Patriots shed Texans, return to front of AFC playoff race
HOUSTON - Order has been restored for the New England Patriots.
In danger of facing their first three-game losing streak since 2002, the Patriots welcomed back Rob Gronkowski – who had 87 receiving yards and one touchdown - and earned a much-needed 27-6 victory over the Houston Texans. What’s more, all other developments around the league broke right for New England, with the Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals both collecting their third losses Sunday.
One week after sinking to third in the AFC playoff hierarchy, the Patriots (11-2) now find themselves back on top in the conference with three relatively manageable regular-season games remaining. If they beat the Tennessee Titans, New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, the road to the Super Bowl in the AFC will go through Foxborough, Mass.
“It feels good to be back on track,” said Gronkowski, whose team clinched a playoff berth with the win.
After the overtime defeat at the Denver Broncos and the head-scratching loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Tom Brady again can look to one of his favorite targets in Gronkowski, who returned for the first time since suffering a bone bruise and sprain in his right knee in the Nov. 29 loss in Denver.
Playing on almost two-thirds of New England’s offensive snaps, Gronkowski made an impact on the Patriots’ second drive and showed glimpses throughout why he is such an imposing talent. Brady ran to his right before throwing across the field and deep for Gronkowski, who hauled in a 45-yard reception after Texans outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus fell down.
“I was running that route and it was taking a while,” Gronkowski said. “Next thing you know, I see the ball flying up in the air coming at me. Then I couldn’t see the ball anymore in that stadium, it went right into the lights. I know it’s coming to me. Then when it was like 20 feet (away) coming down, I saw it again. I was like, ‘There is it.’”
Then with 14 seconds left in the first half, Brady lobbed the ball into the end zone, where Gronkowski easily caught it over Texans safety Quintin Demps for a 1-yard touchdown. He punctuated the catch with his signature spike of the football in the end zone.
Besieged by offensive injuries this season, the Patriots lost another offensive weapon in the second quarter when running back LeGarrette Blount left the game with a hip injury after rushing for 53 yards on 10 carries.
But they had more than enough defensively to re-establish themselves atop the AFC.
The Patriots rendered talented wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (three receptions for 52 yards) a non-factor for much of the game. They repeatedly harassed Texans quarterback Brian Hoyer, who was sacked five times and left the game in the fourth quarter to be evaluated in the locker room for a concussion.
Asked if Hoyer suffered a concussion, Texans coach Bill O’Brien said, “It looked that way, but I’m not sure yet.”
On top of that, New England’s offensive line held Houston defensive end J.J. Watt to a relatively quiet night while he played wearing a black club on his broken left hand.
“There were times when it was painful, but that’s football,” Watt said. “People play with pain all the time.”
If there’s a lingering issue for the Patriots it’s that they committed another special teams miscue after making several critical ones last week in the loss to the Eagles. Keshawn Martin fumbled a punt in the third quarter. But this time, the Patriots forced the Texans to turn the ball over on downs after O’Brien made the questionable call to go for it on fourth down in the red zone.
In the end, the Patriots convincingly beat a Houston team that had plenty at stake. The Texans (6-7) did not lose any ground in the AFC South division race because the Indianapolis Colts lost Sunday as well. The two play in a pivotal matchup next Sunday in Indianapolis.
The Patriots’ offense will be further bolstered once Julian Edelman returns from a foot injury. But with the help of Gronkowski, they have stabilized their season, and suddenly find themselves once again in the driver’s seat in the AFC.
Follow Eric Prisbell on Twitter @EricPrisbell.
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