Houston Texans: Five thoughts following first win
By Randy Gurzi
Sep 27, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans kicker Randy Bullock (4) looks up after missing a field goal attempt during the second quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
4. It’s beyond time to cut kicker Randy Bullock. For a team willing to give up on a second and third round pick so quickly (safety D.J. Swearinger after two years, defensive tackle Louis Nix after one) they sure are patient with the erratic kicker.
Bullock became the first player to miss an extra point with the new rules this season. He missed another extra point and a field goal attempt Sunday as well.
Sure, he may be 5 of 6 kicking this season, but he is also 3 of 5 for extra point attempts. The wild kicks are nothing new as Bullock’s good 2014 season was actually the anomaly. In 2013 he missed nine kicks, including one game where he whiffed on three tries.
There are so many good kickers out there that the NFL changed the rules to make extra points harder. There is no reason to stick with a guy who has proven time and time again to be unreliable.
5. Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is for real. While his yards per reception are down from 15 yards per catch to 11 this season, he has started out as a very reliable receiver that keeps finding the end zone for the Texans.
After nine receptions and two scores in Week 1 (and he added a 2-point conversion) he hauled in eight receptions for 101 yards and another touchdown against Tampa. He had a so-so performance sandwiched in-between against the stellar Panthers defense, but overall has been great thus far.
Hopkins already has as many touchdown catches this season as the man Houston let go this offseason to everyones chagrin, Andre Johnson. Hopkins is also already halfway to his own touchdown total from last season only three weeks in.
When Foster returns and takes some of the safety help away, look for Hopkins to become even more of a threat for this Texans offense.