LANCE ZIERLEIN
Stream of consciousness with Astros, Rockets, and Texans
Oct 17, 2018, 9:07 am
A.J. Hinch is the man, but even he isn't perfect. Jason Behnken / Getty Images
-
A.J. Hinch is one of my favorite managers/coaches of all-time in Houston. Probably at the top spot, however, he made all the wrong moves in a critical game and many of those moves were easily avoidable.
-
It’s easy to second-guess Hinch for pulling Dallas Keuchel based on the way Keuchel had been dealing after his first-inning blues, but the come in with Joe Smith? Of all the arms in the bullpen, Joe Smith? He wasn’t even on the playoff roster for the ALDS. He can’t be in on a clutch situation.
-
Ron Darling was really, really excited about Nathan Eovaldi being from Alvin and having the King of Alvin - Nolan Ryan - in the front row behind home plate. It consumed Darling.
-
What is happening with these catchers? It’s both sides too. You aren’t catching knuckleballers, guys! Wild pitches are one thing, but this many passed balls is ridiculous.
-
For all of Alex Bregman’s greatness at the plate, his greatness in the field deserves almost as much attention. That guy is a human vacuum. Hoovers it up and has release quickness and arm strength to make the difficult look routine. And the way Boston is pitching around him? That’s Barry Bonds stuff. The respect Alex Cora has for Bregman after watching him all last season is obvious.
-
I honestly don’t even know if Whitney Mercilus is playing for the Texans anymore. Is he wearing some type of hobbit cloak that turns him invisible or something?
-
With all of the pine tar / sunscreen videos out there and the reports about the Astros trying to spy on opposing dugouts, I’ve just come to realize that “gaining competitive advantages” is not only understood in baseball, but condoned. The sport is built on that very premise. It will never change.
-
While I wasn’t very excited about the addition of Carmelo Anthony to the Rockets roster, I would be lying if I didn’t say I was very interested in seeing how this plays out. I had some doubts about Chris Paul and James Harden sharing the ball and that was never an issue. Hope I’m wrong again.
-
The Rockets best shot at winning a title is if Clint Capela takes yet ANOTHER leap forward as an NBA talent. With all of the dunks, rebounds and blocked shots he should pile up, Capela is a sneaky All-Star candidate this year.
-
I thought Ozark Season 2 was okay, but I wasn’t in love it. I am, however, hyped to watch Making a Murderer 2 on Netflix starting October 19th.
-
Plantar fasciitis can suck the hole. Every morning when I wake up and put my right foot on the floor for the first time, it’s like I’m stepping on a nail. It stays like that for about 7-10 minutes. I hope many of the Red Sox get this.
-
I know the Jaguars have been terrible defensively over the last two games, but I don’t have great confidence that our Houston Texans can keep them reeling in that area. Houston just doesn’t matchup well against the physical nature of the Jaguars defensive front and Jalen Ramsey does a good job on Deandre Hopkins. I hope I’m wrong, but I see a bad result coming on Sunday.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
NFL insiders hint at eye-opening future for Houston Texans offense
Dec 7, 2024, 2:38 pm
C.J. Stroud faced criticism in Houston's last few games as the Texans hit a rough patch after losing just two of their first eight games.
But the second-year quarterback remained confident and his strong performance last Sunday helped the Texans (8-5) to a 23-20 win over the Jaguars to enter their bye with a two-game lead atop the AFC South.
“When he is leading and playing the way he is playing, our entire team feeds off of him,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “I am excited for his second year. I think he is showing a ton of growth, he is in a really great spot for us physically, mentally. I really love where he is and I am excited to see how he comes back after the break.”
Stroud threw for 242 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville to leave him ranked fourth in the NFL with 3,117 yards passing this season. That game came after he threw two interceptions in a 32-27 loss to Tennessee a week before for the team’s third loss in four games.
Those two interceptions brought his season total to nine, which are four more than he threw in 15 games a rookie. But the Texans aren’t worried about that statistic and believe he has grown in his second year.
“He’s made a lot of progress,” general manager Nick Caserio said. “There are some plays, like all of our players, that we probably wish he could have back, but happy he’s our quarterback, happy with what he brings to the table. ... Wouldn’t want anyone else leading this team.”
The Texans are in position to win their division for a second straight season despite dealing with several significant injuries on offense. Running back Joe Mixon missed three games early with an ankle injury and leading receiver Nico Collins was sidelined for five games with a hamstring injury.
They also lost four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs for the season when tore an ACL in Week 8.
Mixon leads the team with 887 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns and has added four touchdown receptions. His work in his first season in Houston after a trade from Cincinnati has helped the team deal with those significant injuries to the receiving corps.
Mixon ranks third in the NFL by averaging 88.7 yards rushing a game and has had at least 100 yards rushing in seven games.
Stroud has continually raved about Mixon’s contributions on and off the field.
“He’s a servant, a helper,” Stroud said. “That’s ultimately what I want to be as well. Who can I serve and how can I help? That’s ultimately what the game of football is.”
While Mixon has been the team’s most important new acquisition on offense, Danielle Hunter has been Houston’s new defensive star. The defensive end spent his first eight seasons in Minnesota before joining the Texans this year.
He has helped Houston lead the NFL with 84 tackles for loss after piling up 15 this season, which is tied for third most in the league. He also leads the Texans with 10½ sacks to help them rank second with 42.
Hunter been a great addition to a team that already had defensive end Will Anderson Jr., last year’s AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. Anderson ranks second to Hunter on the team with 13 tackles for loss and 9½ sacks.
Ryans said this week’s break is much needed for a team that opened the preseason on Aug. 1 in the Hall of Fame game.
“It’s here and we’re going to take advantage of it,” he said. “We’ve been going at it for a long time.”
The Texans need to recharge this week with a brutal stretch of three games in 10 days when they return from their bye. Houston hosts Miami on Dec. 15 before a trip to Kansas City on Dec. 21 and a visit from the Ravens on Christmas Day.
“It’s Christmas and all that, but we can’t worry about that. All we can do is focus on Miami,” Caserio said. “And then when we get through the Miami game, then we kind of turn the page to the next. ... We’re either going to earn it or we’re not. Not to oversimplify it, but that’s the truth.”
The Texans will play those game without starting linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair after he received a three-game suspension for his violent hit to the head of Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion.
Al-Shaair will be eligible to return for Houston’s regular-season finale against Tennessee.