Hey guys, it’s Ari Alexander with the Texans newsletter, and coming off an embarrassing loss on National TV, the Texans are looking for answers at 6-3.
There are plenty of big-picture positives, as Houston still leads the division and holds a tiebreaker against the only half-decent team in said division. That being said, the schedule gets tough the next few weeks and the Texans are not playing well.
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WHAT WENT WRONG?
Interior pressure is the number one thing. Left guard Kenyon Green has been among the worst pass blockers in the NFL, and now he’s out indefinitely with a shoulder injury. There isn’t a significantly better player just magically waiting in the wings, and the Texans will now have to rely on either Jarrett Patterson or Kendrick Green, barring a trade. Juice Scruggs has also gotten beat at the center position. When 40% of your offensive line is getting pushed into the pocket, the results aren’t going to be ideal. C.J. Stroud has now been sacked 31 times, 2nd-worst in the NFL. Until that gets fixed, the Texans offense is essentially non-functional.
WHO STEPS UP AT WIDE RECEIVER?
With Stefon Diggs out for the season, the Texans needed their younger players to step up and fill that role. Tank Dell did it. Dell finished with a team-high 6 catches and a game-high 126 yards on Thursday. Dell looked like the player he flashed last season before breaking his leg. Xavier Hutchinson is on the field in Texans 3-WR sets a lot, but caught 0 passes on 3 targets. John Metchie III filled in for Diggs in the slot role, and caught 0 passes on 2 targets. Not ideal. Luckily, Nico Collins is set to return vs. the Lions and the Texans will run with Collins, Dell and a mix of Metchie and Robert Woods in the slot. Woods made a long catch, finishing his day with 2 receptions for 44 yards vs. the Jets. Do the Texans need to trade for a receiver? Probably. Is it imperative? No. Is trading for a lineman imperative? Probably.
In case you missed it: Anatomy of a fail as Texans’ C.J. Stroud under constant heat: ‘Embarrassing .. Not good enough .. Same thing every week’
WHAT’S NEXT
A long week off and a Sunday Night showdown on KPRC 2 vs. the Detroit Lions, the leading team in the NFC.
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