Since Jimmie Ward’s interception of Russell Wilson, which ended the Houston Texans’ Week 13 win over the Denver Broncos, the Texans have endured a three week period that feels like a fever dream, and most of it has been a nightmare.
Two double digit losses sandwiched around an overtime win over the Titans with Case Keenum playing quarterback have yielded a 1-2 record, a concussed franchise quarterback, and a body count on the injury report that would make most laser printers run out of ink, if you chose to hit PRINT. It’s been a rough few weeks.
However, the nightmare seems to be subsiding, and at the end of the pain and sorrow of the last few weeks, we wake up this morning with the Texans in control of their destiny to make it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2019. If they win their final two games, against the Titans and Colts, the Texans are a playoff team.
Hell, with a little help, they can still win the AFC South, with Jacksonville reeling from four consecutive losses. For now, a win over the Titans at home on Sunday is essential, and while these two teams just played two weeks ago, both teams could (and with the Texans, likely WILL) look very different on Sunday.
C.J. Stroud is expected to return to the lineup from concussion protocol, and Ryan Tannehill may start in place of Will Levis, who injured his ankle in overtime of the loss to the Texans in Week 15. Let’s get you guys a few things to watch for in Sunday’s home finale at NRG Stadium:
4. Derrick Henry with vengeance on his mind
Prior to the Week 15 game a couple weeks ago, Derrick Henry to the Texans basically represented a Godzilla like creature who would devour the Texans’ villagers twice a year. Over the previous five games before Week 15, Henry had averaged over 200 yards a game. In week 15, the Texans’ villagers decided to finally rise up and slay Godzilla, holding Henry to 10 yards from scrimmage on 20 touches, a record setting performance by the Texans’ defense. After the game, Henry sounded like he was on the verge of retiring DURING the press conference. He was defeated. He’s had a couple weeks now to process that performance, and I would imagine he is at the “seeking vengeance” stage. The Texans will need to remind Godzilla that he is dead.
3. Pass rush, Chapter Two
Stopping Henry in the Week 15 win was one thing, but the Texans’ defense also made life miserable for rookie quarterback Will Levis. Levis engineered an 83 yard touchdown drive on the opening series, and then no touchdowns, and only 121 total yards, after that. The big headache for Levis was a Texans pass rush that came from every direction to garner 7 sacks on the day, as well as 12 tackles for loss. Whether it’s Levis or the less mobile Ryan Tannehill back there under center, generating a pass rush may not be as easy this time around, with leading sack artist Jonathan Greenard nursing an ankle injury. Additionally, Will Anderson, who missed the Week 15 game, is just now out of his walking boot that was protecting his sprained ankle. They need at least one of Greenard or Anderson out there on Sunday.
2. Special teams
It seems like special teams always plays some kind of role in these clashes with the Titans. In Week 15, it was Ka’imi Fairbairn kicking four field goals, including the game winner at the gun in overtime from 54 yards. Fairbairn was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. The new no-longer-a-secret weapon on special teams for the Texans might be Dameon Pierce returning kicks. In his first action as a kick returner since high school, Pierce took a kickoff 98 yards to the house in the loss to the Browns last Sunday, and he looked pretty dangerous in his several other returns, as well. Pierce as a returner may be some nice “found money” for the texans down the stretch.
1. The return of C.J.
The Case Keenum led win over the Titans in Week 15 was a fun, gusty, necessary performance for the Texans, but we were reminded by a great Browns defense last week why Keenum is a career backup. The Texans couldn’t complete anything down the field, and Keenum was particularly jittery in the pocket, surprising for an older player like him. With Stroud back, the Titans (and Colts, next week) will have to defend the whole field. It’s still troubling that the Texans, even WITH Stroud at quarterback, have been largely ineffective offensively without Tank Dell, and that will be the challenge for Stroud the rest fo this season — find a way to make this Texans offense the explosive play machine that it was during Weeks 3 through 13 this season. Regardless, it’s great to have Stroud back. Without him, there would be no playoff chase.
SPREAD: Texans -3.5
PREDICTION: Texans 20, Titans 19
SEASON RECORD: 5-10 SU, 6-9 ATS
Listen to Sean Pendergast on SportsRadio 610 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Also, follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/SeanTPendergast, on Instagram at instagram.com/sean.pendergast, and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/SeanTPendergast.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2023.
