The Houston Texans had some excellent performances in Week 1, but which players stock improved the most entering Week 2?
When the Houston Texans defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars this past Sunday, they proved to many they were not the worst football team entering the season, and they were not going to finish the season winless.
The Texans played well with a new head coach, new defensive coordinator, a new starting quarterback, and a defense that is new to the team that calls NRG Stadium home. There were players who in the Texans debut showed they are better players than they are given credit for, and players who have been on the team in past seasons showcased their skills at a high level, too.
Moving forward the games will be tougher for the Houston Texans as their schedule isn’t easy, but for at least one week the Texans sit in first place in the AFC South, and they are one of 16 teams in the league that can say they are 1-0 overall.
Getting the big win gives the franchise momentum entering their Week 2 game against the Cleveland Browns, and it will be needed because the Browns are one of the best teams in the AFC. Cleveland made the playoffs last season, and though they started the ’21 season with a 33-29 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Browns aren’t a team to sleep on.
Now for which players for the Houston Texans improved their stock in Week 1 going into this game, let’s start with the special teams.
Houston Texans: The kicker was a big part of the scoring for the season opener
4. Joey Slye, Kicker
When the Houston Texans had to make Joey Slye their starting kicker for the first few games for this season when Ka’imi Fairbairn went down with the leg injury and is scheduled to miss the next few games, it was an unsure feeling had with the new kicker Slye.
All of those worries went away after Week 1, or at least for that first game, depending on how optimistic one feels. In the win over Jacksonville, Slye – who is in his third NFL season – was 4-for-4 in extra point attempts and 3-for-3 in field goal tries from distances of 40 yards, 26 yards and 25 yards.
It was an excellent day for the new Houston Texans kicker as he helped the special teams excel, and while doing so was responsible for 13 of the 37 points scored by the Texans last Sunday.
3. Mark Ingram, Running Back
How many people guessed Mark Ingram was going to be the leading rusher in yards gained by the Houston Texans in Week 1? How many believed he would carry the load with 26 rushes in the season opener with others like David Johnson and Phillip Lindsay on the roster?
However it is looked at, even though Ingram had 3.3 yards per carry against the Jaguars. he was still the leading rusher in the game, finishing with 85 yards. Ingram’s longest run was 11 yards, and he also scored one rushing touchdown on a 1-yard run, the first Houston Texans touchdown of the season.
Going into the season opener, one would have figured Johnson would be the workhorse back for the Texans, but it was the long-time veteran Ingram who showed the football world he’s still able to carry the load for a team.
Ingram’s stock improved big-time in this game, and it was impressive how he was able to handle so many carries, and for at least one week, his stock improved with his toughness and tenacity in the running game for Week 1.
Next is a tougher defensive line when facing the Browns, so with Ingram facing a former division foe (he played with the Ravens for a couple seasons), Ingram will have a little tougher battle in front of him this Sunday.
2. Christian Kirksey, Linebacker
One of the linebackers of the Houston Texans, Christian Kirksey, not only had a solid game in his Texans debut, but he also was recognized nationally by being on the PFF Week 1 Team of the Week.
Kirksey on the stat sheet for the Houston Texans finished with six total tackles (five solo), which included two tackles for loss, and he also collected two passes defensed. He also had one of the three Houston Texans interceptions, making the linebacker one of the most important players on the field Sunday. PFF also graded the play of Kirksey at 82.9 (out of 100), so at least for one weekend, Kirksey was one of the very best players on the field.
It will be fun to see Kirksey during Week 2 in Cleveland, as they are the team who originally drafted him in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft with the 71st overall pick. Kirksey played his first six seasons with the Browns (2014-19), then went to the Packers last season 11 games he played in.
The complete effort by Kirksey really improved his stock entering this Sunday. Now the hard part is having an encore against a much better team – on the road – than facing the Jacksonville Jaguars in the friendly confines of NRG Stadium in Houston.
1. Tyrod Taylor, Quarterback
It was no easy task for Tyrod Taylor to take over as the Houston Texans starting quarterback, as he had to take over the spot left empty by Deshaun Watson, the passing leader of the NFL in ’20. It was great to see him play well, and for that alone, his stock improved greatly after Week 1.
Taylor didn’t throw any interceptions, and in his first start since the season opener last season (with the Los Angeles Chargers) the Texans quarterback was 21-of-33 for 291 yards with two touchdown passes going to David Johnson and Danny Amendola. Taylor also rushed for 40 yards on four carries.
The Texans have seen what Taylor can do and hopefully realize how important signing him was this past offseason. Taylor has a chance to rejuvenate his career in Houston this season, and Week 1 definitely improved his stock for Week 2 against the Browns.
Again, like with Christian Kirksey, Taylor is a former player for Cleveland, spending the 2018 season with that franchise. Though he only made three starts in four games with the Browns, players most likely want to have great games against their former teams.
Taylor does have a tough task ahead, but the optimism is high for Taylor entering Week 2 due to his play in Week 1.