THE NEW ENGLAND Patriots cruised to a 27-0 victory over the Houston Texans in the NFL on Thursday night as they continued their winning ways without Tom Brady.
Rookie quarterback Jacoby Brissett, making his first NFL start, outplayed Houston’s Brock Osweiler.
Brissett finished 11 of 19 for just 103 passing yards but added another 48 yards, and a touchdown, on the ground while Osweiler was 24 of 41 for 196 yards and an interception.
The Texans were held to just 284 yards of total offense.
The victory for Patriots coach Bill Belichick was the 226th of his career, tying him with former Green Bay Packers coach Curly Lambeau for fourth place on the all-time wins list.
With the victory, the Patriots improved to 3-0, while the Texans are now 2-1.
Brissett’s first-quarter run to give New England a 10-0 lead set the tone. It was the longest run by a Patriots quarterback since Steve Grogan had a 41-yard rushing score against the New York Jets in 1976.
Patriots tackle Nate Solder manhandled Texans pass rushers Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilus for much of the night while the other Patriots linemen kept three-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt quiet the entire game.
“We came in with a game plan and stuck to that game plan,” Blount told NFL Network.
He came in and ran the ball well, threw the ball well and put us in a good position to win the game.”
Between the early success of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, Philadelphia’s Carson Wentz and now Brissett, this is becoming the season of the rookie quarterback.
First season quarterbacks are now 4-1 on the year and maybe that is a good omen for the Cleveland Browns, who will send rookie Cody Kessler out on Sunday for his first NFL start?
