Trap game? Let down? Perhaps. After 30 minutes of football at Reliant Stadium, the New England Patriots trail the Houston Texans 17-7.
It's been a downright terrible start for the Patriots. Defensively, they've been at perhaps their worst of the season. The front four has created little rush, the secondary has had multiple breakdowns in zone, and the tackling has been woeful. The Texans have put up 17 points, but even that number does not reflect how bad the Patriots have been on that side of the football.
On offense, things haven't been much better. The offensive line has been shaky and has allowed quarterback Tom Brady to take way too many hits. The running game hasn't been a spark either - Brandon Bolden just hasn't looked very good at all.
The Patriots will get the ball to start the second half, and will have a chance to turn this around. The team was caught sleeping to begin this game, and will need a dramatic turnaround for the second straight week to secure a victory.