Top 3 Players that will Impact the Houston Texans vs New England Patriots Divisional Playoff Matchup

The Houston Texans are traveling to Foxborough, Massachusetts, to face a Patriots team that has come back into the limelight thanks to Sophomore sensation quarterback Drake Maye. Spoiler Alert: Drake Maye is likely the player who impacts this game the most with his performance against this stout Texans defense. This article is going to break down the top 3 players that will have the most impact on this game on Sunday afternoon, so let’s start the festivities with Maye. 

#1. Drake Maye

Maye is by far the player who is going to impact this game the most because the most intriguing matchup of this game is the New England offense vs. that Houston defense, which is coming off scoring three defensive touchdowns on Monday night against the Steelers. This game is going to come down to taking care of the football, and I think Maye is going to have to navigate this defense as he did against the Chargers last Sunday Night. 

Also, another undervalued element of this game is going to be the use of Drake Maye’s legs out of the pocket in scramble drills. The mobility of the QB is a way to sustain drives against this aggressive defense, led by my next pick on this list.

#2. Will Anderson Jr. 

The Texans Pass Rush has to get to Maye in this one, as they did against Rodgers last week, and they have done most of the season, to not only get sacks, but force turnovers. I think Anderson Jr. is going to wreck the game enough to keep the Texans alive, and the pressure will give guys like Kamari Lassiter and Derek Stingley Jr. opportunities to make plays on the football that will help the offense gain field position. I expect Anderson to be the dominant force in this game that he always is, especially on third-down pass situations, as the Patriots’ offensive line is gettable in pass protection. 

#3. Milton Williams

The only Patriots star player who has significant playoff experience, other than Stefon Diggs, is Milton Williams. Williams is known to have strong playoff performances. Just look at Super Bowl LIX for proof. Williams was a huge get for the Patriots in the offseason from the defending Super Bowl Champion Eagles. 

I’ll ask this question: What is the main weakness of the Houston Texans’ offense right at this very moment? If you answered the interior offensive line, you would be correct. This is a matchup for Milton Williams to feast if there was one, this one, especially after getting the game-sealing sack on Justin Herbert in the Wild Card game last week. As an Eagles fan, I know what Williams is capable of, and he’s is for sure going to make some more plays this week. 

How We Chose These

This list was easy to make because the game is going to be won or lost based on how the Houston defense is going to control the game in the case of Will Anderson Jr. Drake Maye is going to have to navigate the defense maticulously. Meanwhile with the Houston Texans offense being depleted, especially with the weakness of the interior line at play always, Milton Williams is an obvious answer based on his playoff performances as of late. 

Conclusion

These three players are the three guys that will be the control of this fun game on Sunday. Maye is going to be the most important player by far on that field on Sunday afternoon if the Patriots want to return to the AFC championship game for the first time in a long time. Watch for both Anderson Jr. and Williams both make impact plays on each defense.