The are clear front-runners in the AFC East, and their 10-1 record is rivaled by only one other team in the league, but that doesn't mean they're taking this week's opponent, the , lightly.Quarterback told Westwood One earlier this week that the Texans will be the Patriots' toughest challenge to date, and while you could argue they already endured that at the start of the month, when the handed them their first and only lo s, there's no question this week's "Sunday Night Football" Kareem Orr Jersey could come down to the wire.The Patriots defense is every bit as good as its 10-1 record, it seems. New England ranks second in the in total "D" through 12 weeks, behind only the historic , who have allowed the fewest pa sing yards per game in nearly four decades. Behind shutdown cornerback and the rest of a -caliber lineup, they've given up fewer than 15 points in all but one of their games this season, allowing just seven or fewer points four different times.Offensively, though, they don't even compare to the Texans, who rank seventh in the NFL in total yards per game thanks in part to another solid showing from quarterback and are fresh off an AFC South upset of the . Houston has had its fair share of problems in 2019, namely struggling to stop the pa s with a battered and bruised secondary. But at home, against a Patriots offense that Brady himself has declared his chief source of frustration, Bill O'Brien should at least have a chance to upset his old bo s in Bill Los Angeles Rams Sleepwear Underwear Belichick. A win for the Patriots on Sunday night, when the two sides will go head to head, would simply add to New England's lead in the East. A win for the Texans, however, would arguably be even more important for Houston in a tight divisional race.Key matchupsTexans WR vs. Patriots CB Stephon GilmoreThis might be the matchup of the weekend. Hopkins is one of the NFL's best route-runners and po se sion receivers Sony Michel Jersey , while Gilmore is in the midst of maybe his best season as a pro. Watson and the Texans are, unsurprisingly, at their best when Hopkins is getting fed, so you know Belichick and Co. are going to do everything in their power -- even if it means giving Gilmore extra help -- to take him out of the game. This will be one to watch from start to finish. Texans CB vs. Patriots WR Edelman has been battling nagging injuries for a while, but if anyone's going to get Brady into a rhythm, it's him. Roby is dealing with some injury concerns of his own, but if he's active, he'll likely be tasked with sliding into the slot to keep track of No. 11. One of the Texans' biggest i sues of 2019 has been stopping the pa s, so unle s they want to be the team to help Brady and Co. finally put forth a satisfying performance, they'll need Roby -- and any other CB fighting through injury -- to step up.Texans LT vs. Patriots' pa s rushNew England gets after the QB a number of different ways, but Tunsil is in charge of Watson's Darrell Henderson Jr. Jersey blind side, so he's got the biggest responsibility by default. Watson, of course, is more than capable of maneuvering out of harm's way on his own, but we've seen before that pre sure can throw him into a big funk, in large part because he's got no help in the trenches. Are Houston's O-line woes actually back? It's up to Tunsil to ensure they aren't.How to watchDate:Sunday, Dec. 1|Time:8:20 p.m. ETLocation:NRG Stadium (Houston, Texas)TV:NBC|Stream: (Try for free)Follow: PredictionThe Patriots aren't going to get a cakewalk in Houston, where Deshaun Watson alone should keep things interesting. But is anyone actually prepared to bet on Bill O'Brien over Bill Belichick? New England's defense is strong enough to keep the score relatively low, and Houston's secondary is still banged up enough for Tom Brady to finally build some momentum. Ernest Jones Jersey It'll probably stay close for much of the evening, but this one should be the Patriots' to lose.Pick: Patriots 27, Texans 22
The are clear front-runners in the AFC East, and their 10-1 record is rivaled by only one other team in the league, but that doesn't mean they're taking this week's opponent, the , lightly.Quarterback told Westwood One earlier this week that the Texans will be the Patriots' toughest challenge to date, and while you could argue they already endured that at the start of the month, when the handed them their first and only lo s, there's no question this week's "Sunday Night Football" Kareem Orr Jersey could come down to the wire.The Patriots defense is every bit as good as its 10-1 record, it seems. New England ranks second in the in total "D" through 12 weeks, behind only the historic , who have allowed the fewest pa sing yards per game in nearly four decades. Behind shutdown cornerback and the rest of a -caliber lineup, they've given up fewer than 15 points in all but one of their games this season, allowing just seven or fewer points four different times.Offensively, though, they don't even compare to the Texans, who rank seventh in the NFL in total yards per game thanks in part to another solid showing from quarterback and are fresh off an AFC South upset of the . Houston has had its fair share of problems in 2019, namely struggling to stop the pa s with a battered and bruised secondary. But at home, against a Patriots offense that Brady himself has declared his chief source of frustration, Bill O'Brien should at least have a chance to upset his old bo s in Bill Los Angeles Rams Sleepwear Underwear Belichick. A win for the Patriots on Sunday night, when the two sides will go head to head, would simply add to New England's lead in the East. A win for the Texans, however, would arguably be even more important for Houston in a tight divisional race.Key matchupsTexans WR vs. Patriots CB Stephon GilmoreThis might be the matchup of the weekend. Hopkins is one of the NFL's best route-runners and po se sion receivers Sony Michel Jersey , while Gilmore is in the midst of maybe his best season as a pro. Watson and the Texans are, unsurprisingly, at their best when Hopkins is getting fed, so you know Belichick and Co. are going to do everything in their power -- even if it means giving Gilmore extra help -- to take him out of the game. This will be one to watch from start to finish. Texans CB vs. Patriots WR Edelman has been battling nagging injuries for a while, but if anyone's going to get Brady into a rhythm, it's him. Roby is dealing with some injury concerns of his own, but if he's active, he'll likely be tasked with sliding into the slot to keep track of No. 11. One of the Texans' biggest i sues of 2019 has been stopping the pa s, so unle s they want to be the team to help Brady and Co. finally put forth a satisfying performance, they'll need Roby -- and any other CB fighting through injury -- to step up.Texans LT vs. Patriots' pa s rushNew England gets after the QB a number of different ways, but Tunsil is in charge of Watson's Darrell Henderson Jr. Jersey blind side, so he's got the biggest responsibility by default. Watson, of course, is more than capable of maneuvering out of harm's way on his own, but we've seen before that pre sure can throw him into a big funk, in large part because he's got no help in the trenches. Are Houston's O-line woes actually back? It's up to Tunsil to ensure they aren't.How to watchDate:Sunday, Dec. 1|Time:8:20 p.m. ETLocation:NRG Stadium (Houston, Texas)TV:NBC|Stream: (Try for free)Follow: PredictionThe Patriots aren't going to get a cakewalk in Houston, where Deshaun Watson alone should keep things interesting. But is anyone actually prepared to bet on Bill O'Brien over Bill Belichick? New England's defense is strong enough to keep the score relatively low, and Houston's secondary is still banged up enough for Tom Brady to finally build some momentum. Ernest Jones Jersey It'll probably stay close for much of the evening, but this one should be the Patriots' to lose.Pick: Patriots 27, Texans 22
