NFL GAME PREVIEW

NFL Divisional Playoffs Preview: Texans at Patriots

The Sports Xchange

January 13, 2017 at 12:33 pm.

Jan 1, 2017; Miami Gardens, FL, USA;  New England Patriots offensive tackle Marcus Cannon (61) holds back Miami Dolphins linebacker Spencer Paysinger (42) as Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) throws a pass during the second  quarter of an NFL football game at Hard Rock Stadium. Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Jan 1, 2017; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; New England Patriots offensive tackle Marcus Cannon (61) holds back Miami Dolphins linebacker Spencer Paysinger (42) as Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) throws a pass during the second quarter of an NFL football game at Hard Rock Stadium. Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Texans (10-7) at New England Patriots (14-2)

KICKOFF: Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET, Gillette Stadium. TV: CBS, Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Tracy Wolfson, Jay Feely.

SERIES HISTORY: Ninth meeting in the series, including postseason. Patriots lead, 7-1, including 1-0 in the playoffs. This marks the second time New England has hosted Houston in an AFC divisional playoff game; the Pats won 41-28 at Gillette Stadium during the 2012 season. The most recent matchup came in Week 3 this season, when rookie QB Jacoby Brissett led a 27-0 shutout of the Texans in a Thursday night battle in New England. The Patriots have scored at least 27 points in seven of eight meetings, winning five by two scores or more.

KEYS TO THE GAME: Bill O’Brien knows all about how tough the Patriots are at this time of year. That’s why the former New England offensive coordinator knows what his Houston Texans are up against.

“It’s a big challenge. It’s a team that has done it year in and year out,” O’Brien said. “Last week was only this organization’s third playoff win. We’ve got a big challenge ahead of us.”

History, and the oddsmakers, are both against the Texans, a 9-7 division champion that disposed of the quarterback-less Raiders in last weekend’s wild-card game. Houston has never won in Foxborough, lost 27-0 in New England — with Tom Brady out — in September and has lost the last two games by a combined 54-6. They’re also a warm-weather team playing in the cold night air.

The Texans do bring the league’s No. 1 defense into this game, but the Patriots have allowed the fewest points.

Back in Week 3, Jacoby Brissett was the New England quarterback and J.J. Watt played his final game before season-ending back surgery. The Texans fumbled away two kickoffs and saw Brissett run for a 27-yard touchdown.

Now, Brady will run the potent Patriots offense, which should be bolstered by the return of Danny Amendola, who missed four games with a sprain ankle.

Brady finished a record-setting season with 28 touchdown passes and just two interceptions as the Patriots set the record for fewest picks thrown (two) in a season. The Patriots have outscored their last three opponents 92-20, with Brady and Co. in high gear.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

–Patriots LT Nate Solder vs. Texans DE Jadeveon Clowney. Houston’s former No. 1 overall pick has been healthy and productive this year, helping the team deal with the loss of J.J. Watt. Clowney moves around the front and can make plays in a variety of ways, as shown by his impressive interception on a screen pass against Oakland last weekend. Solder has had a solid year but it has come with ups and downs. He must win battles with Clowney to ensure that the freakish athlete doesn’t spearhead a colossal upset by getting after Tom Brady.

–Texans RB Lamar Miller vs. Patriots LB Dont’a Hightower. Miller had an average first season in Houston, rushing for a little more than 1,000 yards, averaging four yards a carry and scoring five touchdowns. He had 31 carries against Oakland for a mere 73 yards and a score. New England’s run defense was impressive down the stretch, tied for No. 3 in the league. Hightower is the man in the middle of it all as the Patriots look to stop the run and put the pressure on the Texans’ lackluster passing attack.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Patriots FS Devin McCourty. The Pro Bowl safety is the key force in terms of communication and avoiding big plays in the back end. One of the few ways the Texans might be able to challenge New England as the heavy underdog would be big plays in the passing game to speedy receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller. McCourty can’t — and likely won’t — allow that to happen.

FAST FACTS: Houston advanced to the divisional round with a 27-14 win over Oakland last week. The Texans, who led the NFL in total defense (301.3 yards per game), limited the Raiders to 203 yards. … Houston LB Whitney Mercilus had two sacks and three tackles for loss in last week’s victory. He has five sacks and six tackles for loss in his past two playoff games. … Texans DE Jadeveon Clowney, who was selected to his first Pro Bowl, had an interception last week to set up a touchdown in his first career playoff game. … New England won its eighth consecutive division title, the longest streak in NFL history. The Patriots are the only team in NFL history to win 13 division titles in a 14-year span. … New England QB Tom Brady has 22 playoff wins, the most in NFL history. Brady is also the NFL postseason leader in completions (738), attempts (1,183), yards (7,957) and touchdown passes (56). … The Patriots had four players selected to the Pro Bowl: Brady, LB Dont’a Hightower, safety Devin McCourty and special-teamer Matthew Slater.

PREDICTION: Brady is on a mission, and the Texans don’t have the weapons to stop him and the Patriots from reaching their record sixth straight AFC title game.

OUR PICK: Patriots, 31-13.

–Chris Cluff