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Barring a big comeback from the Miami Dolphins against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday afternoon, it’ll be the New England Patriots vs. the Houston Texans in the divisional round next weekend.
Here’s everything you need to know:
Patriots vs. Texans Viewing Info
Date: Saturday, January 14, 2017
Start Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
TV Channel: CBS
Line: Patriots (-14.5), per Las Vegas SuperBook’s Jeff Sherman
Over/Under: 46
Early Preview
New England and Houston, of course, met under much different circumstances back in Week 3. With rookie Jacoby Brissett under center, the Patriots rolled to a dominant 27-0 Thursday night victory over the Texans, as LaGarrette Blount rumbled for 105 yards and two scores, while the defense held Brock Osweiler to a miserable 4.8 yards per pass attempt.
Considering the Pats were able to do that with Brissett, it’s no surprise that they open as massive favorites with Tom Brady, who has again been playing at an MVP level, now running the show. Throw in an extra week of preparation for Bill Belichick, as well as the Patriots’ advantage at home (they’re 7-1 in their last eight playoff games in Foxboro), and there’s a good chance this turns into a blowout.
That said, the Texans still boast one of the best defenses in the league, while Osweiler looked competent against Oakland this weekend, so this still has the potential to be a compelling matchup.
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