5 Things Learned About the Houston Texans Since Beating the Pittsburgh Steelers
By Joe Owens
The secondary minus Kareem Jackson.
The defensive secondary seemed to perform better with Kareem Jackson being inactive. That of course is by opinion based on observation only. Mike Wallace had six straight 100 yard games dating back to December of last year and on the verge of tying the NFL record for consecutive 100 yard games. The Houston Texans defense surrendered only 77 yards on four catches to Wallace and the defense managed to keep the young wide out from getting into the end zone last Sunday. The third year wide receiver predicted that he would have a 2000 yard season during this past NFL offseason. The Texans defense did an outstanding job of doing their part to keep that dream exactly that.
The Houston’s secondary preformed admirable against such a young talent as Mike Wallace. However, as much of the credit that is given to the secondary just as much needs to be given to the men up front who managed to put the pressure on Ben Roethlisberger forcing the Steelers quarterback into hurried passes throughout the afternoon.
Andre “The Giant” Johnson is out for at least three weeks.
The Texans lost pro bowl wide receiver for a minimum of the next three weeks. Whether it was a platelet-rich plasma procedure that Johnson had preformed on his hamstring or an actual surgical procedure, debating either really is a waste of time at this point. Either way it went the Houston Texans pro bowl receiver will be out of the game day line-up for at least the next three weeks.
The Houston Texans wide receiving core, other than Andre Johnson, rank in the bottom half of the league in receptions as a group it’s no wonder the Houston Texans are looking ahead at the 2012 wide receiver draft class.
Arian Foster is back at full strength with both mind and body.
After Foster’s 155 rushing return performance, without a hitch we might add, served notice to the Steelers and the rest of the NFL that the team’s work horse is back. Foster and his third lung will be counted on as the work horse in the upcoming weeks while Andre Johnson recovers from the hamstring ailment that benched mid second quarter against Pittsburgh. The Texans are now 26-3 under Gary Kubiak when rushing 30+ times a game. If the Texans get any where near 30 carries or over then odds are heavily in the favor of Houston to win against the Oakland Raiders this Sunday.
The Texans can play a grueling grind-it-out type game.
Against the Steelers last Sunday the Texans beat the Steelers at their own game. The Texans pounded the ball into the heart of the steel curtain defense a total of 33 times for a total of 179 yards. The Steelers offense found themselves throwing the ball 56% of the time which may not be above their season average but definitely above the lifetime average of typical Steelers football.
The Texans had a red zone efficiency of 50% during Sunday’s game against the Steelers which tied the team’s highest efficiency output through four games this season. After last Sunday’s game Houston currently owns a 35% red zone efficiency on the season.
The offensive line and Arian Foster’s return helped improve the teams overall performance once inside the twenty yard line and helped the Texans to play smash mouth football and beat Pittsburgh at what was once the Steelers own game.
Duane Brown and the offensive line. Speaking of the offensive line, boy are this men really maturing at each one’s respected position. These big boys up front are making there presence felt on both sides of the ball. If you don’t believe us just ask James Harrison who had his orbital bone broken by Duane Brown midway through the 2nd quarter of last Sunday’s match-up. These gridiron gargantuas have only yielded six sacks through four games and much credit can be giving to the o-line for it’s tough and sustaining play.
As far others along the offensive line for the Texans the boys at Pro Football Focus describe the man anchoring the middle Chris Myers who started week 1 with a bang and has sustained a high level of performance throughout so far. And whether Myers was blocking Casey Hampton, one of the Steelers’ defensive ends, or working to the second level on their linebackers, Myers was in control the whole game.
The Houston Texans really showed the fans something in their win over Pittsburgh along with making a statement to the NFL. Next up to feel the statement first hand? The Oakland Raiders.
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