We are finally here at the beginning of the New England Patriots season — well, the preseason. They take on Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium, as Bailey Zappe appears ready to lead the team through another preseason. He completed 45 passes for 462 yards and a touchdown in his three preseason games in 2022. Zappe will go up against C.J. Stroud, the second pick in the 2023 draft.
New England Patriots vs. Houston Texans Pregame Analysis
The Patriots’ offseason has been all about finding ways to improve the offense, but other than the addition of pass catchers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mike Gesicki, it does not appear there will be any more significant changes. Star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is a Titan while Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott are still not rostered by an NFL team. However, it does not look likely that Rhamondre Stevenson will get a running mate, even with Damien Harris up north with the Buffalo Bills.
The attention has remained on the quarterback issues in New England since the departure of Tom Brady. Cam Newton started 15 games for the Patriots in 2020 and Mac Jones started 17 games in 2021. Then in 2022, Jones started 14 games, Zappe played in four, and Brian Hoyer — who is now in Las Vegas — started one contest.
Update: #Patriots coach Bill Belichick was asked if there's an open competition for the Pats starting QB job between Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe.
Belichick left the door open by not shutting it down: "Everybody’s out here competing. All 90 guys. That’s what we’re all here for, to… pic.twitter.com/x2REsUGUjs
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 1, 2023
Who will win the starting job for the Patriots for Week 1 of the regular season? It could be a coin toss by the end of the preseason, but Jones has to have the advantage at the current moment. He actually has had success with a Patriots squad. Although it ended in a 47-17 loss to the Bills in the Wild Card Round, Jones has a better track record than Zappe.
On the other sideline, let us take a look at the man under center for Houston. C.J. Stroud had a stellar college career, but he did not win a national title at Ohio State. The Buckeye from Rancho Cucamonga, California is now a Texan. Head coach DeMeco Ryans thinks that his rookie quarterback should be ready to take the next step. This is most likely because Stroud showed a lot of promise at Ohio State:
C.J. Stroud had a career passer rating of 139.2 in college with a clean pocket versus 83.2 without. If he can show what he did here against Georgia at the NFL level it’s wheels up. Consider following if you enjoy NFL Draft & Fantasy content. pic.twitter.com/yEIVYUoLmx
— Kyle Lindemann (@LuckIsMadeFF) August 4, 2023
All lines and odds courtesy of BetMGM.
Betting Info for New England Patriots vs. Houston Texans
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New England Patriots +140
Houston Texans -165
New England Patriots +3.5 (-110)
Houston Texans -3.5 (-110)
Total:Â
New England-Houston O/U 36.5 (-110/-110)
Picks and Predictions for the New England Patriots vs. Houston Texans
New England PatriotsÂ
There is no easy way to slice it with preseason spreads, but it is your best bet for this interesting game between what could be mediocre seasons for both squads. This Patriots team has gone the whole offseason being doubted. After New England missed out on Hopkins, the criticism increased. The Patriots are in need of a boost for their fan base that will be cheering them on for their only home preseason game of 2023. Zappe and company keep it close enough to beat the spread.
