David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Does anyone else get the sense that this game is just too big for the Houston Texans? With the New England Patriots having put the majority of the second half of their schedule to the sword, including the Texans, the Pats once again have the air of playoff invincibility that many NFL fans have become so accustomed to this time of year.
When Tom Brady and co. sat at home last weekend watching the Texans struggle to put away a Cincinnati Bengals team that looked very mediocre, it must have crept into the mind of many a Patriot that if the Texans afford the high tempo New England offense the sort of opportunities that were given to the Bengals, then this weekend in Foxborough is going to be a fairly one sided affair.
For a team that plays indoors and has very little playoff experience on the road, the biting cold of Massachusetts in January might come as a big shock, meaning it’s imperative for the Texans and their chances that they are not 14-21 points down by the time they have adjusted.
The Texans need to keep this game close all the way in order to utilize one of their most dangerous weapons in star running back Arian Foster and enable a balance between the run and pass that is vitally important for any road playoff team. In the end I can only see this one going the way of the Patriots, but after Saturday’s playoff antics, we know that anything can happen.
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