How circumstances may push Texans into unleashing full force of shiny new weapon
IT'S HAPPENING
14 September 2023
IT'S HAPPENING
Heading into Week 1 the Texans were dealing with an exorbitant amount of injuries, and things didn't get any better after the opening game against the Ravens. Now safety Jalen Pitre looks likely to miss the Colts game, and WR Noah Brown and DT Hassan Ridgeway have been moved to IR, and will be out for at least four weeks.
However, this could be a blessing in disguise for rookie WR Tank Dell. With Brown out of the picture, he should get a boost in targets, and hopefully that will lead to more explosive plays overall. Dell was one of the most talented receivers in the draft, and CJ Stroud could definitely use more playmakers to throw to.
Getting rookies ready to contribute early on can be a challenge, but it's not impossible. Look at how the Ravens deployed Zay Flowers in his NFL debut against the Texans last week.
He had 10 targets and two rush attempts for Baltimore, and was very efficient and effective. Flowers caught 9 of 10 targets for 78 yards, and recorded 9 yards rushing. Dell and Flowers are similar in that both are undersized receivers that can deliver big plays.
Dell was only targeted 4 times and hauled in 3 passes for 34 yards.
It would be nice to see the Texans use Dell on some Jet Sweeps and get him the ball in space more often. Some shots downfield would be great as well, which could loosen up the defense for the running attack.
Speaking of running backs, Dameon Pierce only had 13 total touches on Sunday. The Texans could benefit from keeping him on the field on third down more frequently, and also throwing him passes out of the backfield. He had 2 catches on 3 targets, but just a few more opportunities could make a big difference, especially with a rookie QB.
Journeyman running back Mike Boone should not be limiting Pierce's use on third down.
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Alperen Sengun had 32 points and 14 rebounds, and the Houston Rockets held on to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 119-115 on Thursday night in a showdown between two of the top teams in the Western Conference.
Jalen Green finished with 27 points and Fred VanVleet scored 22 as the Rockets won their third straight and solidified their hold on second place in the Western Conference, moving 1 1/2 games ahead of Memphis.
Ja Morant scored 27 points in his return from a five-game absence with a shoulder injury, and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 21 points, eight rebounds and six blocks for Memphis. Desmond Bane had 16 points.
Houston dominated the inside early, scoring 20 points in the paint before the halfway point of the first quarter. Memphis initially couldn't stop anything at the rim. Houston opened a 17-point lead before taking a 68-63 advantage at the break.
Rockets: Houston is 12-5 on the road, including six straight wins away from home.
Grizzlies: After allowing the Rockets to score inside and build a big lead, Memphis chipped into the advantage to make it a more competitive game.
With 3.8 seconds left in the game and Houston leading 117-114, Bane fired up a 3-pointer that rattled in. But Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins called timeout before the shot was made. Bane was fouled on the ensuing inbounds, and Memphis wouldn't get another chance for a winning shot.
Houston is 19-3 when they score at least 110. Houston hasn't allowed more than 115 points in past 15 games.
The Rockets are at Atlanta on Saturday. Memphis travels to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves on Saturday.