Friday Texans Cody Stoots Six-Pack
Texans turn corner with primetime win, but Fuller injury is a downer
Oct 26, 2018, 7:25 am
Will Fuller tore his ACL. Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images
The Texans have a bonafide winning streak and they added their first blowout win of the season to their resume. We look at it with today's six-pack.
1. This is perhaps the greatest catch that didn't count of all-time. DeAndre Hopkins makes it look easy too. He was stellar tonight with a slow start but got going, finishing with 82 yards and two catches. Hopkins had plenty to say about his catch that didn't count. "They took my catch away" was his first comment. He maintained he didn't push off and someone "owed him an apology." When asked if he was the game's best pass catcher he simply said "If y'all don't know who I am by now then don't ask me that question."
2. Deshaun Watson had his most efficient and successful game of the season. He tied his career high in touchdowns with five and did so with only 20 attempts. He had just four incompletions. He played magnificently and is clearly as healthy as he has been in weeks. He even showed his exceptional escapability on a few plays. He now has the second-most touchdown passes ever by a quarterback through his first 15 games with 34. That trails Kurt Warner who had 36. They have the same number of total touchdowns with 37 when you add rushing touchdowns.
3. The offensive line was fantastic Thursday night. They allowed zero sacks and one quarterback hit, which was on the fourth play of the game. They paved the way for Lamar Miller's first consecutive 100-yard rushing games as a Texans player. Greg Mancz has been a breath of fresh air at right guard. He should be the starter there even when Zach Fulton gets healthy. Kendall Lamm said after the game they take pride in improving and making the plays they need to make. When asked about the effective rushing attack helping the play action game Lamm exclaimed "oh man, as you can see as you watch, you can see the linebackers come down, the safeties, it puts them in conflict. They see us pounding the rock and they have to respect it and as you can see we just pick them apart. It's just a beautiful thing."
4. Will Fuller tore his ACL. He is a dynamic element to this offense. This is a major blow to the Texans as no one posses a similar enough skillset to replicate the necessary respect Fuller commands from opposing defenses. Sammie Coates and Vyncint Smith will be the two competing for snaps opposite Hopkins. It doesn't seem likely the Texans would pursue a trade with their offense being so demanding and reportedly hard to learn, but, they have an extra asset with Seattle's second-round pick this year.
5. The injuries piled up for the Texans on Thursday. Johnathan Joseph was lost early in the game and took a wait and see approach when asked about his injury. Zach Cunningham left the game and didn't return with a knee injury. His replacement, Peter Kalambayi, left with a concussion. Jadeveon Clowney got dinged up late but he said after the game he was fine and joked he forgot what he hurt. The ten-day break ahead of their contest at Denver followed by the bye week couldn't come at a better time.
6. It is the first time the Texans have won five straight games since the 2012 season where they rattled off two win streaks of at least five games. The win streak didn't start in the most impressive way but it has turned into a nice showing with the Texans eliminating more and more mistakes. There are still a few shortcomings on this team but they are playing complete football the past two games which is a rarity for them. If they continue playing like Thursday there aren't many teams they can't hang with on their schedule.
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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.