The 2018 season officially gets underway on Sunday for the New England Patriots. With each new season comes a new beginning, and thus the promise of a new chance at a championship. The Patriots take on the Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans in their season opener, and it’s anyone’s guess what happens. Without further ado, here are the New England Patriots vs Houston Texans Bold Predictions.
Week One: New England Patriots vs Houston Texans Bold Predictions
The Patriots Will Sack Deshaun Watson Five Times
The New England Patriots front seven appears to be drastically improved from last season. Trey Flowers, Adrian Clayborn, Dont’a Hightower, Derek Rivers, Deatrich Wise Jr., and Adam Butler all have the ability to consistently get to the quarterback. Each one of the aforementioned players should be ready to go on Sunday, which could lead to a long night for Watson.
Additionally, the Texans offensive line in one of the worst in the league. From left to right, none of the offensive linemen are particularly good. Watson was able to mask this flaw last year using his mobility and escapability. However, Watson is coming off a torn ACL, so he may not have his trademark mobility. If Watson looks is a sitting duck, this revamped offensive line could feast on his poor offensive line.
Chris Hogan Will Record 100 Yards, Two Touchdowns
The wide receiver position is in flux while New England waits for Julian Edelman to return from suspension. For the first four weeks of the season, quarterback Tom Brady will have to turn to Chris Hogan, Phillip Dorsett, and Cordarrelle Patterson at the wide receiver position. Of the three receivers, Hogan is easily the most reliable choice.
Hogan has the most experience with Brady and dominated the Texans in their last matchup. In Week Three of the 2017 season, Hogan recorded four catches for 68 yards and two touchdowns. While the Texans have improved as safety, their cornerback depth is still suspect.
With nobody else reliable to turn to and going against poor cornerbacks, the stars are aligning for Chris Hogan. Look for the third-year Patriot to have a great start to his 2018 season.
Stephon Gilmore Will Hold DeAndre Hopkins to Under 30 Yards
DeAndre Hopkins is one of the best receivers in football and is poised to have another fantastic season. However, the Patriots will limit the supremely talented receiver to just 30 yards in the season opener.
Hopkins had a good game against the Patriots in 2017, recording seven receptions for 78 yards. However, the Patriots defense was very much a work in progress in that game, especially cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Gilmore took about a month to adapt to the playbook, transforming from one of the worst cornerbacks in football to one of the best over the 2017 season.
This year, Gilmore won’t have that struggle. He’s already familiar with the system, and he’s one of the best cornerbacks in the league. Additionally, the Patriots could use the large-build Eric Rowe with a safety over the top to take away Hopkins.
In three other games against New England, Hopkins has just nine receptions for 183 yards. That averages out to a somewhat lackluster three receptions for 61 yards. With Watson coming off injury and Gilmore comfortable in the defense, there’s plenty of reason to believe that New England can slow Hopkins’ production in the season opener.
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