[Official] Giants @ Texans

Spoiler

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...ams-eliminated-alive-playoff-race-2018-season

1. Houston Texans
Preseason playoff odds: 45.0 percent
Current playoff odds: 24.4 percent

I think the Texans are still, quite comfortably, best-positioned to make a run back toward the top of the AFC South. Their two losses came by a total of 10 points, and one of them was on the road against the Patriots. Their loss to the Titans was far more vexing given that it came against Blaine Gabbert and a pair of backup tackles, and indeed, it involved a fake punt for a touchdown, some Wildcat from Derrick Henry, and a long drive with a deliberate double forward pass from Gabbert.

Houston's success this season seems likely to be predicated on both sides of the pass rush. On defense, the early returns are a little underwhelming. The trio of Jadeveon Clowney, Whitney Mercilus and J.J. Watt have combined for zero sacks, with Houston's three sacks coming from the unlikely duo of D.J. Reader and Duke Ejiofor. Clowney missed the Titans game with back and elbow injuries, but Watt's two knockdowns in the opener remain the only example of these three hitting the quarterback in 2018. The Texans are tied for 20th in pressure rate, and when they don't bother the opposing quarterback, Brady and Gabbert have combined to post a passer rating of 125.3, which is the sixth-worst mark in the league through two weeks.

On the other side of the line, a patchwork offensive line has already gotten thinner with the injury to Seantrel Henderson. Watson has been pressured on an unreal 48.8 percent of dropbacks so far this season, which blows away even the Russell Wilsons of the world. Nobody else in the league is above 40.4 percent, and the league average for pressure rate is 27.8 percent. Watson is averaging 8.3 yards per dropback when unpressured and 4.7 yards per play when the opposing team gets on him.

The hope, of course, is that Watson continues to get his legs underneath him and improve as he returns from his torn ACL. His receivers haven't given him much help. During the rookie's incredible seven-game run in 2017, Texans receivers dropped just 1.1 percent of Watson's passes and averaged 5.6 yards after catch, the latter of which was good for 10th in the league. This year, Watson's receivers have dropped 4.5 percent of his throws while generating a league-low average of 3.3 yards after their catches. Watson is only 1-of-11 on throws to his tight ends after completing 58.3 percent of his throws to Ryan Griffin & Co. a year ago.

Yet again, this is another team with a crucial month ahead. Three of Houston's next four games are at home after starting with a pair of road matchups. All four games are winnable, given that the Texans will host the Giants, Cowboys and Bills while traveling to play the Colts. Mixed in with a brutal trip to Jacksonville before the bye are games against the Dolphins and Broncos. The Texans have one of the easiest schedules in the league.

It's an advantage I think they should be able to leverage into a competitive season, and while the Jaguars look to be riding high with their win over the Patriots, nine wins might be enough to win a wild-card spot in this conference. If I had to pick one 0-2 team to buck the trend and play football this January, I'd go with Houston.

 

Yes but will they be able to buck the trend of bad coaching?

 

hopefully playing at home changes the outcome for this team.

 

You can just FEEL the excitement all over town about this game...

 

Not worried about the defense in this game. The OLine for NYG has been terrible(remember how people were livid we didn’t sign Nate Solder, he’s been terrible), Eli looks old, and I think we can slow Saquan down.

BOB is still in charge of the offense so there will be concern there always. Get the league leading!?! rushing attack rolling and hopefully Deshaun gets more comfortable.

Should be a close game. 24-17 Good guys.

 

Not.

 

Nah, that's just gas.

 

Am I wrong to hope that Tomlin gets fired and that we hire him this upcoming offseason?!

 

Texans 31- 7

 

You really think McNair would hire Tomlin?

I could see Jason Garret getting axed and McNair hiring him... although the most likely hire would be McDermott because our GM Gaine loves McDermott and all things Buffalo.

 

Texans now have the longest win drought in the NFL: 306 days

 

I actually wonder if Mike Vrabel is actually a better coach than BOB.

Depressing because our defense went to ***** when Vrabel was promoted as our defensive coordinator.

 

It's pretty clear that O'Brien can't handle game management and handle the offense. Hell, when they had Godsey as OC O'Brien couldn't even handle game management.

 

Who going to this game ? I’ll be there so we winning

 

1-11 in their last 12... yet the level of optimism with the fan base is amazing. Some how the Texans bullshit to the media and fan base works... from the “Division champions” nonsense when the team went 9-7, to the McNair unconvincing crap about wanting a winner.

1-11 in there last 12..... 5-17 in their last 22.... and BOB got an extension.

9-7, 9-7, 9-7, 4-12, 0-2 is BOB’s record with the Texans...

The Texans are 33-49 in their last 6 years.... yet no real fan pressure on the Texans.

Just business as usual at Reliant.... maybe the Texans can retire David Carr’s number along with Dom Capers some Sunday in the middle of the season.

 

No Houston team can garner as big of a fanbase by being medicore as the Texans. 16 years and we made playoffs like 4 times (25%). Our overall record is 110-148 (~43%). Our playoff record is 3-4 (~43%). Hell we finally got over peyton manning making us his btch, but yet we still haven't beaten the Patriots in God knows how long. We suck at finding gems like Watt, Hopkins, Foster, johnsons, and watson just to waste their talent by failing to draft a complete team overall. Our last te that was a main part of the offense was like owen daniels. I feel sorry for Watson, bad offensive line, shtty playcalling and a coach that cant do sht under pressure. If we lose to the giants and browns this year, jeezus christ.

 

I don’t see how the Texans put up a W.

Right now we’re at show me. Show me a W, I’ll believe it can happen.

Why’s would the giants stray from belichicks blue print?. Double JJ, make someone else beat you. Double Hopkins, make someone else beat you.

Swear, I saw Whitney Mercilus Facebook post said wolves don’t concern themselves with the opinions of sheep, picturing he and Clowney. I mean....they’re the sheep currently. I’d rather see ejiofer than either. Have they had a 3/out yet? Just plain clothes personal foul?

A TE yo. These guys have to be involved OR it’s time to go with an alltime 6 man o line. How is this even optional? Full on college spread offense is also on the table lol...

And idk how to find this out without research but my gut tells me O’Brien’s record against the nfc is super shite.

 

Record against nfc: 6-10

 

This is all due to DeShaun Watson. He provides hope and people are buying in.