division in football-so they won't be lacking for motivation. Just because nothing makes sense in this awful year, something goofy will happen like a weather game (such as the rainstorm last Sunday night against Baltimore) and the West Coast team that plays indoors will have a tough time with the early gametime for their bodies. However, even if the Pats somehow find a way to knock off the Cardinals, today served as a harsh reminder not to let them fool us into thinking they are anything notable based off of one solid victory.
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