WHAT'S NEXT?
After Correa situation plays out, here are the next challenges for Houston sports
Nov 10, 2021, 12:34 pm
Don't be surprised if Correa heads to Detroit. Composite image by Jack Brame.
correa-time
We can all use a breather after the thrilling, heart-pounding 2021 Astros season that propelled them – and the City of Houston – to a third American League pennant in five years and another visit to the World Series. Even though we – and the Astros certainly qualify as a citywide "we" –came up short in the Series, it was a fun run that made us proud. Simply, Houston loves our Astros.
Thankfully, here come the Houston Rockets and Houston Texans to lower our heart rates and bring us thudding down to reality. If the Astros were Red Bull, the Rockets and Texans are Xanax, the 2 mg. sticks.
The way things are looking, there won't be any must-win games leading to the post-season for either team. Hell, there'll only be most-lose games chasing No. 1 picks in future drafts.
While the NFL is in full swing, and the NBA is getting serious, the only sports excitement in Houston still revolves around the Astros. Will the Astros make a competitive bid to keep Carlos Correa? According to reports, the Astros have offered the hottest free agent since Macho Man Savage $160 million over five years. It's a fair offer … per year. But in baseball's current economic climate it's like the contestant on Price is Right bidding $1 hoping the other contestants are high-balling the price of a Whirlpool washer-dryer. While bidding $1 may be a douchey (it's in the Merriam-Webster dictionary) move, it works more than you think. And Correa definitely is the top prize in the showcase showdown this year.
Mark this down, but only if it comes true: I have friends in high places (low places, too) in Detroit – the Tigers will do whatever it takes to land Correa. That's where he's going.
Now Houston turns its lonely eyes to the Texans and Rockets.
The Texans are 1-8 in solid command of last place in the AFC South. They have scored the fewest points and given up the most points in the entire NFL. That's not good. Rookie Davis Mills is the lowest-rated quarterback in the league. The defense is porous and the offense is a bumbling mess of inefficiency and bad decisions.
Before the season, I predicted that the Texans would go winless, the first 0-17 team in NFL history. The Jacksonville Jaguars screwed up my clean slate by losing to the Texans in Week One. But the Jags have since won two games, while the Texans are reeling on a well-earned 8-game losing streak … and sinking fast. I say they'll finish the job and end 1-16 and get the No. 1 draft pick. Naturally there doesn't appear to be a lock star quarterback looming. Just the Texans' luck.
If the NFL relegated losing teams like English soccer does, the Texans would be playing in the SEC next season, and I'm not sure they could beat Georgia or Alabama. Let's make the Texans +350 to make the college football playoff.
The Texans have zero star power in Houston. How many pictures of Texans are on kids' bedroom walls? How many would you recognize? The coach looks like he's just woke up from a coma and fumbles for excuses in post-game press conferences. Wait, fumbles are something the Texans are good at. There's a positive.
While the term "clown show" is bandied about on sports talk radio, here's the biggest joke at NRG Stadium. According to official league records, the Texans are averaging 67,722 fans at their four home games so far. Seriously? Do the crowd-counters at NRG have double vision, which still wouldn't reflect the accurate crowd size? NRG is one step from tarping the upper deck, which still would leave plenty of elbow room for fans in the lower bowl. On the positive side, lines are short at restrooms and there are no traffic jams leaving the parking lot, except maybe in the third quarter.
It's a sad situation. You've got the highest-paid player, the only recognizable star on the team, sitting home on game day, the fans think the owner is a goofball, the real boss is an evil mystic who doesn't know a lick about football personnel. The Houston Texans are a civic embarrassment. Good thing Texas isn't a football state. Oh, wait.
Put it this way, the only team in the NFL with a worse record than the Texans is the Detroit Lions, and the Lions would be favored to beat the Texans.
Now the Rockets. Last year, the Rockets finished with the disastrous record (17-55), one of the worst seasons in NBA history. This year's Rockets (1-9) are off to an even worse start. And the same person who counts the crowd at Texans games must be pulling double-duty at Toyota Center.
Admittedly, this year's Rockets, led by high-flying rookie sensation Jalen Green, are a faster, more exciting team. But faster and more exciting don't win games. Like that game show, it's wins that count, and you are the weakest link Rockets, good-bye.
Now back to something that Houston fans actually care about …think Justin Verlander wants to stay with the Astros?
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How these 3 critical factors could swing battle between Texans and Jets
Oct 30, 2024, 3:06 pm
The Jets host the Texans and their scary defense on Halloween night! Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.
Houston (6-2) at New York Jets (2-6)
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT, Amazon Prime
BetMGM NFL odds: Jets by 2.
Against the spread: Texans 3-4-1; Jets 2-6.
Series record: Jets lead 7-3.
Last meeting: Jets beat Texans 30-6 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Dec. 10, 2023.
Last week: Texans beat Colts 23-20; Jets lost to Patriots 25-22.
Texans offense: overall (9t), rush (18), pass (8), scoring (14).
Texans defense: overall (2), rush (13), pass (3), scoring (15t).
Jets offense: overall (24), rush (30), pass (13), scoring (25).
Jets defense: overall (4), rush (17), pass (2), scoring (11t).
Turnover differential: Texans plus-4; Jets minus-3.
Texans player to watch
RB Joe Mixon. He has carried Houston's offense in the three games since he returned from an injury and could be even more important this week after wide receiver Stefon Diggs tore the ACL in his right knee last Sunday and is out for the season. Mixon ranks third in the NFL by averaging 100.6 yards rushing a game and has had at least 100 yards rushing and a TD run in three straight games.
Jets player to watch
Edge rusher Haason Reddick. After ending his lengthy contract holdout early last week, Reddick made his Jets debut and played 26 snaps on defense with two quarterback pressures while working mostly on third downs. His snaps might increase a bit Thursday and he could help the Jets get after C.J. Stroud, who has been sacked 22 times this season — tied for third most in the NFL.
Key matchup
Jets offensive line vs. Texans' pass rush. New York has had issues this season with injuries, consistency and protecting Aaron Rodgers. The Jets will face a tough test Thursday night against the Texans, whose 27 sacks are third in the NFL. DE Will Anderson Jr. is tied for third in the league with a career-high 7 1/2 sacks, including at least one in his past three games. DE Danielle Hunter has 5 1/2 sacks and DT Tim Settle has four, powering a formidable defensive front for Houston. Hunter leads the league with 51 quarterback pressures and Anderson is fourth with 39, the only teammates in the top 15, according to Next Gen Stats.
Key injuries
Diggs' injury leaves Houston without its top two receivers. Nico Collins, who leads the Texans with 567 yards receiving, is out for at least one more game after being placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. ... S Calen Bullock was limited in practice Monday and Tuesday after injuring his shoulder Sunday. … LBs Azeez Al-Shaair (knee) and Henry To’oTo’o (concussion) both missed the Colts game, but could return this week. … S Jimmie Ward could miss a fifth straight game with a groin injury. … LG Jarrett Patterson is in the concussion protocol and is likely out. … RB Dameon Pierce missed practice this week with a groin injury. ... Jets LB C.J. Mosley suffered a stinger in his neck during pregame warmups at New England and was meeting with neck and spine specialists this week. ... RG Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle), WR Allen Lazard (chest), DL Leki Fotu (knee) and safeties Tony Adams (hamstring) and Ashtyn Davis (concussion) all missed the game vs. the Patriots and their availability for this week was uncertain. ... K Greg Zuerlein was placed on IR. Riley Patterson and Spencer Shrader were signed to the practice squad, and one will be promoted for the game.
Series notes
The Jets have won the past two meetings. ... New York won the first five meetings, including the first game between the franchises in 2003, when LaMont Jordan's late 8-yard touchdown run helped lift the Jets to a 19-14 victory. ... Zach Wilson threw two touchdown passes in the most recent meeting, a 30-6 rout by New York during which Stroud left with a concussion.
Stats and stuff
The AFC South-leading Texans have won four of their past five. ... Stroud is 2-0 with three touchdowns and zero interceptions in two career starts in prime time. He had 285 yards passing last week for his ninth career game with at least that many yards passing, which is tied for second most in the NFL since 2023. ... WR Tank Dell had a touchdown reception last week and has a TD catch in two of his past three games. ... TE Dalton Schultz had a season-high 52 yards receiving against the Colts. He has two TD receptions in each of his past two Thursday night games. ... Hunter has 10½ sacks in eight career Thursday night games. … LB Neville Hewitt, who spent the 2018-21 seasons with the Jets, forced a fumble last week. … Rookie CB Kamari Lassiter had a career-high three passes defended last week. … S Jalen Pitre had his first interception of the season last week. ... S Eric Murray had seven tackles and a season-high three passes defended last week. ... New York is trying to snap a five-game skid. ... Jeff Ulbrich is 0-3 as the Jets’ interim head coach since replacing the fired Robert Saleh on Oct. 8. Ulbrich, also the team's defensive coordinator, said earlier this week he'll continue to call plays on defense. … Rodgers snapped a streak of three consecutive games with an interception. He has seven in eight games, six shy of his single-season career high set in 2008 in his first year as Green Bay’s starting quarterback. ... Rodgers hasn't passed for 300 yards since throwing for 341 against Chicago on Dec. 12, 2021 — a span of 30 regular-season games and 31 overall, including one playoff game. ... WR Garrett Wilson leads the NFL with 84 targets, 11 more than the Giants’ Malik Nabers. Wilson’s 51 receptions are second in the league behind Las Vegas’ Brock Bowers, who has 52. ... WR Davante Adams had four catches for 54 yards, giving him seven receptions for 84 yards in two games since being acquired from the Raiders. ... Second-year WR Xavier Gipson caught his first career TD pass last Sunday. ... TE Tyler Conklin has a TD catch in consecutive games after not having one since catching two TD passes in Week 8 of the 2022 season against New England. ... RB Breece Hall has 316 yards receiving, the most among NFL running backs. ... Edge rusher Will McDonald has eight sacks, second in the NFL to the Giants’ Dexter Lawrence (nine). … The Jets have only six takeaways, ranking among the fewest in the league. Backup CB Brandin Echols has New York's only two interceptions.
Fantasy tip
Houston wide receiver John Metchie is coming off a career-best three-catch game and could see more targets — and perhaps his first NFL touchdown — with both Diggs and Collins out. Might be worth a stash as a potential WR3.
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