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Courtesy of NFL Communications, I give you these numbers, notes, and food for thought as your Houston Texans prepare to make their prime-time debut for the 2016 NFL season against the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football.
REGULAR SEASON SERIES
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TEXANS |
PATRIOTS |
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SERIES LEADER |
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5-1 |
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STREAKS |
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Past 3 |
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COACHES VS. OPP. |
Bill O’Brien: 0-1 |
Bill Belichick: 5-1 |
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LAST WEEK |
W 19-12 vs. Kansas City |
W 31-24 vs. Miami |
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LAST GAME |
12/13/15: Patriots 27 at Texans 6. New England QB Tom Brady throws for 226 yards & 2 TDs. Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski has 4 catches for 87 yards & TD. |
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LAST GAME AT SITE |
12/10/12: Patriots 42, Texans 14. New England QB Tom Brady throws for 296 yards & 4 TDs. Patriots RB Stevan Ridley adds 72 rushing yards & TD. |
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REFEREE |
Walt Coleman |
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BROADCAST |
CBS/NFLN/Twitter (7:25 PM CT): Jim Nantz, Phil Simms and Tracy Wolfson (Field reporter). Westwood One: Ian Eagle, Tony Boselli. |
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STATS
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PASSING |
Brock Osweiler: 41-68-499-3-3-79.2 |
Jacoby Brissett (R): 6-9-92-0-0-100.2 OR Jimmy Garoppolo: 42-60-498-4-0-117.2 |
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RUSHING |
Lamar Miller: 53-189-3.6-0 |
LeGarrette Blount: 51-193-3.8-2 |
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RECEIVING |
DeAndre Hopkins: 12-167-13.9-2 |
Julian Edelman: 14-142-10.1-0 |
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OFFENSE |
347.5 |
414.0 |
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TAKE/GIVE |
+1 |
+1 |
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DEFENSE |
274.5 |
401.5 |
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SACKS |
John Simon: 2.5 |
3 tied: 1 |
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INTs |
Andre Hal: 1 |
Jamie Collins, Duron Harmon: 1 |
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PUNTING |
Shane Lechler: 49.2 |
Ryan Allen: 36.2 |
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KICKING |
Nick Novak: 24 (3/3 PAT; 7/8 FG) |
Stephen Gostkowski: 18 (6/6 PAT; 4/5 FG) |
TEXANS:
Aim for the second 3-0 start in team history (2012).
Head coach BILL O’BRIEN was an assistant with NE from 2007-11.
QB BROCK OSWEILER won his only career start vs. NE (11/29/15 with Denver) and passed for 270 yards with a TD.
RB LAMAR MILLER had a rushing TD in his last game at New England (10/29/15 with Miami).
WR DEANDRE HOPKINS had 11 catches for 169 yards in his last Thursday night game. Hopkins now aims for this third game in a row with a TD.
Rookie WR WILL FULLER is the third player in NFL history with 100+ receiving yards in each of his first two career games.
DE J.J. WATT has six sacks, nine TFL, and a 45-yard FR-TD in nine Thursday night games. Since entering the NFL in 2011, Watt has 76 sacks, most in the NFL. He reached 75 sacks in his 82nd game, which is the second-fastest in NFL history behind HOFer REGGIE WHITE.
LB WHITNEY MERCILUS had a sack in the Texans' last game versus the Patriots. He has 8.5 sacks in his past four games (including playoffs).
DE JADEVEON CLOWNEY had two sacks in Houston's last meeting with the Patriots.
PATRIOTS:
Including playoff games, the Patriots have won 27 of their past 29 home games.
QB JIMMY GAROPPOLO is 2-0 as starter and has completed 42 of 60 (70%) of his passes for 498 yards with 4 TDs, 0 INTs and a 117.2 rating.
Rookie QB JACOBY BRISSETT made his NFL debut last week and completed 6 of 9 (66.7%) passes for 92 yards and a 100.2 rating.
RB LEGARRETTE BLOUNT rushed for 123 yards in Week 2 and now aims for his third game in a row with a rushing TD.
WR JULIAN EDELMAN aims for his third game in a row against the Texans with 100+ yards. Edelman has seven receiving TDs in his past ten games.
TE MARTELLUS BENNETT had 5 catches for 114 yards and a TD last week. Bennett has 271 catches since 2012, fourth-most by an NFL tight end.
TE ROB GRONKOWSKI has 10 catches for 214 yards (107 per game) and two TDs in his past two games against the Texans. Since 2010, Gronk has 65 receiving TDs, which is the most in the NFL. In his past 14 games at home (including playoffs), he has 15 receiving TDs.
WR DANNY AMENDOLA had a career-high two receiving TDs last week.
LB JAMIE COLLINS has three sacks and an INT in his past three games (including playoffs).
CB MALCOLM BUTLER has 18 PDs since 2015, most on the club.
CB LOGAN RYAN ranks second in PDs, with 15.
DE JABAAL SHEARD had two sacks and two forced fumbles in his last meeting with the Texans.
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