There's plenty on the line the next three weeks and it all gets started Sunday

Deshaun Watson should eat unless Vrabel bests Bill O'Brien again

Deshaun Watson should eat unless Vrabel bests Bill O'Brien again
Deshaun Watson was magical in the win. Brett Carlsen/Getty Images

Here's a Friday Stoots Six-Pack for you to sip on ahead of Sunday's big game.

Bounce back vs the rolling Titans

The Titans have been incredible for the better part of two months. They are 6-1 in the past seven games. They are well coached, don't make mistakes, and take advantage of mistakes. Ryan Tannehill has been fantastic taking over as a starter. He has played within himself and the offense while also taking necessary chances. There has been a fair amount of luck on their side too.

The Broncos whipped the Texans. They have bounced back from every loss with a win, but this is the first road game after a loss. Every one of those games has been close with the exception of the Falcons. It would stand to reason this game is a close one too.

The Titans haven't played a close game in a month, but they have been successful with Mariota on the bench. The Texans had trouble in Nashville last year, expect this one to be a close dog fight.

A new A.J. in the AFC South

​Andre Johnson was fantastic with some bad quarterbacks. A.J. Brown has finally come on late and been fantastic this season. The former Ole Miss Rebels pass catcher is coming off five catches for 153 yards and two scores. He is a chunk yardage player. If the Texans don't slow him down they are sunk. Tannehill trusts him more than anyone among their pass catchers. They don't throw it a ton if they don't have to so Brown will make the most of his opportunities.

The Henry train is hopefully pulling into the station

There might not be a running back playing better football than Derrick Henry right now. He's been incredible this season, and like last, he's been even better in the second half. The Titans have figured out their offensive line woes and Henry is a weapon unlike any in football right now. He's unique in that his power is his strength but he displays plenty of agility to his game too.

Henry has been on the injury report but expect him to play even if he isn't 100 percent. If he gets going and isn't slowed behind the line of scrimmage or directed away from his initial destination it is a big gain. The Texans miss far too many tackles and if they miss then against Henry that's going to be points not just first downs.

Missed the Mark...Andrews

Mark Andrews is a baller. He is one of the most dynamic tight ends and the best of the three tight ends the Ravens have. He was a third round pick in 2018. The Texans had two third round picks before he was selected.

The first pick went to Justin Reid. He has been a nice enough player and remember, the Texans still had Ryan Griffin when they were making those selections. They definitely needed some offensive line help, but judging by the fact they finished the draft with two tight ends, they liked a tight end or two as well.

Martinas Rankin was selected six picks before Mark Andrews.

I say all this to jump to a loosely-related point: the tight end position has been extremely hit and miss this season. Darren Fells has been a revelation, when Watson can find him. They're afterthoughts and safety valves, but rarely are focal points despite potential. When they hit though, it has been like found money.

Perhaps, though, I am being a little harsh. Around 600 yards and nine touchdowns far surpasses the output last season. On the other hand, with the wideout talent and Duke Johnson taking away attention, the tight ends feel like they should be more involved.

Oh, btw, Mark Andrews on the season: 58 catches, 759 yards, and eight touchdowns.

Watson worth trusting

Deshaun Watson doesn't get his ass kicked often. It just doesn't happen in his football career. The Titans have a nice enough defense, but Watson has a chance to light them up. Derek Carr and the paltry Raiders offense put up 21 points in the first half against the Titans last weekend.

Derek. Carr. This is Deshaun Watson we are talking about right now. Carr took advantage of a turnover for a quick score, hit a bomb after a good drive started, and handled a long drive before punching it in. They fell apart in the second but that' a Gruden and talent thing. No excuses for Watson and Bill O'Brien. This team will give up points, make sure you score them Sunday.

Mike Vrabel might be a better head coach than O'Brien

There is a chance Mike Vrabel is a better head coach than Bill O'Brien. He is working with less on offense, but more on defense this year. He had to make a quarterback change. Last year he schemed out a win over the Texans with a backup QB. He's a master motivator. The Titans play hard and don't make mistakes. That's Vrabel. O'Brien has yet win a challenge this year. He is 0-6, his worst mark since 2014. Vrabel is 3-1.

Vrabel's team started slow and has rebounded and not looked back. They haven't played a stinker in months. This will be an interesting couple of weeks with the former defensive coordinator for O'Brien matching wits on the headset.

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Why were the Red Sox able to unlock Bregman and not the Astros?Composite Getty Image.

The Houston Astros took a step in the right direction this week, securing a hard-fought series win over the Kansas City Royals with a strong combination of pitching and timely hitting. While the offense still isn’t firing on all cylinders, recent signs suggest the bats may finally be waking up—albeit slower than hoped.

Over the past seven days, Houston ranks 6th in OPS, 7th in slugging, and 10th in runs scored across MLB—a noticeable jump from their underwhelming season-long ranks of 13th, 18th, and 19th in those categories, respectively. But perhaps the biggest concern remains their lack of home run power. The Astros are just 23rd in home runs over the past week and 24th on the season. That’s a major problem for a team that has historically relied on slugging to fuel its October pushes.

Only two Astros hitters currently boast an OPS over .800: Jeremy Peña and Isaac Paredes. Peña’s breakout season has been one of the few bright spots for Houston’s offensive staff, while Paredes continues to deliver consistent production that aligns with his career norms. But beyond those two, it’s been a struggle.

Christian Walker has emerged as the biggest red flag in the lineup. After a hitless series with 7 strikeouts against Kansas City’s tough rotation, Walker’s strikeout total climbed to fifth-most in the American League with 50. His offensive regression now spans over a quarter of the season, drawing troubling comparisons to José Abreu’s disastrous 2023 and 2024 campaigns.

And he’s not alone. José Altuve, a longtime engine for Houston’s offense, is in a prolonged slump of his own—slashing just .220/.268/.297 over his last 30 games. Combined with Walker’s woes, the middle of the order has become a black hole that may soon force a change.

With 10 of their next 13 games coming against division rivals, the Astros must decide quickly whether it’s time for a lineup shakeup. Dropping Walker in the order feels increasingly necessary. And unless Altuve finds his rhythm, manager Joe Espada may need to explore new options in the two-spot to spark the offense.

The potential return of Yordan Alvarez could help remedy the power problem. When healthy, Alvarez is one of baseball’s premier sluggers and could be the missing piece that lifts Houston’s home run totals and extra-base hit production.

But even with Alvarez’s return looming, broader questions about the team’s hitting development persist—especially when contrasted with the pitching staff’s continued excellence. Houston's pitching coaches have consistently gotten the most out of arms, while the hitting side has seen a pattern of stagnation.

A recent reminder of that contrast comes from an unexpected source: Alex Bregman. Now thriving with the Boston Red Sox, Bregman is putting up MVP-caliber numbers after working with Boston’s hitting coaches on timing and mechanical tweaks. He credits their staff with helping him get back to his 2019 form—raising eyebrows in Houston. It’s hard not to wonder why those same adjustments never materialized under the Astros' watch.

To be fair, Jeremy Peña’s breakout could be considered a win for the current hitting coaches, but even that comes with caveats. Meanwhile, Isaac Paredes’ production isn’t a surprise—he’s done this before. And for every Peña, there are several Walkers or Abreus who join the Astros and regress at the plate.

As the Astros look to gain more ground in the AL West race, their pitching remains a strength and their offense is showing signs of life. But if the bats can’t fully turn the corner—and if the team’s approach to hitting development doesn’t evolve—the gap between Houston and the elite teams in the league may continue to grow.

We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!

The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!

*ChatGPT assisted.

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