ProFootballFocus, ReFocused -- Houston @New England

[Playoffs]

ReFo: Texans @ Patriots, AFC Divisional Round
Khaled Elsayed | 2013/01/14

In a wild week of Divisional Games, we ended with something a bit more to script. There were no double overtimes, last second Hail Mary or even a quarterback setting all sorts of rushing records.

No we just had the New England Patriots proving that they are better than the Houston Texans.

There’s no shame in that for the Texans but you have to question how the makeup of this team, even with players like Brian Cushing to return, can close the gap to their more offensively explosive counterparts.

Now the Patriots move onto a rematch with a Ravens outfit on the lookout for playoff revenge. On the back of this outing those in Baltimore better be concerned.

Houston – Three Performances of Note

Where was Watt

Back in Week 14 everyone who saw the box scores thought J.J. Watt had a disappointing game. He didn’t as the four hits and two hurries showed. But when it really mattered the Patriots were able to neutralize the key Texans defender with a combination of good scheming and awareness of how Watt operates.

It meant that he earned his lowest grade (-0.1) of the year, capping a tremendous year with his most ineffectual display. It wasn’t that he was bad but he was a non factor after a first quarter where he destroyed Ryan Wendell to pick up a tackle for no gain (13.51 in Q1) and picked up a sack (7.26 in the same quarter). With some double teaming and the Patriots keen to use his desire to get up field against him (with Michael Hoomanawanui having a lot of joy here), Bill Belichick accomplished his goal of slowing down the oppositions best player.

Is Matt Schaub Good Enough?

After a hot start to the year 2012 petered out for Matt Schaub (-0.5) and he carried that form into the playoffs. His 65.4% completion percentage and 343 yards may paint the picture of a man who did what was asked of him, but it wasn’t until the Patriots picked up a big lead and went into a bland, prevent style defense designed to slow him down as opposed to stopping him, that he moved the ball with any consistency.

As has been the case all too often Schaub struggled when pressured (-3.5), completing just 54.5% of his throws for a disappointing 4.9 yards per attempt. Are you convinced that he can push the Texans past the top teams in the league?

Myers Mans Up

It wasn’t all bad for the Texans though, with Duane Brown (+4.7) perfect in pass protection, while Chris Myers (+4.0) put forth the best display of any Texan in the running game. He found himself one on one with Brandon Deaderick or Kyle Love for the most part and comprehensively won his battles. It’s just a shame you couldn’t say the same about Wade Smith (-2.0) who drew the tougher assignment of Vince Wilfork. Naturally he gave up some, getting beat for a tackle for a loss with 10:58 to go in Q1, giving up four pressures and getting beat for here more tackles for no or short gains. It outweighed some good work but was the most glaring weakness on a line that needed to impose themselves.
...

Game Notes

- The Texans used three outside linebackers. Connor Barwin, Brooks Reed and Whitney Mericlus rushed the passer a combined 68 times and between them managed two quarterback disruptions.

- New England only missed four tackles while the Texans missed just three.

read more: https://www.profootballfocus.com/blo...isional-round/

[Rey]

Originally Posted by Playoffs

ReFo: Texans @ Patriots, AFC Divisional Round
Khaled Elsayed | 2013/01/14


read more: https://www.profootballfocus.com/blo...isional-round/

That part about schaub is spot on.

I thought watt was pretty good though.

[theNumber80]

Watt was very good in the first half. In the second? I hate to say it but he disappeared. That TD where Kareem kind of sprained his ankle, Watt was absolutely manhandled.

[Tailgate]

This is was Bill does, he targets your main strength on each side of the ball (Foster and Watt) and does everything he can to take it away, and says.... Ok, now beat me another way because you are not taking away Tom Brady and or running up the middle against us.

[Rey]

I see a lot of people talking about belichicks brilliance of putting his rb out at wr and forcing a lb to cover him.....

Ummmm....we do the same thing all the time and have been doing it for years.....

We have had mismatched like that plenty of times. I remember when slaton was here Matt threw a TD to him that was very similar to the one Brady threw to his rb. When leach was here we even motioned him out...not sure why, but we did it...

We motion Arian out there all the time. Lb's follow him out there too...but for some reason we don't take advantage of those mismatches...

[welsh texan]

Originally Posted by Rey

I see a lot of people talking about belichicks brilliance of putting his rb out at wr and forcing a lb to cover him.....

Ummmm....we do the same thing all the time and have been doing it for years.....

We have had mismatched like that plenty of times. I remember when slaton was here Matt threw a TD to him that was very similar to the one Brady threw to his rb. When leach was here we even motioned him out...not sure why, but we did it...

We motion Arian out there all the time. Lb's follow him out there too...but for some reason we don't take advantage of those mismatches...

thats my gripe though tbf, schaub cant make the call at the line. ive seen nothing to suggest hes incompetant to do it either.

[eriadoc]

Originally Posted by Rey

We motion Arian out there all the time. Lb's follow him out there too...but for some reason we don't take advantage of those mismatches...

We stopped throwing to Foster this year. Very annoying.