***TNF IN THE SWAMP - HOU @ NE***

***HOUSTON TEXANS @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS***

Tonight we feast on another Prime Time game featuring some mystery at the QB position once again. On a short week, the new look 2-0 Houston Texans head into New England to take on the big bad Patriots. Although for once, the Pats don't look so big and bad as they are now down to their third string QB Jacoby Brissett. Brissett is a rookie drafted out of NC State in the 3rd Round which leads me to believe the Pats see something in this kid to take him that high. Brissett saw his first NFL action when thrown into the fire mid-game last weekend against the Dolphins after 2nd string QB Jimmy Garoppolo went down with a injury. While Tom Brady serves his 4 game suspension, Jimmy G has been surging as the Pats replacement and has been lights out the first two games of this season. To everyone's surprise, Jimmy G & the Pats went into Arizona game 1 and defeated a top tier Cardinals team followed by Jimmy boy being on fire at home and ripping up a sub-par Dolphins defense and making it look easy before getting injured. Bummer for the Pats as they looked like they weren't going to skip a beat during Brady's 4 game absence. On a positive note, Brissett came in and looked pretty decent and was able to manage the game effectively as the Pats fought off a late Miami comeback for the win. Just a small sample size of film is available when trying to evaluate Brissett considering only about 2 quarters of it was against live NFL starting competition. I got to say though, I don't see much that I don't like, and with the help of "The Hoodie" AKA Head Coach Bill Belichick and his brain trust, I believe he can do just enough to get the job done here tonight. The Pats have proven again and again that they are the best overall organization in the NFL for a while now. Part of that is because of their ability to consistently overcome adversity and make due with what they have. Another aspect in sports that I love is when a player goes down and the rest of the team is motivated to elevate their game to the next level, inspired to gut it out just a little extra to help their team.

This Patriot defense is quickly becoming one of the best in the league, and I like them to be the main reason for the Pats to defend their home field tonight and get the W. The Texans and their new toy, overpaid youngster QB Brock Osweiler have looked legit thus far this season, but both of their games were at home and against possible pretenders in the Bears and the Chiefs. A big test awaits them tonight in a spot that their franchise historically as not fared well in, a big game on a big stage. Houston is a team that is surely on the rise and have a lot of key pieces now in place. On the offensive side of the ball they added RB Lamar Miller and drafted Notre Dame WR Will Fuller to accompany the beastly Pro Bowl DeAndre Hopkins, and of course the promising young QB from Denver mentioned previously, Osweiler. While I was a fan of Brock in college at Arizona State and liked him as a QB coming into the NFL, I am still not entirely sold that he will be the QB the Texans paid him to be, at least not yet. Even though it seems like he has been around for awhile now, he still is a bit short on experience himself, while alternating starts in Denver with Peyton Manning last season, and the first two games this season serving as his only live NFL action. I know that is a whole lot more than the rookie Brissett the Texans will face tonight, but my point is I still think Brock has a ways to go. I see him still making bad decisions and throwing picks in the redzone. I think he will get better over time but isn't quite there yet. For the Pats, I love the new addition of veteran DE Chris Long, and think he will thrive on this team. Long will lead the Patriot defense tonight and get after Osweiler to force him into some bad throws. As far as the Texan defense, losing LB Brian Cushing in week 1 was a huge blow to this unit. Of course, the freak of nature DE JJ Watt will always be a factor despite not being 100% & the long awaited Jadeveon Clowney is finally on the field to be a force as well. That is where I will once again go back and put my trust in the Hoodie and OC Josh McDaniels to formulate a plan to slow these guys down, limiting their effect on the Rookie QB tonight. I Think they will obviously keep the playbook simple for Brissett, pounding the rock with Lagarette Blount, and lots of short and sweet passes to the minions, WRs Edelman, Amendola, & Hogan. Patriot TE Rob Gronkowski is confirmed to be back and will make his debut tonight and I expect this to provide an extra surge of inspiration for the offense and also of course, some comfort for the Rook. Gronk may just be a diversion tonight if not 100% healthy, and if so at the least, will help open things up in the passing game for the minions & TE Martellus Bennett who has filled in just fine for Gronk and seems to have been Brissetts favorite target last week. When in doubt, Brissett is mobile and can tuck and run, which is always a positive for a newbie.

Now for the little extra drama that will add some flavor in the game tonight. Five of the coaches on the Texans staff were at one time part of the New England family and have direct ties to Bill Belichick including Head Coach Bill O'Brien, Romeo Crennel, George Godsey, Mike Vrabel, and Anthony Pleasant. Veteran DT Vince Wifork who is currently still playing also won two Super Bowls with the Pats. As bad as these guys all must want to beat the man they spawned their NFL careers from, I don't think old Papa Bear will allow that to happen here tonight. As I mentioned above, nobody can account for disadvantages, quick game-planning, and overcome adversity better than the Pats. I wouldn't be surprised to see some trick plays from Belichick and McDaniels on offense here tonight. A win here would set up perfectly for a week 4 spot where the NFL will send who better than Rex and the probably 0-3 Bills to serve the Brady-less Pats a Loss, and hell I might bite. That's another write-up for another time though. Bottom line, I think Belichick outsmarts and takes his kids to school tonight and the Pats grind out a win in a tight one. PATRIOTS-1