The depleted Houston Texans look to close out the regular season with a couple of victories, including this week against the Baltimore Ravens.
Houston, who continues to lose defensive starters to major injuries, will look to contain the ground game of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, two players that have seemed impossible to stop this season. On the offensive side of the ball, second-year quarterback CJ Stroud will be going into this matchup without another starting wide receiver as Tank Dell suffered a horrific knee injury last week.
As both sides of the ball are banged up, it will make this matchup even tougher for a Texans team that hasn’t looked the same as in 2023. So, how do the Texans come out of Week 17 with a win? Let’s dive into it.
Containing Derrick Henry
Sounds a bit too obvious, right? Well, it’s been near impossible for opposing defenses. Derrick Henry has rushed for 1,636 yards and 13 touchdowns on 278 attempts and has an average of 5.9 yards per rush.
Henry, who’s 30 years old, has shown no signs of slowing down and has been as good, if not better, than some of his years with the Tennessee Titans. The interior defensive line of the Texans, led by Tim Settle has been very good over the last three games.
Holding De’Von Achane, Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, and Travis Etienne to minimal yards. Obviously, none of them are at the level Derrick Henry is, however it’s been a very promising year from those two players, and something that Houston can build on going into this matchup.
Get the ball out quickly
The Texans' offensive line has had to undergo multiple different changes this year due to injury, and we haven’t been able to see the unit at its best. This time losing Shaq Mason to a sprained MCL, and HC Demeco Ryans considered him “week-to-week.”
Kendrick Green is the new replacement, a four-year veteran in his second season with Houston. This new-look offensive line will go up against a pass rush led by Kyle Van Noy with 10.5 sacks, and Nnamdi Madubuike with 5.5 sacks. Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik will have to find plays that get the ball out of Stroud’s hands early, and we could see tight end Dalton Schultz involved more if that proves true.
Keep Lamar Jackson in the pocket
With the Texans' secondary continuing to get thinner as the season goes on, Houston will have to get creative in stopping the opposing team's passing attacks. Lamar Jackson has had an incredible season passing the ball, throwing for 3,787 yards, 37 touchdowns, and four interceptions.
This has no doubt been the best year throwing the ball for the two-time MVP winner, and the Texans, who are now inserting Jeff Okudah into the starting lineup, as Aaron Wilson reported, could have a hard time on Wednesday.