THE FRIDAY CODY STOOTS 6 PACK

Jaguars are vulnerable, but can Texans take advantage?

Jaguars are vulnerable, but can Texans take advantage?
The Jags D has not been as dominant this year. Jacksonvillejaguars.com

It's the Friday Stoots 6-Pack on SportsMap with plenty to get you ready for the NFL weekend. 

1. Brock Osweiler leads the Dolphins this week yet again with Ryan Tannehill injured. This week the Lions off a bye get Brock and company. He had some great stats and some very Osweilerian plays against the Bears in the overtime win last week. With injuries mounting and Osweiler's success, the Dolphins could be looking to move on from the former Texas A&M product. Not for Brock, goodness no. But for a rookie or other available free agent. As for Brock, just stay healthy so Thursday Night Football we get the Osweiler return game we were robbed of last year. 

2. The Bears might be in for a rude awakening this week. They've had a nice season but second-year quarterback against the greatest coach in NFL history is a recipe for disaster. Khalil Mack is great but there should be an expectation the Patriots do to him as they do with all great defenders: neutralize. It will be an interesting one for Chicago, who went from rebuilding to ready with the addition of Mack but have had two disappointing losses. A nice measuring stick for the Bears and a good challenge for the Patriots. 

3. There might be three games with eye-popping scores Sunday. Browns-Buccaneers has shootout written all over it with the Browns being inconsistent on defense and offense the Buccaneers terrible defense is the recipe to get going. Jameis Winston played his tail off and he's trying to stick as the starter so he's motivated to sling it and their run game stinks. The Ravens have put up big numbers and the Saints bring a rested but bad defense. Brees and Flacco is an offensive showcase in today's NFL. Then Sunday Night Football features "Showtime" Patrick Mahomes and his team's awful defense against Andy Dalton and the surprisingly good Cincinnati offense. 

4. The Texans might have yet another new-look offensive line on Sunday. Guard Zach Fulton has been starting at the right guard spot but an ankle injury has sidelined him this week. If he can't play against the Jaguars it could be Greg Mancz at guard. The Jaguars haven't had the success of last year rushing the passer but they're still a talented bunch. Yet another moving part for the Texans offensive line could spell doom for a team that has allowed almost the most sacks and by far the most quarterback hits in the NFL.

5. Jacksonville is way behind statistically from last year. Their interceptions are way down, just three this year and 25 spots in the NFL ranking off their second-place finish last year. They are way down on sacks too. The Jaguars were second last season and find themselves 18th this season. They have actually had success in not giving up yards but their rush defense isn't great. The Texans could use the balance to help protect Watson and get the offense going. 

6. If the NFL is truly a quarterback league why aren't we all picking the Texans to win this game? Deshaun Watson, on his worst day, is so much better than Blake Bortles. The Jaguars wideouts pale in comparison to the Texans pass catchers. The rushing advantage and the offensive line is tilted to Jacksonville. The Texans defense is playing better than the Jaguars right this minute. Now, why people, including myself, are picking the Jaguars. They are coached better. Doug Marrone and his staff are better at coaching than Bill O'Brien and his staff. The Texans have turnovers in 20 straight games and have thrown an interception in 17 straight games. They commit penalties too often. Houston can't score in the red zone despite being unstoppable last year. It's coaching. From top to bottom. It should be the difference Sunday. 

 

 

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Hunter Brown will start Game 2 for Houston. Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images.

Detroit Tigers (86-76) at Houston Astros (88-73)

  • Location: Houston, Minute Maid Park
  • Date: Wednesday, 2:32 p.m. EDT

Pitching Matchup:

  • Tigers: Tyler Holton (7-2, 2.19 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 77 strikeouts)
  • Astros: Hunter Brown (11-9, 3.49 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 179 strikeouts)

The Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros face off in Game 2 of their AL Wild Card Series, with Detroit leading 1-0 in the best-of-three set. The Tigers can advance to the ALDS with another win, while the Astros will be fighting to extend their postseason run.

Astros Outlook:
Houston, the reigning AL West champions, look to bounce back after dropping the series opener. The Astros have been strong at Minute Maid Park this season, posting a 46-35 home record. They’ve also excelled at keeping opponents in check, with a 38-16 record in games where they haven’t allowed a home run. Yordan Alvarez remains a key figure in the Astros’ lineup, leading the team with 35 homers, while Kyle Tucker has been hot, hitting .400 with three homers over the last 10 games.

You can see the Astros lineup for Game 2 below.

Tigers Outlook:

Detroit has been road warriors, going 43-38 away from home, and their pitching staff has been stellar, ranking third in the AL with a 3.62 ERA. Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter have powered the Tigers’ offense, combining for 51 home runs on the season. If the Tigers’ bullpen holds strong again, they could advance to the next round.

Recent Form:

  • Astros: 6-4 over their last 10 games, hitting .278 as a team, but they have struggled with a 4.10 ERA.
  • Tigers: 7-3 in their last 10, backed by excellent pitching (3.30 ERA), though their offense has only managed a .229 average.

The Astros lead the season series 4-3, but the Tigers carry the momentum as they look to close out the series and move forward in the playoffs.

If you would like to see some reactions to Game 1, check out the videos below.



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