Why TV Analyst Guaranteed Patriots Playoff Win Over Texans
Plenty of pundits are perplexed by Sunday’s AFC Divisional Round game between the New England Patriots and Houston Texans. One had no trouble picking a Patriots victory.
Kevin Wildes, a vocal Patriots fan, promised a New England win Friday on FS1’s “First Things First.”
“I’m willing to guarantee a Patriots victory,” Wildes declared.
Drake Maye will oppose a buzzsaw defense that dominated Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 30-6 Wild Card Round triumph. DeMeco Ryans’ fiercesome unit didn’t deter Wildes, who still trusts New England’s No. 3 offense.
“I was a little bit nervous about the Texans’ defense,” Wildes said. “They are a great defense, and I don’t just want to be a Patriots fan. And then I realized, aren’t we a great offense? Don’t we have the MVP, potentially, at quarterback? Shouldn’t they be the ones worried about us?”
On the other hand, Wildes remains skeptical that the Texans can pull off a road upset after consecutive AFC Divisional Round eliminations.
“Isn’t it going to be cold in New England? Aren’t we favored? The Houston Texans have never gotten out of this round,” Wildes said. “They beat up on an overmatched quarterback … and then they get to the next round, (Patrick) Mahomes and Lamar (Jackson), and then they lose. And that is what probably will happen in New England.”
Nick Wright playfully questioned his colleague’s use of “probably” after issuing a guarantee, leading Wildes to revisit his bold declaration.
“I apologize for a measured response,” Wildes responded. “I meant guaranteed.”
Wildes pointed out that this isn’t the first time the Patriots will face a top-ranked defense. The Cleveland Browns allowed the league’s fewest yards before New England tallied 422 during a 32-13 win in Week 8.
FS1 also showed a graphic noting that Maye leads the NFL in passing yards per game (287.6) and yards per attempt (9.4) in five matchups against top-10 defenses this season, including New England’s first-round playoff win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Wildes recalled feeling “terrified” of the Texans following their Week 12 win over the Buffalo Bills, but he’s less scared after they ruled out star wide receiver Nico Collins with a concussion. Meanwhile, Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez is cleared to play this Sunday.