Jonathan Joseph had a big grade last week. Bob Levey/Getty Images
Pro Football Focus grades each individual player's performance and assigns them a grade. All 32 teams use Pro Football Focus.
Each week we will take a look at some of the good and bad from the Texans and a look at the upcoming opponent as well. They also do great fantasy analysis and draft coverage as well. You can join Pro Football Focus here.
Johnathan Joseph - 92.3 Defensive Grade
Besting his season-best from last week Joseph jumped up 12 points for his new season-best defensive grade. He allowed just four catches on 10 attempts for 51 yards. He, of course, had the game-winning score for the Texans as well. Joseph had a history of knocking off the rust a few weeks into the season.
Deshaun Watson - 32.4 Offensive Grade
His worse game since New England. He only had one scramble in this game which could be him taking care of himself but that is part of an element of his successfulness as a quarterback. Two interceptions hurt the grade and with Jacksonville coming up this isn't the time to be struggling to throw the ball.
Zach Cunningham - 90.7 Defensive Grade
This is by far his best game of the season. He had 12 tackles to go along with just two yards allowed when he was targeted by the opposing offense. Cunningham is warming up with his two best grades of the season the past two weeks and with a team that will have to run the ball to keep Bortles from hurting them he could clean up again.
Julie'n Davenport - 21.8 Pass Blocking Grade
This was not a good one for Davenport after he was decent the week before. He allowed nine total pressures resulting in three sacks. With Jacksonville's furious pass rush coming up, they're the sixth best according to PFF, Davenport is going to have to get a lot better in a hurry.
Blake Bortles - 70.3 Offensive Grade (Season)
He is the 20th best quarterback when it comes to grading out regular starters in the league. He's coming off his worst yardage performance of the season as the Cowboys stuffed the Jaguars offense at every turn. He's tied for the league lead in interceptions with eight, five of them in the past two weeks. He's the third most in quarterback scrambles though so the Texans need to keep an eye out for him bailing himself out.
Jacksonville Jaguars - 68.3 Coverage Grade (Season)
This is startling when you consider they were the second best in the league last season with 93.9 coverage grade. I was shocked when I saw them 17th in the league in coverage grade. Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye are having huge down years so far compared to their normal production. Safety Barry Church is playing the worst he has played in three years. They have just three interceptions after finishing second last year with 21 total. There are some holes to be taken advantage of for sure. Their pass rush is down too, they are sixth so far this year, but that is only a slight drop off from last year when they were the best compared to the coverage drop off.
As always, you can join Pro Football Focus here.
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Oct 22, 2024, 3:10 pm
C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans are looking for answers after their passing game couldn’t get going in a loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Houston’s passing attack had been a strength all season, and the Texans ranked fifth in yards passing per game through their first six games. But on Sunday at Lambeau Field, Stroud was limited to a career-low 86 yards in the 24-22 loss, which snapped a three-game winning streak.
Stroud was 10 of 21 and didn’t have a touchdown pass for the first time this season. The second-year player was under duress for much of the day and was sacked four times and hit seven other times.
“We have to go back to the drawing board and see what those issues were,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “As we watch the film, we’ll see what happened, starting for me the communication and just guys being on the details of the job.”
'Everything is on the table. We have to get it fixed' #Texans coach DeMeco Ryans on offensive line and if personnel changes are being contemplated @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/AwK0rqeU2z
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) October 21, 2024
The Texans scored a season-high 41 points in a win over New England a week earlier in which Stroud threw a season-best three touchdown passes despite being without star receiver Nico Collins.
They were unable to replicate that success Sunday with Collins out for the second of at least four games after a hamstring injury landed him on injured reserve.
Stefon Diggs led the team with five receptions against the Packers, but they only amounted to 23 yards. Tank Dell, who the Texans expected to step up with Collins out, was targeted four times but didn’t have a catch.
Stroud discussed the importance of getting Dell more involved in the offense.
“We have to find a way to try and get him the rock early and often and then go from there,” he said. “It has to be a focus for us, not only just him, but the whole offense clicking early. That is really my job to get the ball out on time and to where it is supposed to go. So yeah, that definitely has to be fixed.”
Ryans spoke about his confidence is getting Dell going.
'I have all the faith in Tank' #Texans coach DeMeco Ryans expressed confidence in Tank Dell ability to get back to making explosive plays again as he did as a rookie @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/bojBEx3lYo
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) October 21, 2024
What's working
The Texans have forced seven turnovers combined in their last two games after they hadn’t caused any in their previous three games.
Houston scored 16 points off three turnovers Sunday. The Texans had two interceptions and recovered a fumble on a punt. In their win over the Patriots, they scored 17 points off a season-high four turnovers.
What needs help
The Texans won’t get to where they want to be this season if Stroud doesn’t get back on track. Before Sunday, last year’s AP Offensive Rookie of the Year was averaging more than 262 yards passing a game, giving the team confidence that the problems in the passing game are fixable.
Ryans knows the line must give Stroud more time to throw and said the coaching staff will focus on improving in that area this week.
Stock up
RB Joe Mixon continued to shine Sunday in his second game back after missing three games with an ankle injury. Mixon, who is in his first season in Houston after a trade from Cincinnati, had 25 carries for 115 yards and two touchdowns against Green Bay.
Mixon is confident the Texans will rebound this week if they quit making mistakes.
“Does it look I’m worried? I’m not worried at all,” he said. “Like I said, we got a ... good football team. At the end of the day, we are our own worst enemy.”
Stock down
Dell was unable to help Stroud get the passing game going. The second-year player had a solid rookie season with 709 yards receiving and seven touchdowns in 11 games before breaking his leg. But he hasn’t been able to build on that success this year and has just 194 yards receiving with one score in six games.
Injuries
LB Azeez Al-Shaair (knee), LB Henry To’oTo’o (concussion), CB Kamari Lassiter (shoulder) and S Jimmie Ward (groin) all missed Sunday’s game and it’s unclear if any of these starters can return this week.
Key number
3 — Safety Calen Bullock had his third interception Sunday to tie Dunta Robinson and Jumal Rolle for most interceptions by a rookie in franchise history through the first seven games. He leads NFL rookies in interceptions this season and is tied for third-most among all players.
Next steps
The AFC South-leading Texans (5-2) return to division play Sunday when they host the second-place Colts (4-3), who have won two in a row and four of five.