Will the Real Houston Texans Please Stand Up?
Who Shows Up Vs. Tennessee?
In short, we know what this team is capable of on any given Sunday but injuries, inconsistency and playing down to opponents have plagued them all year. The Texans’ five losses on the year were on a last-second field goal to the New Orleans Saints, a miserable defensive battle against the Carolina Panthers, a frustrating flop vs. the Indianapolis Colts, a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens, and now a humbling beatdown by the Denver Broncos.
Houston is clearly more talented than three of those teams, yet could not seal the deal when it mattered and now realistically a division title is in jeopardy.
When the team flies to Tennessee this weekend to take on the surging Tennessee Titans, Bill O’Brien needs to recapture his aggressiveness right out of the gate. Ryan Tannehill is playing like a man possessed, going 6-1 in his last seven games and tops the league in terms of passer rating (118.5).
Derrick Henry can steamroll anyone at a moment’s notice, so stacking the box might be necessary. Stopping A.J. Brown, Corey Davis, and Adam Humphries has been a nightmare for recent teams, and the Texans defensive backs must play physical off the line.
Rather than predict an outcome or final score, I’ll just say that the game will depend on the tempo laid out in the game’s first few drives. The slow start against Denver was a recipe for disaster and the team paid the price after allowing 31 first-half points. Additionally, the status of Will Fuller will be a humongous factor as to whether or not the team can truly spread three-wide or needs to alter their game plan.
Next. Texans vs. Titans: Defense must play stronger in Week 15. dark
The winner of this game will claim the undisputed crown of the AFC South, at least until these teams match up once again in Week 17.