The Texans must win in Indy, or their season is dead.
Dec 7, 2014; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) during pre-game warmup before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Richard Dole-USA TODAY Sports
Your Houston Texans face a season defining game. Win it, and their chance for a spot in the playoffs gets a huge lift. Fail and with it the efforts of the season die. What better place then Lucas Oil Stadium? The one place the Texans most need a win now, is the one place they have never tasted victory. Bill O’Brien was asked about how important this game was, how much he understood the importance and history of the Texans failure in that building. The Texans must win in Indy, or their season is dead.
"“We’re well aware that we have not won there. We’re aware of that. I think you guys know that from yesterday after the game, but at the same time this is a totally different team than any of those teams in the past. This is the 2014 version of the Texans and that’s the 2014 version of the Indianapolis Colts. They’re a very, very good team. They have a great quarterback, great coaching staff. It’s a big challenge for us. Our guys know that they’re going to have to put a lot into this week in order to go up there and meet that challenge, but our guys are excited about it. They’re very excited about it. We’ll get it going on like I said, on Wednesday.”"
Ryan Fitzpatrick was hand picked by Bill O’Brien to take this team from a 2-14 season to the play offs. He’s stumbled, been benched but now faces probably the biggest game of his 10 year career. He has all the offensive weapons ready to go. Andre Johnson is the only current question mark, but his return from concussion protocols appear to be on track. Arian Foster is fairly healthy, and after a pretty sweet game last week his services will be most needed.
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The onus though, will be on the defense. Keeping Andrew Luck from racking up the points like a pinball machine gone haywire. He’s a special kind of talent, with heart and athletic ability that is amazing to watch. The threat from Luck is not the Texans defense so much as it is his offensive linemen. Luck has been sacked 10 times in his last 4 games. J.J. Watt, master of quarterback hits and sacks is going to be the focus of the Indy offense. However Romeo Crennel has gotten pretty good about finding ways to get other players like Brian Cushing to take advantage of these situations.
If Houston can refrain from 10 yard cushion coverage of the Colts receivers like they tried to do against the Bengals and delay Luck for just a few seconds there is a high probability that the Texans front 7 will have a big game against the Colts. The game plan for Houston is to see where the holes in the offense open when the Colts try to stop Watt and take full advantage. The Colts line is battered and bruised. The Texans line is rearing to prove they are better then 7-6, that they can indeed travel to Indianapolis and take down the Colts on the road.
It’s a tall order, asking the impossible of a team that has struggled to even convert on third down. To ask a man whose career is a long “almost good enough” to rise to the occasion. They have the leadership in Johnson, Watt, Cushing and yes Fitzpatrick to pull out a win. It’s going to take a little, hehe luck and a lot of hard work for the Texans to keep their dream alive one more week.
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