Houston Hook: Texans must stop sack machine Harold Landry III in Week 11

For the sake of Houston Texans quarterback Tyrod Taylor, let’s all hope Tennessee Titans linebacker Harold Landry III knows how bad the offense is this season and shows some sympathy to the veteran signal caller this Sunday in Tennessee.

OK, that’s highly doubtful because Landry has to do what is best for him and his defense, and what’s best for the Titans linebacker is for him to become close with the Texans quarterback by adding to his season sack total.

Entering the Week 11 AFC South showdown Landry has 10 sacks, with him sitting in third place thus far in 2021. The Texans offense has allowed 26 sacks this season in nine games, an average of 2.7 sacks allowed per game.

This season against AFC opponents Landry has 7.5 sacks, and in home games Landry has collected 5.5 of his sacks. In November, the sack total for Landry is 1.5. Landry in all but one game thus far this season has at least a half sack, and last Sunday against the New Orleans Saints the Titans linebacker recorded one sack.

Houston Texans: O-line had little luck stopping opposing offense in Week 9

In their most recent game in Week 9 before their bye, the Texans had issues in quarterback Tyrod Taylor’s return from injury, as the Texans’ offense allowed five sacks against the Miami Dolphins. In the three games played this season, Taylor has been sacked six times.

Seeing Taylor get sacked as much as he did against the Dolphins is worrisome because the defense of the Titans is much better than Miami, and in their past two games Houston quarterbacks have been sacked five times each, as Davis Mills in Week 8 was sacked five times against the Los Angeles Rams.

Back to the original thought for this article, the Texans must stop Landry to have any success on Sunday. It will be a tough task as the offense of the Texans has allowed 10 sacks in their past two games, and even with a week off from game play, that might not be enough time for improvement against the Titans defense, especially Landry.

There are no offensive linemen listed on the Thursday injury report for the Texans, so if the unit on the field can be healthy, and blocks are picked up by the entire offense, Landry can be stopped.

That is easier said than done, so even though the Texans know what needs to be done for success, it is unlikely to happen if things continue to play out like they have the past two games.