Texans Daily

Dave Portnoy, JJ Watt Recall Infamous Texans-Patriots Rivalry Moment

The Houston Texans and New England Patriots will renew their rivalry in the Divisional Round.
Jeremy Brener|
Dec 20, 2020; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) during warmups before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Dec 20, 2020; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) during warmups before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

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Houston Texans

The Houston Texans are getting ready to face off against the New England Patriots in the divisional round of the playoffs with a chance to qualify for the AFC Championship for the first time in franchise history.

The Texans and Patriots have a bit of history over the years, and one memory stood out to famous Patriots fan and Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy. On social media, Portnoy posted a picture of Texans legend J.J. Watt in a letterman jacket that the team all wore to Foxboro back in 2012 when the team was one of the best in the league.

Houston lost the game 42-14, giving the 11-1 Texans their second loss of the season. The Texans eventually went on to the divisional round that season, where they lost to the Patriots. Now, the rivalry is renewed after Portnoy asked Watt whether or not that game will have any impact on the upcoming matchup.

"I really respect and admire your analyst skills," Portnoy tweeted. "So I’m curious do you think the infamous Letterman jacket game when you guys rolled into Foxboro wearing Varsity jackets only to get murdered by the Pats will have any impact on the game Sunday?"

Watt had a swift, but strong response.

"I do not. It was a bad loss 13 years ago. Those who have been in the arena know, sometimes it doesn’t go your way and you live with that," Watt responded.

"My most recent memory in that stadium is much more positive. When I walked in for the Bills-Patriots game in December, the lovely older woman working the beer stand on the 1st level concourse just outside the press box gave me a Christmas gift with a very kind note. That was a first, quite unexpected and a delightful gesture."

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Watt Recalls Past Patriots Loss Ahead of Divisional Round

The Texans have lost twice to the Patriots at Gillette Stadium in the Divisional Round. The first instance came in the above game and the second matchup occurred four years later when the team was led by quarterback Brock Osweiler for one season.

However, the third time could be the charm for the Texans, who come into Foxboro with the league's best defense that has something to prove against Drake Maye and the Patriots. A win would officially make this year's Texans team the most successful in franchise history.

Kickoff between the Texans and Patriots is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT on Sunday inside Gillette Stadium. Fans can watch the game on ESPN or ABC.

Be sure to bookmark Houston Texans On SI and follow @TexansOnSI on X for daily Houston Texans news, interviews, breakdowns and more!

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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