Tag: Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots

All 32 NFL teams (including the Texans) ranked by FPI ratings

Here’s where all 32 teams stand entering Week 7, including the Houston Texans, per the ESPN FPI ranking system.

Heading into what could be the matchup of Week 7, the Houston Texans (5-1) currently have a -2.8 Football Power Index (FPI) rating from ESPN.com, which currently ranks ninth in the NFL.

That number could expand if Houston secures a victory over the Green Bay Packers (4-2) on Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field. Currently, Green Bay ranks 6th on the FPI rating with a -4.6.

According to ESPN’s ranking system, FPI represents “a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team’s performance going forward for the rest of the season. The FPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Projected results are based on 10,000 simulations of the rest of the season using FPI, results to date, and the remaining schedule.”

Here’s a look at how all 32 teams stack up based on FPI going into Week 7 of the 2024 NFL season.

  1. Detroit Lions (4-1): 6.8
  2. Baltimore Ravens (4-2): 6.0
  3. Kansas City Chiefs (5-0): 5.8
  4. San Francisco 49ers (3-3): 4.8
  5. Buffalo Bills (4-2): 4.6
  6. Green Bay Packers (4-2): 4.4
  7. Philadelphia Eagles (3-2): 2.5
  8. Minnesota Vikings (5-0): 2.4
  9. Houston Texans (5-1): 2.1
  10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2): 1.8
  11. New York Jets (2-4): 1.6
  12. Washington Commanders (4-2): 1.3
  13. Chicago Bears (4-2): 1.3
  14. Cincinnati Bengals (2-4): 1.2
  15. Atlanta Falcons (4-2): 0.9
  16. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2): 0.6
  17. Indianapolis Colts (3-3): 0.2
  18. Los Angeles Rams (1-4): -0.1
  19. Arizona Cardinals (2-4): -0.6
  20. Los Angeles Chargers (3-2): -0.6
  21. Dallas Cowboys (3-3): -1.1
  22. Seattle Seahawks (3-3): -1.4
  23. Tennessee Titans (1-4): -3.0
  24. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5): -3.0
  25. Denver Broncos (3-3): -3.8
  26. New York Giants (2-4): -3.8
  27. Cleveland Browns (1-5): -4.2
  28. Las Vegas Raiders (2-4): -4.3
  29. New Orleans Saints (2-4): -5.2
  30. Carolina Panthers (1-5): -6.9
  31. Miami Dolphins (2-3): -8.0
  32. New England Patriots (1-5): -9.8

The Texans are up one spot from last week after securing a 41-21 victory over the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. While it could be challenging to surpass multiple teams inside the top five, switching spots with Green Bay isn’t that far-fetched, depending on the point totals.

Green Bay enters Sunday as a 2.5-point home favorite. The game will be televised on CBS.

Texans DE Will Anderson Jr. joins elite class in win over Patriots

Houston Texans edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. is well on his way to winning the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year honor in 2024.

Will Anderson Jr. was always expected to be the foundational piece of DeMeco Ryans’ defense when the Houston Texans traded up nine spots in the 2023 NFL Draft to select him third overall.

Some would argue the former Alabama edge rusher was destined to be this era’s J.J. Watt down off NRG Drvie, though even that’s a high compliment for someone just transitioning to the next level.

On Sunday, Anderson might have taken a step toward being the official heir of the three-time Defensive Player of the Year and a favorite to win the award himself this fall.

Anderson picked up three sacks against  New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye in the Texans’ 41-21 victory at Gillette Stadium, a first for the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year.

“Proud of Will, massive game for him to be able to get off the quarterback the way he did,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Three sacks, also forced an interception there by [Eric] Murray. Just a really, really productive day by him and he stayed out there. Loved his energy, right? From start to finish. He came out.”

On top of three sacks, Anderson also added a tackle for loss against running back Antonio Gibson in the second quarter. Murray’s interception was caused by a batted pass at the line scrimmage after Anderson won his one-on-one battle against New England’s offensive line.

With his performance, Anderson joined Watt as the only player in franchise history to record three sacks, four tackles for loss and a pass deflection in a game. Watt hit the marker twice during his 10-year career with the Texans after being drafted out of Wisconsin in 2011.

While he doesn’t rank among the top three, Anderson’s 5.5 sacks are tied for fifth-most entering Week 7, alongside Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby. His nine tackles for loss currently lead the NFL, as does his 28 QB hits.

Watt, who finished with a franchise-leading 101 career sacks, won Defensive Player of the Year in his second season after totaling 20.5 QB takedowns. Anderson needs 15 more to surpass the total and performances like Sunday could help him reach the goal.

‘The Texans travel to Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers this Sunday at noon CT.

What advice did Texans QB C.J. Stroud give to Patriots rookie Drake Maye?

C.J. Stroud once again offered up some words of encouragement to a rookie QB following Sunday’s win over the Patriots.

Following a 19-13 victory over the Chicago Bears in Week 2, Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud made sure to offer up some words of wisdom to rookie passer and No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams.

Some thought it was too much given that Stroud was only in Year 2, though Williams has been playing his best since leaving NRG Stadium and now has the Bears at 4-2.

Stroud, who threw three touchdown passes en route to a 41-21 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday, said he wouldn’t offer any advice to No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye in his first starter leading up to the game.

He never said he wouldn’t talk after the final whistle blew.

“I gave him a little word, you know, tried to give him a little word of encouragement,” Stroud told reporters following the 20-point victory. “I thought he played really solid, you know. Definitely feel like he’ll get better and better as he keeps going.”

Maye, the standout at North Carolina, tossed two interceptions and coughed up a fumble in the third quarter on a Danielle Hunter sack that led to a Stefon Diggs touchdown. He also threw three touchdown passes, including a 40-yard spiral to Kayshon Boutte with 11 seconds remaining in the first half.

Maye finished 20-of-33 for 243 yards. He also tacked on 38 rushing yards on five attempts and avoided three extra sacks during the fourth quarter.

“It’s definitely encouraging,” Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said. “From a team-wide perspective right now, we let him down.”

Stroud didn’t spend much time with the rookie, but he mentioned several other tips he hopes Maye adds to his game entering Week 7.

What’s the most substantial piece of advice? Be yourself.

“Everything that got you here will take care of where you want to go and really just trust yourself,” said Stroud. “Trust that you’ll eventually figure it out. You’ll have bad days; you’ll have good days. There’s days where you’ll look at yourself like, ‘Man, I’m the worst quarterback in the world’, but it’s always about getting up the next day and keep going. So I would just tell him that and I told him how much I believed in him and I hope to see him do well in this league.

The Texans travel to Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers next Sunday at noon CT.

Texans receive update on OT Laremy Tunsil’s status vs. Patriots

Laremy Tunsil’s day could be over for the Houston Texans entering the fourth quarter.

Laremy Tunsil’s day might be over.

The Houston Texans are listing Tunsil as questionable for the remainder of Sunday’s matchup against the New England Patriots. Rookie Blake Fisher will take over in his place.

A four-time Pro Bowler, Tunsil has been dealing with an ankle injury since Week 4’s win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. After C.J. Stroud completed a pass to Stefon Diggs, Tunsil remained on the ground and needed to be looked at by trainers.

https://twitter.com/WillKunkelFOX/status/1845542810612531452

Tunsil walked off gingerly and headed to the bench. Given the fact that Houston currently is leading by three scores entering the fourth quarter, Tunsil might be shut down with several other starters in preparation for next week’s matchup against the Green Bay Packers.

https://twitter.com/AaronWilson_NFL/status/1845542171916579148

It’s not over yet, but Houston is on the verge of its best start in over a decade. At 5-1, Sunday’s win would be just the second time in franchise history that the Texans started with five wins.

The only other team to start out as well was the AFC South champions of 2012, who started 11-1 before finishing 12-4.

Texans RB Joe Mixon hits career milestone in return vs. Patriots

Joe Mixon crossed a career milestone in his return for the Houston Texans on Sunday afternoon against the New England Patriots.

Welcome back, Joe Mixon. Also, welcome to the history books.

Back in the lineup with the Houston Texans for the first time since Week 6, Mixon surpassed a career milestone, recording his 100th career game. He came out the gate swinging against the New England Patriots, scoring on a 10-yard touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud to help Houston secure a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

https://twitter.com/HoustonTexans/status/1845510808509235529/photo/1

Mixon would have crossed off the marker in Week 3 if not for an ankle injury suffered against the Chicago Bears. During the third quarter, Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards recorded an illegal hip drop tackle and rolled over Mixon’s ankle.

He never found a consistent ability to practice, leading to him missing three games. Before that, the former Cincinnati Bengals star was off to a record-setting start with a 159-yard rushing performance in Week 1’s win over the Indianapolis Colts.

During the second quarter, Mixon proved that his ankle was fine after breaking free for a 59-yard run to set up Houston inside the red zone.

https://twitter.com/HoustonTexans/status/1845522610169565691/video/1

That one run puts him over his Week 2 total of 50 yards. The hope is Houston will have a blend of speed and power with the return of Dameon Pierce.

With a win, the Texans would advance to 5-1, marking their best start since 2012.

Poll: Who wins Sunday’s Patriots-Texans game?

Who walks away with a win on Sunday at Gillette Stadium between the Houston Texans and New England Patriots?

The Houston Texans are ready to cap off their best start since 2012 with a road win on Sunday against the New England Patriots.

That’s easier said than done, especially on offense now with Nico Collins sidelined.

Collins will miss four games after being placed on the injured reserve with a hamstring injury suffered in Week 5’s win over the Buffalo Bills. He’s not only been the team’s top target, but the fourth-year pass-catcher also led the NFL in receiving yards with 576.

The Patriots also are throwing a curveball Houston’s way by starting rookie passer Drake Maye. The No. 3 overall pick was expected to see action in 2024, but most thought it would come later in the season.

After a 1-4 start under Jacoby Brissett, New England is speeding up Maye’s process, hoping he’ll learn on the fly against the Texans’ team dealing with several injuries.

The Texans still feature an offense headlined by C.J. Stroud, Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs. Houston also could be getting healthy at running back with Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce gearing up to play.

Is this a trap game for the AFC South favorites? Can Maye actually be the proper answer in Gillette Stadium on a crisp Sunday afternoon?

Who do you have winning Sunday’s game? Make sure to vote in the poll below.

 

Texans to be without star rookie DB in Week 6

Kamari Lassiter won’t be suiting up this week for the Houston Texans.

The Houston Texans might feel content on offense, but they’ll be missing a vital member of the secondary Sunday afternoon.

Rookie cornerback Kamari Lassiter is out for Houston’s showdown against the New England Patriots with a shoulder injury. Lassiter, the Texans’ second-round pick out of Georgia, has started every game this season opposite Derek Stingley Jr. in coverage.

Houston now must turn to either veteran special teams star Kris Boyd or Ka’Dar Hollmon for Sunday’s matchup. Hollman could be the favorite after the Texans signed him to the active roster earlier this week.

Lassiter has been a consistent defender opposite the former No. 3 overall pick, often drawing the No. 2 receiver for an opponent. He did allow his first touchdown last week when Bills rookie Keon Coleman broke free for a 49-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter.

Through five games, Lassiter has an interception, three passes defended and 15 total tackles, including two tackles for loss.

The Texans will also be without veteran safety Jimmie Ward (groin) and wide receiver Robert Woods (foot).

With Ward out, this likely thrusts third-round pick Calen Bullock into a larger role Sunday. On offense, the Texans were already down one receiver in Nico Collins, who landed on the injured reserve earlier this week.

Kickoff from Gilette Stadium is scheduled for noon.

Texans vs. Patriots, Week 6 injury report: Wednesday

Here’s the injury report from Wednesday’s practice in preparation for the Houston Texans’ matchup against the New England Patriots.

Here are the full injury reports for the Houston Texans and New England Patriots ahead of their Week 6 matchup at Gillette Stadium:

Houston Texans (4-1)

Did not practice

  • DE Derek Barnett (shoulder)
  • OL Kenyon Green (knee)
  • LB Jake Hansen (back)
  • CB Kamari Lassiter (shoulder)
  • RB Joe Mixon (ankle)
  • DB Jimmie Ward (groin)
  • OT Laremy Tunsil (ankle)
  • OT Tytus Howard (hamstring)

Limited participation

  • WR Stefon Diggs (rest-non injury related)
  • LB Del’Shawn Phillips (hip)
  • RB Dameon Pierce (hamstring)

Full participant

  • DT Kurt Hinish (calf)

New England Patriots (1-4)

Did not practice

  • S Kyle Dugger (ankle)
  • RB Rhamondre Stevenson (foot)

Limited participation

  • WR Kendrick Bourne (knee)
  • DT Davon Godchaux (elbow)
  • CB Marcus Jones (groin)
  • C Nick Leverett (ankle)
  • T Vederian Lowe (knee)
  • WR K.J. Osborn (shoulder)
  • G Layden Robinson (ankle)
  • LB Sione Takitaki (knee)
  • CB Marco Wilson (knee)

Full participant

  • LB Anfernee Jennings (shoulder)
  • CB Jonathan Jones (shoulder)

Kickoff from Gillette Stadium is scheduled for noon CT.

Patriots rookie QB to make first start against Texans in Week 6

Drake Maye will make his first career start against the Houston Texans in Week 6.

The Houston Texans won’t be facing off against Jacoby Brissett after all.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the New England Patriots are switching at quarterback, turning from the veteran Brissett in favor of rookie Drake Maye.

The Texans will look to go 2-0 against rookies in 2024 after securing a 19-13 victory over Chicago Bears star Caleb Williams in Week 2.

https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/1843755339168256085

Maye, the third overall pick in the 2024 draft, replaces the nine-year veteran as the Patriots (1-4) prepare to host the favorites in the AFC South. Brissett isn’t the lone problem to New England’s offensive woes, but he remains a significant one over the four-game losing streak.

Patriots first-year head coach Jerod Mayo said that the way the team played in its lone victory was “unsustainable” because of the low-scoring output. The part is true since New England hasn’t won a game since Week 1 and is currently averaging 12.4 points per game.

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1843760861028200844

Maye will now join Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix as the fourth rookie quarterback to start a game this season. On Monday, the DeMeco Ryans said they would work according to plan to prepare for Maye’s potential first start.

“Whenever you’re preparing for the unknown, the only thing we can prepare for is what we’ve seen on tape with the quarterback that they’ve had play over these first four or five weeks of the season,” Ryans said. “Now, if the young guy gets in, we have to be prepared to adjust, so of course we’ll go back and watch as much as we can on him from his preseason plays. But our focus will just be on, structurally, what they do as an offense.”

Kickoff at Gillette Stadium is scheduled for noon CT.

Could Texans face Patriots rookie QB Drake Maye?

New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye could be making his first career start against the Houston Texans

Following a 15-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins, it seems like change could be on the horizon for the New England Patriots.

The Houston Texans might have to start doing their homework on rookie quarterback Drake Maye for Week 6’s showdown.

Patriots coach Jerod Mayo told reporters that after Sunday’s loss, things must change if they plan on salvaging the season. Over the past several weeks, Mayo has remained committed to Jacoby Brissett despite underwhelming play.

That wasn’t the case Monday morning.

“He understands this, he touches the ball on every single play, and we didn’t win the game or score enough points to win the game,” Mayo said of Brissett. “I think he would echo that same sentiment, that it wasn’t good enough.”

The veteran signal caller wasn’t great. He completed 18-of-34 passes for 160 yards against Miami. He has just two passing touchdowns against one interception and 536 passing yards overall on the season while completing  58.5 percent of his passes.

After defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1, New England’s offense has been pedestrian at best. The Patriots have scored 26 points over the last three games.

New England enters Week 6 averaging 12.4 points per game. The offense has averaged 9.1 over the past three, all leading to losses and underwhelming production.

Maye, the No. 3 overall pick out of North Carolina, looked poised in his first appearance against the New York Jets in Week 2,  completing 50 percent of his throws for 22 yards while rushing for 12 more.

Brissett isn’t the only problem. The Patriots offensive line is allowing third-highest mark in the NFL at 13.29 percent. They’ve allowed 19 sacks, 17 of which have come against Brissett.

Three of the six first-round quarterbacks from the 2024 class are currently starting. No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams is coming off his best performance with a three-touchdown day against the Carolina Panthers. No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels has been the most consistent rookie passer,  totaling six total touchdowns (four passing and two rushing) over the past three games.

Bo Nix, the final quarterback selected in the first round, has the Denver Broncos riding high at 3-2 while totaling five touchdowns against four interceptions. He’s also avoided the turnovers over the past three games.

For the Texans, playing a rookie could benefit them getting to 5-1. Houston forced seven sacks and two interceptions when Williams took center stage for the Chicago Bears in a Texans’ victory at NRG Stadium.

DeMeco Ryans could have his work cut out for him this week in terms of planning for a pair of passers instead of simply the veteran.