Patriots have 4 points of emphasis to perfect to steal win vs. Texans in Week 6

Sunday will mark the dawn of a new era in Foxborough, as Drake Maye will make his first NFL start when the Patriots host the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium. Many are still arguing for the Patriots’ first-round draft pick to continue sitting on the bench, given the state of the team around him, but it’s time for Maye to take the reins of the offense. 

His first examination will be a challenging one against a Houston team that boasts one of the top defenses in the league, while New England’s banged-up defense will have to contain dynamic Texans’ quarterback C.J. Stroud. While stopping their current four-game losing streak will be a challenging task for the Patriots, it’s not impossible. 

So, if the Patriots will get out of this one with their second win of the season, here are four things the team must do to generate an upset. 

The Patriots can steal a win against the Texans in Week 6 by perfecting these 4 aspects

Run the ball effectively 

This one is a no-brainer. 

Alex Van Pelt’s West Coast offense is built on the quarterback getting rid of the ball quickly and utilizing play-action passes, so if Rhamondre Stevenson (if he's able to suit up) and the running game are stuck in neutral, that will not help Maye much. 

Houston’s run defense has surrendered just 120.2 yards per game on the ground over the first five weeks, so yards on the ground could be hard to come by for Stevenson and Antonio Gibson. 

Stevenson has also had issues holding on to the football, resulting in him coming off the bench in last week’s loss to Miami, and you can bet Houston’s front seven will try to rip the ball from him every chance it gets. There’s no way this offense can be one-dimensional with a rookie quarterback making his big league debut.

The Patriots have to keep the Texans honest. 

Protect your biggest asset 

Yes, we all know the group the Patriots have on the offensive line is one of the worst in the  NFL.

The team has gone through five different starting offensive line groups over the first five games. Not exactly a winning formula. 

The 6-foot-4-inch Maye is a good athlete and can run; there’s no doubt about that. But it’s up to the offensive line to protect him and for Van Pelt to utilize his strengths. That includes Maye’s ability to move within the pocket. 

Van Pelt and company need to keep things somewhat simple. Allow Maye to make plays down the field, but look for him to quickly get the ball out of his hands. That means guys like Ja’Lynn Polk, Kendrick Bourne, and DeMario Douglas have to find ways to get open underneath and make plays after the catch. 

Don’t let C.J. Stroud have a field day

There’s no question that Stroud is one of the game’s best young talents and is as dangerous a dual-threat quarterback as it gets. The second-year man from Ohio State has thrown for nearly 1,500 yards and seven touchdowns through five games and, on paper, should have a field day against a banged-up Patriots’ defense. 

It doesn’t help that safety Jabril Peppers was arrested this week and was placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, meaning Peppers cannot practice or play while he is on that list. Fellow safety Kyle Dugger has also been banged up with an ankle issue, so the Patriots may be down their two starting safeties on Sunday. 

Stroud will make plays down the field, but it’s up to the Patriots’ defense to make plays in the red zone. The only ways they will be successful are to bend but not break and try to force Stroud to make a mistake or two. 

That means Christian Gonzalez has to have another big day. He’s growing into a strong shutdown cornerback. 

Special teams

This area always seems to be the X-factor, and is one area that Bill Belichick always harped on during his two-decade run of success in New England. 

Joey Slye missed a field goal against Miami that proved costly, given the Patriots lost by five, thus the team needing six as opposed to three on the final drive against the Dolphins. Slye has given the Patriots stability at that position, having converted on 9 of his 11 field-goal attempts, including a 63-yarder against the 49ers in Week 4. 

The Patriots cannot afford to squander points at any juncture and need to cash in on red-zone opportunities. They also need to create turnovers in this area or find ways to score if given the chance on kickoff or punt returns. 

If the Patriots find a way to execute in these four areas, Maye will exit his first start with a victory. Otherwise, the team is staring down the barrel of 1-5 with a long flight to London looming next week. 

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