On the beat: 5 questions with Houston columnist Jerome Solomon

In what will be a weekly feature here at BSJ, we check in with a writer for the other team that knows their stuff and we throw five questions at them to get a better feel for the opponent. For the Texans, we spoke with old friend Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle who previously did a great job covering the Patriots for The Boston Globe. Check him out on Twitter here, and make sure you bookmark his page, Bring It To Jerome.

1. Does DeShaun Watson have what it takes to be just the sixth rookie quarterback in his first year to beat Bill Belichick since 2001?

Solomon: The kid is cool under pressure, has a good arm and is athletic enough to be a threat when the protection breaks down … and it will. Watson has played in national championship games, so no game is too big for him. His coaches have always said he is as smart as they come and he learns quickly, which is why he started (and played well) as a freshman in high school and college, and is now a starter as an NFL rookie. Bill O’Brien says he moves past mistakes in short order; improving in practice, within practices and even during games. So the guy the Patriots saw in the summer joint practices isn’t the one they will see Sunday. It isn’t likely that he will be the reason the Texans lose. And they probably can’t win without him being solid.

2. Who is one Texans player Patriots’ fans might not know about now but will by the end of the game on Sunday?

Solomon: Up-and-coming third-year linebacker Bernardrick McKinney earned enough votes to be second-team All-Pro, but wasn’t even a Pro Bowl selections last year. He is huge (6-foot-4, 260 pounds) and athletic enough to be a disruptive force on the inside, but brings speed to chase down runners in the open field and rush the passer. He is the Texans’ top tackler, and was the only player in the NFL to register 100 tackles and five sacks last season. Eyes are always on J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney, but McKinney makes more plays.


3. What’s the biggest weakness on the Houston offense you expect the Patriots to try to exploit?

Solomon: The obvious answer is the Texans’ offensive line, which is a little worse than bad. But on the occasions the line isn’t terrible, the biggest weakness is the receiving corps. Except the definition of a corps is “a body of people engaged in a particular activity,” and when it comes to receiving, the only Texan engaged in said activity is DeAndre Hopkins. There are several reasons for that, but mainly the Texans wideouts can’t get open. Hopkins has been targeted 29 times. The next highest on the wide receiver list is Braxton Miller at four. With no major outside threat opposite him, Hopkins will be a clear target for the Patriots’ defense. Take him away and there is nothing left,

4. What’s the biggest weakness on the Houston defense you expect the Patriots to try to exploit?

Solomon: The Texans’ secondary is shaky at safety and injured at corner, with Kevin Johnson out and Johnathan Joseph hoping to play despite a shoulder injury. Against weaker teams, the front seven masks issues in the secondary. When teams get time to go deep, big plays can be had.

5. The Texans win Sunday if…


Solomon: They establish a solid running game and Watson doesn’t turn the ball over, which he didn’t do in his first start, though the Bengals dropped a couple would-be picks. Running back Lamar Miller is dependable and good in the passing game, so they will go to him early and often, but rookie D’Onta Foreman is a big back with breakaway speed, who the Texans would like to use more on first and second downs. He will get plenty of work if the Texans can get any movement up front. If they move the ball on the ground, and keep out of third-and-long situations, they can keep Watson from running for his life behind a line that struggles mightily in pass protection. That would also shorten the game and maybe allow them to score enough points to pull off an upset. Even then, they would need their defense to pull a repeat of last year’s playoff contest, when they forced three turnovers, and play well on special teams (which they haven’t done since a Bush was President) to even have a chance.

Jerome's pick