"Considering his size alone, Brown not being in the lineup is good news for New England. And then, of course, is the bad news for QB CJ Stroud, who will be working with a backup right tackle in the biggest game of his career. The Patriots will need to take advantage of the opportunity they are being given with Brown sidelined, especially since they will have their full defensive starters playing in this game for the first time since November 13."
"They are at their healthiest right now, which is not something many teams are fortunate enough to have at this point in the season, and that can become a momentum shifter in the Patriots' favor. It's a big blow to Stroud's offensive line, which has already struggled quite a bit this year, as we saw last week against the Steelers with the multiple fumbles."
New England will host Houston in the AFC divisional round with a win setting up a meeting at Denver against the Broncos, while the Rams-Bears winner will travel to Seattle for the other conference game. The Texans listed tackle Trent Brown inactive, removing a starting blocker and forcing QB CJ Stroud to work with a backup right tackle in a pivotal career game. The Patriots enter the matchup with their full defensive starters active for the first time since November 13 and with improved health after defeating the Chargers. New England's defense can capitalize on Brown's absence against an already-struggling Houston offensive line.
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