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Why drafting outside the Top 5 isn't necessarily a bad thing for Texans
Nov 24, 2021, 5:25 pm
The Texans need help at every position. Composite image by Jack Brame.
The Texans pulled off an improbable win over the Titans. Their second win of the season was crazy because they were outgained by 230 yards, but won the turnover battle by five. This was similar to their 2002 win over the Steelers when they won 24-6 after being outgained by 375 yards. They got five turnovers in that game too, but turned it over twice themselves. Should've been so much worse.
At 2-8, they're currently in the third or fourth draft slot due to them beating the Jags in the first game of the season. If they beat the Jets, they'll move into the lower half of the top 10. While there are some who think the team winning will hurt the rebuild (my own hand raised high), there's reason to believe the wins will not come back to haunt them come draft season.
I know what you're thinking: How can Jermaine think the wins are hurting their draft chances, and then write an article saying the wins won't hurt their chances? Simple. This is what happens when you can have a viewpoint, but be able to look objectively at something, hear another viewpoint, and still be able to argue for or against either side. Society should try it if we're going to save ourselves from ourselves.
One thing I like about potentially drafting outside the top five is the amount of talented players that will be able to come in and help this team from day one. The Texans' roster is so depleted, pretty sure I could make the roster if I were back in playing shape. Whether it's corner, safety, linebacker, defensive line, offensive line, receiver, tight end, or running back, this team needs an upgrade at every position. With this quarterback class being weak as far as finding a franchise guy, maybe drafting lower will help them take the best available player.
Another thing I like about drafting lower is the ability to fill several key positions before finding a franchise quarterback. Putting talent in place and getting them experience before finding your franchise quarterback will help said quarterback when he's finally put in place. Instead of trying to learn and grow alongside guys with similar experience, the new quarterback could grow faster if guys around him are up to speed and able to assist in that growth. Check the recent history of guys who were able to come in and play quarterback on veteran rosters, and there are more success stories.
All, or most, of this is predicated upon trading their former franchise quarterback. That trade is widely expected to bring in a king's ransom of draft picks and/or players. If that trade brings in some young talented players, that'll lessen the need to draft that specific position. If those draft picks are spread over a couple drafts, the team can always package those picks to move up and take their franchise quarterback. Or, if there's another disgruntled franchise quarterback on another team that wants out, the team could make a move to trade for him. This would work out well if they had at least one offseason to restock the talent pool and make this team more attractive to potential targets.
The main thing this all hinges on is Nick Caserio making the right moves and pulling the right triggers in order to reshape this roster into a playoff contender. The right trades, free agent signings, re-signings, releases, and all the other moves necessary. So far, I'm not as impressed overall, but that can change. This win, and any other wins they may get this season, won't hurt their chances at rebuilding quicker. It could even help boost some players' confidence that will be sticking around past this season. Sunday, May 1, 2022, will be the first day we can start to judge what Caserio can do and what this team will look like moving forward. Until then, we wait.
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How these 3 critical factors could swing battle between Texans and Jets
Oct 30, 2024, 3:06 pm
The Jets host the Texans and their scary defense on Halloween night! Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.
Houston (6-2) at New York Jets (2-6)
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT, Amazon Prime
BetMGM NFL odds: Jets by 2.
Against the spread: Texans 3-4-1; Jets 2-6.
Series record: Jets lead 7-3.
Last meeting: Jets beat Texans 30-6 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Dec. 10, 2023.
Last week: Texans beat Colts 23-20; Jets lost to Patriots 25-22.
Texans offense: overall (9t), rush (18), pass (8), scoring (14).
Texans defense: overall (2), rush (13), pass (3), scoring (15t).
Jets offense: overall (24), rush (30), pass (13), scoring (25).
Jets defense: overall (4), rush (17), pass (2), scoring (11t).
Turnover differential: Texans plus-4; Jets minus-3.
Texans player to watch
RB Joe Mixon. He has carried Houston's offense in the three games since he returned from an injury and could be even more important this week after wide receiver Stefon Diggs tore the ACL in his right knee last Sunday and is out for the season. Mixon ranks third in the NFL by averaging 100.6 yards rushing a game and has had at least 100 yards rushing and a TD run in three straight games.
Jets player to watch
Edge rusher Haason Reddick. After ending his lengthy contract holdout early last week, Reddick made his Jets debut and played 26 snaps on defense with two quarterback pressures while working mostly on third downs. His snaps might increase a bit Thursday and he could help the Jets get after C.J. Stroud, who has been sacked 22 times this season — tied for third most in the NFL.
Key matchup
Jets offensive line vs. Texans' pass rush. New York has had issues this season with injuries, consistency and protecting Aaron Rodgers. The Jets will face a tough test Thursday night against the Texans, whose 27 sacks are third in the NFL. DE Will Anderson Jr. is tied for third in the league with a career-high 7 1/2 sacks, including at least one in his past three games. DE Danielle Hunter has 5 1/2 sacks and DT Tim Settle has four, powering a formidable defensive front for Houston. Hunter leads the league with 51 quarterback pressures and Anderson is fourth with 39, the only teammates in the top 15, according to Next Gen Stats.
Key injuries
Diggs' injury leaves Houston without its top two receivers. Nico Collins, who leads the Texans with 567 yards receiving, is out for at least one more game after being placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. ... S Calen Bullock was limited in practice Monday and Tuesday after injuring his shoulder Sunday. … LBs Azeez Al-Shaair (knee) and Henry To’oTo’o (concussion) both missed the Colts game, but could return this week. … S Jimmie Ward could miss a fifth straight game with a groin injury. … LG Jarrett Patterson is in the concussion protocol and is likely out. … RB Dameon Pierce missed practice this week with a groin injury. ... Jets LB C.J. Mosley suffered a stinger in his neck during pregame warmups at New England and was meeting with neck and spine specialists this week. ... RG Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle), WR Allen Lazard (chest), DL Leki Fotu (knee) and safeties Tony Adams (hamstring) and Ashtyn Davis (concussion) all missed the game vs. the Patriots and their availability for this week was uncertain. ... K Greg Zuerlein was placed on IR. Riley Patterson and Spencer Shrader were signed to the practice squad, and one will be promoted for the game.
Series notes
The Jets have won the past two meetings. ... New York won the first five meetings, including the first game between the franchises in 2003, when LaMont Jordan's late 8-yard touchdown run helped lift the Jets to a 19-14 victory. ... Zach Wilson threw two touchdown passes in the most recent meeting, a 30-6 rout by New York during which Stroud left with a concussion.
Stats and stuff
The AFC South-leading Texans have won four of their past five. ... Stroud is 2-0 with three touchdowns and zero interceptions in two career starts in prime time. He had 285 yards passing last week for his ninth career game with at least that many yards passing, which is tied for second most in the NFL since 2023. ... WR Tank Dell had a touchdown reception last week and has a TD catch in two of his past three games. ... TE Dalton Schultz had a season-high 52 yards receiving against the Colts. He has two TD receptions in each of his past two Thursday night games. ... Hunter has 10½ sacks in eight career Thursday night games. … LB Neville Hewitt, who spent the 2018-21 seasons with the Jets, forced a fumble last week. … Rookie CB Kamari Lassiter had a career-high three passes defended last week. … S Jalen Pitre had his first interception of the season last week. ... S Eric Murray had seven tackles and a season-high three passes defended last week. ... New York is trying to snap a five-game skid. ... Jeff Ulbrich is 0-3 as the Jets’ interim head coach since replacing the fired Robert Saleh on Oct. 8. Ulbrich, also the team's defensive coordinator, said earlier this week he'll continue to call plays on defense. … Rodgers snapped a streak of three consecutive games with an interception. He has seven in eight games, six shy of his single-season career high set in 2008 in his first year as Green Bay’s starting quarterback. ... Rodgers hasn't passed for 300 yards since throwing for 341 against Chicago on Dec. 12, 2021 — a span of 30 regular-season games and 31 overall, including one playoff game. ... WR Garrett Wilson leads the NFL with 84 targets, 11 more than the Giants’ Malik Nabers. Wilson’s 51 receptions are second in the league behind Las Vegas’ Brock Bowers, who has 52. ... WR Davante Adams had four catches for 54 yards, giving him seven receptions for 84 yards in two games since being acquired from the Raiders. ... Second-year WR Xavier Gipson caught his first career TD pass last Sunday. ... TE Tyler Conklin has a TD catch in consecutive games after not having one since catching two TD passes in Week 8 of the 2022 season against New England. ... RB Breece Hall has 316 yards receiving, the most among NFL running backs. ... Edge rusher Will McDonald has eight sacks, second in the NFL to the Giants’ Dexter Lawrence (nine). … The Jets have only six takeaways, ranking among the fewest in the league. Backup CB Brandin Echols has New York's only two interceptions.
Fantasy tip
Houston wide receiver John Metchie is coming off a career-best three-catch game and could see more targets — and perhaps his first NFL touchdown — with both Diggs and Collins out. Might be worth a stash as a potential WR3.
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