Falcon Points
How the Texans will look when they face the Chiefs next week
Sep 3, 2020, 6:55 am
Composite image by Jack Brame.
A week from tonight, the Texans will open the season the way the last one ended - in Kansas City against the Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
Yes, NFL football is just a week away. There will likely be some Covid scares along the way, and the game will look different in the stands. But in the end, it will come down to the players and coaches, as it always does. For the Texans, it will be a chance to see where they stand right away in comparison to a real Super Bowl contender.
The positive is Houston will enter the season with very few question marks. The lineup is pretty much set on both sides of the ball. That's a good thing, because in the Rona camp, there was not a lot of time for positional battles. Barring last minute injuries, this is how the lineups should look in a week:
QB: Deshaun Watson. The only question here is how good can he be? This should be the year he takes the next step.
OL: The Texans have invested a lot in this unit. Laremy Tunsil is one of the better left tackles in the league, and Tytus Howard was terrific as a rookie until he got injured. He should be even better in Year 2. That should give the Texans plus players at tackle. Max Scharping should improve at guard in Year 2, giving the team potentially three plus players. Nick Martin and Zach Fulton need to be average for this to be the strength of the team.
WR: DeAndre Hopkins is gone, but there is depth and speed here with Brandin Cooks, Will Fuller, Kenny Stills and Randall Cobb. Even when Fuller's inevitable injured, a Cooks/Stills/Cobb trio should still be effective.
TE: Darren Fells, Jordan Thomas and Jordan Akins aren't great, but they aren't bad. Again, there is depth here.
RB: The Texans are married to the David Johnson/Duke Johnson duo, for better or worse. David Johnson hasn't been good since 2016, but maybe he has a big year. Again, not great, but potentially OK.
DL: J.J. Watt will anchor things as long as he stays healthy. Brandon Dunn, Charles Omenihu, Angelo Blackson, Ross Blacklock will all be part of the rotation. There is a lot of potential here, but there is also a high potential for failure, especially if Watt gets hurt.
ILB: Zach Cunningham played very well last year and got paid for it. Bernardrick McKinney is average. Dylan Cole provides depth.
OLB: Again, a lot of averageness. Whitney Mercilus has always just been OK. Brennan Scarlet and Jacob Martin are just OK. Draft pick Jonathan Greenard has a lot of developing to do.
CB: Bradley Roby leads a very average to below average group that includes Gareon Conley and Vernon Hargreaves. Maybe Lonnie Johnson develops in Year 2, but otherwise this is a group that will struggle.
S: Justin Reid is a potential Pro Bowler. Jaylen Watkins and Eric Murray are just guys. The secondary as a whole is a big question mark.
Regardless of how it comes together, these will be the position players who will determine the Texans fate.
And it all starts next week.
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The Houston Astros are finally starting to show signs of turning the corner. After a sluggish start to the season, the offense is beginning to click, the pitching staff remains dominant, and the impact of the Kyle Tucker trade is starting to look like a clear win.
One of the more encouraging developments has been the recent plate discipline from Christian Walker. Known for his power but also for chasing pitches out of the zone, Walker has now drawn multiple walks in four straight games. It's a sign that his approach is tightening up—and he's recovered from his oblique discomfort, starting every game this season.
Yainer Diaz has also provided a much-needed spark. After a quiet stretch at the plate, Diaz came alive with a grand slam against the Angels, his most impactful swing of the year and a potential sign that his bat is heating up.
But the biggest buzz in Houston may be around the players acquired in the Kyle Tucker trade. Cam Smith has looked like he belongs in the big leagues, holding his own at the plate and flashing confidence in the field. Isaac Paredes, meanwhile, has posted a higher OPS than Alex Bregman, while right-hander Hayden Wesneski turned heads by striking out 10 Angels in a dominant start. Early returns suggest the deal could pay off big for the Astros.
Statistically, the Astros offense is still a work in progress, but it's no longer at the bottom of the barrel. After sitting dead last in slugging and near the bottom in OPS last week, Houston has climbed to 23rd in team OPS—right in the mix with the Rangers and Mariners. Slugging percentage still lags behind (27th overall), but there's some movement in the right direction.
Houston has scored the 21st-most runs in the league—better than only the Rangers in the AL West. Yet thanks to strong pitching, the Astros sit at +2 in run differential, the only team in the division with a positive mark.
That pitching has been the backbone of the team so far. Houston ranks 13th in ERA at 3.69, is third in opponent batting average (.190), and leads all of Major League Baseball in strikeouts with 166. It’s a staff that keeps them in every game and has the potential to dominate when the offense catches up.
The early season numbers still reflect a team trying to find its footing, but the signs are there. If the recent progress continues—Walker’s improved discipline, Diaz’s power, and the emergence of new contributors—Houston could soon be back to the top of the AL West.
We have so much more to cover. 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!
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