Texans vs. Panthers: A conversation with Old North Banter
The Houston Texans are wanting to win their third straight game, but to do so they must defeat the Carolina Panthers in Week 4.
The Houston Texans are facing the Carolina Panthers at NRG Stadium on Sunday and they are wanting to gain their third win of the 2019 season. A victory over Carolina would improve the Texans to 3-1 overall, which compared to this same point a season ago is the complete opposite record as Houston was 1-3 after four games in 2018.
The Panthers are coming off their first win of the year, and did so with a backup quarterback making his first start of the year. Kyle Allen had an impressive game against the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday with four touchdown passes and no interceptions.
Houston needs to continue to gain momentum as the season moves along. They haven’t played their best football they are capable of playing this season, plus a win would keep them at the top of the AFC South standings.
All of that said, what are the Panthers thinking? Next are the thoughts of Old North Banter site expert Joseph Ochoa about the upcoming game, as he gives view points from the Panthers side things before kickoff.
Q: What are your general thoughts on the Houston Texans after three games this season?
A: The Texans seem like a solid offensive unit behind Deshaun Watson, but the offensive line is still an issue for that team. It could put Watson in the same issues that Cam Newton has had in recent years. The Texans have the best chance I think of winning the AFC South with Andrew Luck gone, but with Bill O’Brien as head coach, nothing is ever a sure thing.
Q: Which player on the Texans do you believe could give the Panthers the most trouble on Sunday and why?
A: I’d say it is a tie between J.J. Watt and DeAndre Hopkins. While the offensive line in Carolina is better than it has been in recent years it still has some issues. With the shift of Daryl Williams to the right side of the line with Trai Turner out, it could be a problem.
As for Hopkins, the Panthers played the Los Angeles Rams receivers well, but still allowed some big plays in the secondary against both Tampa Bay and Arizona. Hopkins is going to get thrown to as much as possible in this game, and we are going to see if James Bradberry and/or Donte Jackson can handle the task.
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Q: How has the play of Kyle Allen impressed you the most and did you expect him to be where he is that when he took over for Cam Newton?
A: I have been very impressed with how Allen performed this past Sunday, While I think he can keep the team afloat while Newton is out, I think I’m a little more bullish on him as opposed to some of my counterparts. Arizona’s defense isn’t the best and Greg Olsen took advantage of the team that is the worst at defending tight ends this season. He’s the best backup Newton has had in his career, and finally someone the team can rely on during the season for Newton to take all the time he needs to heal.
Q: If you were the coach of the Panthers, how would you attack the Houston offense to cause Deshaun Watson to not get into the groove so to speak?
A: Pressure, pressure, pressure! As I mentioned earlier, I think the Texans offensive line is the biggest weak spot on the team. If the Panthers can get Brian Burns and Bruce Irvin (who plans on making his season debut this weekend) going it could spell disaster for the Texans.
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Q: Game Prediction?
A: My prediction is that this will be a defensive struggle for the team with a lot of sacks, but Watson is going to make one more play than Allen. The Texans are going to come away with the win, and I’d probably say by the score of 13-10.