When New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick hands out the game plan for Sunday’s encounter with the Houston Texans, he might include a chapter on history.
And, it will be a chapter filled with despair, disappointment and lost glory.
Two years ago, the Patriots played the Jets in the regular season and wasted them 45-3. So, when they met in the playoffs it seemed natural to assume that New England would win with ease. Instead the swaggering Jets sacked Tom Brady five times and beat the Patriots 28-21.
Sunday, the Patriots are hoping history does not repeat itself as they meet the Texans, a team they humiliated 42-14 in the regular season.
“I think there’s certainly a lesson. The game that we play now doesn’t have much to do with the game we played before,” Belichick said. “We’ve talked about that many, many times here, before and after the 2010 season.”
Brady said Monday he expects the team will be reminded a lot by Belichick about that game. “Th
