The first time is always the SWEETEST and this one was SWEET in Gillette Stadium, as the Texans put a three touchdown beatdown on the Patriots. It was the Texans' first win ever in New England.
How did it happen? A ton of big plays, but we're going to focus on these four right here in our Big Play Breakdown from the Texans win over the Patriots.
1st quarter - Texans ball
9:18 remaining - first drive of the game
No score
2nd and goal
+2-yard line
After the game, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans told me this was the best first drive he could remember since he had taken over as head coach. But finishing said drive with a touchdown was absolutely paramount to getting off to a great start in a place where we'd never won. So, the Texans came out 12 personnel with TE Dalton Schultz flexed out to the right side of the formation and WR Tank Dell flexed out to the left side of the formation. RB Joe Mixon was to QB C.J. Stroud's left with WR Stefon Diggs to C.J's right. Stroud faked the handoff to Diggs and Mixon shot out to the right side as Stroud rolled right. Schultz and Tank ran a mesh concept. Essentially, they ran crossing routes in the end zone, hoping to get a red jersey picked off in man coverage. So, with Mixon to the flat and Dell crossing that direction, Stroud saw more space for Dell who was sprinting away from Patriots CB Jonathan Jones to the far pylon in the back of the end zone. Stroud, rolling to his right, saw Tank and led him beautifully away from Jones and Dell slid wonderfully into the catch for the first touchdown of the day. This touchdown was Tank's first of the year as well. Mission. Accomplished. 7-0 Texans, off and running…and catching.
1st quarter - Texans ball
3:18 remaining
Texans ahead 7-0
1st and goal
+10-yard line
The Texans drove back down, looking for a two touchdown lead, later in the first quarter. After a penalty helped put the ball in scoring position, the Texans put 11 personnel on the field (one RB, one TE, three WR) and put a bunch (cluster of three pass catchers) to the left side. Then, RB Joe Mixon lined up to the left side of Stroud as well. The key to this play was the Patriots decision to play man-to-man. The Patriot linebacker was responsible for Mixon in the passing game and he was about to get picked off by the receiver routes out of the bunch formation. The Texans used the bunch to create a ton of interference and eye candy that froze the Patriots linebacker just briefly. TE Dalton Schultz did a GREAT job picking off the linebacker trying to get to Mixon and Stroud knew immediately that Mixon was wide open out on the flat route. Stroud threw it accurately out to Joe and the Texans RB did the rest. Touchdown. 14-0 Texans - two great drives to start this game.
3rd quarter - Patriots ball
14:16 remaining
Texans ahead 14-7
2nd and nine
-22 yard line
On the last Patriots drive of the first half, rookie QB Drake Maye threw a BOMB TD to Kayshon Boutte, which sent the Texans into the locker room a bit dejected and sullen. DE Danielle Hunter said at halftime that Coach Ryans had mentioned that he needed someone to make a play to get the momentum back. Check. Mate. Hunter took Coach up on it after Mario Edwards Jr. nearly grabbed a face mask on the first run stuff of the second half. That set up a 2nd and nine and it was time for Hunter to strike. He was lined up on the left side of the defense. QB Drake Maye went back to pass. To give Maye time to throw, the Patriots used a TE to first chip block on Hunter. But, the Texans star DE deftly avoided that chip and went to work on the Patriots RT Demontrey Jacobs. Hunter ripped under Jacobs' hands, then hit the Patriots OL with a double swipe and then bent his rush directly at Patriots QB Drake Maye. As the rookie raised his right arm to throw. Hunter was now on a full-speed collision course with the Pats QB. He hit Maye as Maye raised his arm to throw, the ball popped out and the aforementioned Edwards Jr. dove right on it at the Patriots 10-yard line. Hunter heeded his coach's call with one of the best plays of the day. A few plays later, Stroud zipped one to Stefon Diggs for a 21-7 lead.
4th quarter - Texans ball
7:55 remaining
Texans ahead 34-21
1st and ten
-46-yard line
The Patriots didn't back away in this game, scoring a TD with just over nine minutes left in the game to cut the lead to 13. So, the Texans offense went back to work, getting a first down on a C.J. Stroud throw to Tank Dell for a first down at -46-yard line. On the following first down, the Texans had 12 personnel in the game (one RB - Dameon Pierce and two TEs). The Texans, again, put a bunch set to the right side of the formation. TE Dalton Schultz slid in motion right next to Cade Stover as Stroud tossed a pitch to Dameon. The WR to that side was Stefon Diggs, who had a wonderful game, and he blocked the first threat in a red shirt. That caused a little bit of a pile up on the edge, which was an issue for the Patriots run fit. Because of that block, Dameon now had a clean edge to hit the outside run. The two tight ends threw great blocks and Pierce slipped feeble tackle attempts of DT Jacquelin Roy and S Kyle Dugger. Then it was green grass and a long way to run. Luckily, Dameon is fast, even with a bulky hamstring and he made it all the way to the end zone for his longest TD run since a 75-yard TD run against the Chargers in his rookie season. The Texans two RBs, back for the first time together since week one, ran for three touchdowns, generated 178 yards on the ground, caught three passes for 31 yards and one touchdown. I remember DeMeco Ryans mentioning the 1-2 punch the Texans had way back in OTAs. Today, they answered the bell as that 1-2 punch in this 41-21 win.
Ballgame.
That was fun. Let's do it again next week in Green Bay against one of the better teams in the NFL at historic Lambeau Field. See ya then, everyone!
