WALK THE LINE
Here's where the Texans must find success against the Steelers
Sep 24, 2020, 10:02 am
The O-line has to give Watson time to throw against Pittsburgh. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images
The offensive line for the Houston Texans made some significant improvements in 2019. A year after they allowed Deshaun Watson to take a career-high 62 sacks, the Texans' offensive line helped their franchise quarterback nearly cut his sack total in half (44), and entered this season with a top-20 O-line, according to Pro Football Focus.
The 2020 season was supposed to be the year Houston's offensive line took another step forward in the right direction, especially considering all five starters from the previous year were returning. A group of offensive linemen who posted a pass-blocking grade of 70.0 or above.
Two weeks into the regular season, that could not be further from the truth.
In some ways, Houston's pass-protection has reverted back to how they performed in 2018. They are currently tied for the most sacks allowed through the first two games of the season with eight, and their offensive line (or lack there of) has played a massive part in their 0-2 start. During their Week 2 loss against the Ravens, the Texans allowed Baltimore to rush Watson 14 times, which resulted in four sacks.
There is reason to be optimistic that the line will make positive strives as the season progresses following a shortened offseason. But Houston's Week 3 opponent featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0) could leave their offensive line in the most vulnerable position of the season.
"We're just building chemistry," Watson said via Zoom on Wednesday. "Some of that stuff is myself. Protect myself and get rid of the ball a little faster. Some of the stuff is the play call and sometimes I put myself in the run game to get hit and things like that. We're just coming along and that's just part of the game. I'm expected to take some shots because that's the game of football and the way I play the game. It's not a big issue for me."
Headlined by T.J. Watt — the reigning AFC Defensive Player of the Week — the league's best defensive line arguably resides in Pittsburgh. They have had a top-five defense in two of the past three seasons, and are on track to replicate their success.
During their Week 2 victory over the Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh became the first of two teams to record double-digit sacks on the season (Washington) — as the Steelers totaled seven inside Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday. Their D-line excels in nearly every aspect Houston's offensive line has struggled with in their pass-protection thus far.
Throughout the first pair of games, the Steelers' defense has blitzed their opponents 61.7 percent of the time — more than any other team in the league. They have accumulated a league-best 40 QB pressures, 20 QB hurries and have tied for second in QB hits with 10. And with veteran defensive end Stephon Tuitt coming off the right side of the line, the Steelers have an opportunity to assail the Texans' most vulnerable section of their O-line.
"I think we've done some decent things," head coach and general manager Bill O'Brien said via a Zoom conference on Wednesday. "People look at quarterback pressures and quarterback hits. But a lot of that is not just the line. Everybody's involved in it. Everybody's got to improve. I think our line will continue to work hard and will continue to get better."
The tandem of Zach Fulton and Tytus Howard has been alarming — to say the least. Fulton appears to have regressed from the improvements of the previous season, while injuries have hindered Howard from returning to the player he was prior to his MCL tear in 2019. Together, both players have combined for a grade of 61.8.
The most dependable element of the Texans' offensive line has been their success in run blocking. Following Week 2, the Texans saw two of their linemen finish among the top players in run-game metrics. According to ESPN, Nick Martin placed in the sixth percentile among centers in run block win rating (98%), while Howard placed second among offensive tackles at 89 percent.
However, similar to their game against the Ravens, do not expect Houston to depend on their run game. The Steelers have given up the least amount of rushing yards so far this season — allowing an average of 66.5 yards on the ground.
So if the Texans have any chance to pick up their first victory of the season inside Heinz Field, they may have to do so while depending on their passing game. And it is going to take more than Laremy Tunsil to stave-off the Steelers front seven.
After all, a much improved offensive line who can protect Watson is the key to unlocking the Texans' full potential on offense.
Coty M. Davis is a reporter for ESPN 97.5 Houston/SportsMap covering the Houston Texans. He is also the co-host of Locked On Texans, a part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Follow Coty on Twitter @CotyDavis_24.
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How Astros advanced metrics tell puzzling story about Houston's start
Apr 17, 2025, 5:21 pm
Major League Baseball’s regular season is 162 games long. You can think of 18 games as the first inning of the season, 18 times nine equaling 162. While the Astros 8-10 record is not good, it’s far from disastrous. Think of it as them being behind 1-0 after the first inning. It is pretty remarkable that they have yet to win consecutive games. Even during last year’s 7-19 stink bomb of a start the Astros twice managed to win two in a row.
The Astros’ offensive woes are plentiful. Oddly enough as impotent as they’ve been, the Astros have yet to be shutout. But in half their games they have scored exactly one or two runs. Basically, most of them stink thus far. Exemptions go to Jose Altuve and Isaac Paredes, but it’s not like either of them has been outstanding. It’s still early enough that one big series can dramatically alter the numbers, but the Astros badly need Yordan Alvarez to pick up his production. Yordan enters the weekend batting just .224 with a .695 OPS and just four extra base hits. Yainer rhymes with minor. As in minor leagues, where Diaz belongs at his current level of performance. That is not saying Diaz should be sent down, just that any random AAA catcher called up couldn’t have done much worse to this point. Diaz isn’t hitting Altuve’s weight, a woeful .130 with seven hits in 57 at bats. Diaz simply remains too undisciplined at the plate swinging at too many balls. He’s drawn three walks. And now to Christian Walker, who thus far has delivered return on investment for his three year 60 million dollar contract about as strong as the stock market’s performance in Tariff Time. Walker’s .154 batting average and .482 OPS are very Astro Jose Abreu-like. Walker’s23 strikeouts in 65 at bats jump off the page. He has often looked befuddled in the batter's box. Walker is definitely pressing and frustrated, wanting to perform better for his new team. Jeremy Pena goes into the weekend batting .215 and has one hit in 13 at bats with runners in scoring position. Brendan Rodgers, Jake Meyers, and Chas McCormick all have weak stat lines, with little reason to expect quality offensive output from any of them. Cam Smith is at .200 with a yucky .591 OPS but he’s obviously a young stud work in progress thrown into the deep end of the pool.
All batting orders are top-heavy, the Astros’ on paper more so than many. As I set forth on one of our Stone Cold ‘Stros podcasts this week, the first inning should be a team’s best offensive inning. It’s the only frame in which a team gets to dictate who comes up from the start with the batters lined up just as the manager slots them. Add to that, the first inning is a good time to get to a starting pitcher before he settles in. The Astros have scored a pitiful three first inning runs in 18 games, and in two of the games they pushed one across in the first, it turned out to be the only Astro run of the game. Improvement needs to come internally from the big league roster. It’s not as if the Astros have a meaningful prospect at AAA Sugar Land who looks ready to help. Entering play Thursday the Space Cowboys’ team average was .186. Second base hopeful Brice Matthews is nowhere close, batting .180 and striking out left and right. Outfielder Jacob Melton opened three for 17 following the back injury-delayed start to his season.
As exasperating and boring as the offense has been for so many, grading needs to occur on a curve. So, while the Astros’ team batting average is a joke at .216, know that at close of business Wednesday the entire American League was batting just .232. The American League West-leading Texas Rangers scored eight fewer runs over their first 18 games than did the Astros, though that is skewed by the Astros’ one 14-run outburst against the Angels.
Familiar faces return
This weekend the Astros play host to the San Diego Padres at Daikin Park. The Friars are off to a fabulous start at 15-4. The Padres being here creates a mini reunion as both Martin Maldonado and Yuli Gurriel are on their roster. In a telling fact, Maldonado would have the third-highest batting average on the Astros if on the team with his current numbers. Maldonado is hitting .250 with seven hits in 28 at bats. The last season he finished above .200 was 2020. The only season in his career Maldonado topped .234 was his rookie season with a .266 mark in 2012.
Gurriel was last good in 2021 when he won the American League batting title at .319. He fell off a cliff from there, though perked up to have a fine postseason in the Astros’ 2022 run to World Series title number two. “La Pina” is batting .115 with just three hits in 26 at bats. Gurriel may be released soon, and approaching his 41st birthday June 9, that would probably be the end of the line. Short-timer Astro Jason Heyward is also on the Padres, and batting .190.
For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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