Houston Texans: 3 Takeaways From Week 1 Preseason
By Mitch Hill
3. Ka’imi Fairbairn may be the most valuable Houston Texans player on the roster
Going into his fifth season as the Houston Texans kicker, Ka’imi Fairbairn most likely looks at the preseason as an opportunity to dust the rust off and find consistency in his kicking game. Since 2018, Fairbairn has been perfect from 39 yards and closer with his field-goal attempts. Saturday’s preseason Week 1 matchup against the Green Bay Packers was no exception.
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The 27-year-old placekicker, went 4/4 in field goals, and 2/2 in his extra-point attempts in the game. He made a 37 yard FG in the 1st, a 25 yd FG in the 2nd, a 41 yarder in the 3rd, and a 42-yard field goal in the 4th quarter.
What may have looked like another day in the office for Fairbairn, his consistent field goal makes were actually a huge difference in the outcome of the game.
There is a huge difference between a possession that ends in a zero or three points in an NFL game. The biggest impact the field goals made in the matchup was in the 3rd quarter when the Texans went up 16-7. If that field goal is missed, it is still a one-possession game and therefore the potential for a loss is greatly increased.
Final takeaways from the Houston Texans win over Green Bay
Yes, this is a preseason game, and yes these games ultimately do not matter for records. If the game was during the regular season, the impact the five-year veteran made on the field would be greatly magnified.
Do not overlook the impact that Ka’imi Fairbairn will have for the Texans this season. If he can stay consistent on the field he may very well be directly responsible for helping Houston win some ball games this season.