The Houston Texans and New England Patriots are set to face off in the NFL Divisional Round this Sunday, January 18, at Gillette Stadium. Both teams have demonstrated resilience this season, making the matchup particularly intriguing.
Quick Context
The Patriots began their season with a 1-2 record but have since made a strong turnaround. Meanwhile, the Texans have maintained their momentum, not losing a game since early December. Both teams shut out their opponents to just field goals in the Wild Card Round, with the Steelers managing only two points against the Texans and the Chargers scoring just one field goal against the Patriots.
Betting Odds and Trends
- Spread: Texans +3 (-102), Patriots -3 (-118)
- Moneyline: Texans +145, Patriots -175
- Total: 41.5 (Over -102/Under -118)
The Texans are 10-8 against the spread this season, while the Patriots have performed slightly better at 13-5. Notably, the UNDER has hit in 12 of the Texans’ games this year, contradicting the OVER trend in 11 of the Patriots’ matchups.
Injury Report
The Texans face some potential roster challenges with several key players listed as questionable:
- Jawhar Jordan – questionable
- Justin Watson – questionable
- Nico Collins – questionable
- Ajani Carter – injured reserve
On the Patriots’ side, both Khyiris Tonga and Christian Gonzalez are also questionable. Additionally, Alex Austin and Mack Hollins are on injured reserve.
Key Player to Watch
Drake Maye, the young quarterback for the Patriots, has been pivotal for the team this season, finishing with 4,394 passing yards and 31 touchdowns. His performance will be crucial as he faces the formidable Texans defense, which allowed a league-low 277.2 yards per game. This matchup could define Maye’s playoff legacy, as he led the Patriots to their first playoff win without Tom Brady in nearly 30 years.
Prediction and Outlook
Experts anticipate a tightly contested game in New England, with both defenses expected to play a significant role. The spread suggests a close matchup, but with both teams demonstrating strong defensive capabilities in their last game, this may be a lower-scoring affair.
As per predictions, the total may not reach the anticipated marks, with the recommended pick being the Under 41.5 (-118).
Original source: Open the source
Editorial note: Cozy Corner Daily summarizes news based on available reporting and updates stories as new details emerge.
Read our editorial guidelines.
