Now I know what you’re thinking — there is absolutely no way the Texans can pull off what would be the biggest upset we’ve seen in recent years. The Houston Texans boast the #1 defense in the league and we all know defense can win you important games; just ask the Denver Broncos, whose defense earned them a Super Bowl victory just last year. The Broncos proved that a great defense beats a great offense by shutting down the Patriots’ offense last year in the AFC Championship. They were even able to win 12 games in the regular season with Peyton Manning having the worst season of his career, with a 9 to 17 touchdown/interception ratio and a 67.9 QBR (quarterback rating). Not to mention, Manning missed half the season and the Broncos were still able to win with Brock Osweiler (aka Houston’s kryptonite) at QB.

The Texans offense has improved recently, so seeing them win against the Patriots isn’t that much of a stretch. That being said, they still face a difficult task as they travel to Foxborough to face the heavily favored Patriots. The Texans are coming off a win, which gives them some confidence. On the defensive side of the ball Jadaveon Clowney had one of the best games of his career. If the Texans’ defense can hold off the Patriots’ high-powered offense and put pressure on Brady, they might just be able to pull off an upset.

Brock Osweiler is coming off a game where he didn’t look terrible — well, he didn’t turn the ball over so that’s a win. If he can come out and step up and play like a $70 million QB, we will definitely have a great game on our hands. There is still little room for error because we know what the Patriots are capable of if you make any mistakes. Let’s also not forget that this is football — anything can happen. Perhaps a miracle like Super Bowl III could occur, where the New York Jets pulled off a victory against the heavily favored Colts. This was a year where Joe Namath had 15 touchdowns 17 interceptions with a QBR of 72.1 — identical to Brock Osweiler, who also had 15 touchdowns and 17 interceptions and a rating of 72.2 in 2016.

A victory at Gillette Stadium would be huge for Houston’s confidence, and the franchise as a whole. If they can beat the Patriots, especially in New England, they can beat anyone.