Week 2 Houston @ Cincinnati GTD

[PAtexansFAN23]

If you’d have told me a couple weeks ago that Deshaun Watson would have more tackles than JJ Watt at this point I’da been like psh.. yea right.

 

Jags served up summa that fresh humble pie last Sunday. Very unsettling. Not only was our offensive line even worse than I’d imagined it could be, but also our supposedly great defensive front was unable to generate any pressure allowing PTSD Bortles to creep into the daylight to the tune of 11 completions at 6.0 yards a clip.

If we can’t beat the Jaguars, then those 9-7s turn into 7-9 or worse. And if we can win the AFC South with Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett, TJ Yates, and Brandon Weeden at QB, then I could definitely see the Jags doing it with Bortles.

HOWEVER..

 

 

That’s right. It’s week two and we’ve still got hope to cling to! And we’ve got the Bengals this week! And they’re still running with Andy Dalton and Marvin Lewis! The Texans first time clinching playoffs, winning our first playoff game, winning our second playoff game, turning our season around on Monday Night, clinching last year.. They always play us pretty close, and usually ultimately lose a lower scoring bruiser of a game. OBs squad did lose to em in 2014 though, and we should’ve lost to them last year.

 

KEYS TO THE GAME

 

1) Find our groove defensively. This is priority #1 and it’s not close. We gotta get that defense goin. And they can’t just be middle of the pack either because we’ll win 4-5 games this year if we’re LUCKY if that’s what they are. We need a top defense. Vrabel’d better be a fast learner or RAC might have to shuffle his old *** back down to the sideline.

 

2) Stop the turnover bleeding. If our defense is who they said they were gonna be, we might be able to get sacked ten times and still win a game. Probably not, but like maybe 7 sacks? I dunno, my point is that I can live with sacks, but turnovers break backs. Heh, I’m a poet and I had no clue.

 

3) Offensive creativity. I’ll guarantee right now that Watson is our starting QB Thursday Night. After watching the OB’s monday presser when he gave the whole best decision for the team spiel.. I’m pretty sure that’s what it’s gonna be. That being said the question remains, will he continue to try and force square shaped pegs into Tom Brady shaped holes? OR will he acknowledge that he doesn’t have the offensive line to play offense like he likes to, and then design an offense with some more misdirection that takes full advantage of Watson’s specific skillset? Apparently all 3 of our TEs will be inactive with concussions, which sucks but in a way could turn out positively for us in that it will necessitate some offensive creativity for a change.

 

The quick turnaround seems rough considering all of our injuries, but at the same time its a great opportunity to turn the page on one of the most disappointing Texans games I care to remember.

[UKTexans]

Silver lining, the Bengals were shut out last week. 

[Johnny Nix]

Be gentle 

[ET80]

59 minutes ago, johndeere1707 said:

Be gentle 

That's what we do. Like wet one ply. Soft and pillowy, like my daughter's plush toys.

Thinking about this - this past Sunday, the Texans were physically dominated from start to finish on both sides of the ball. The concussions, the lack of pressure on Bortles, the lack of time for Watson and Savage. It was a physical beating that I haven't seen on a professional football field. 

Now, what's the one thing we did this offseason? Went to some country club resort, where players went fly fishing, coaches played golf, everyone had shrimp and steak at the boathouse...as much of a vacation as it was a training camp.

The Jags? They basically had an old school Tom Coughlin party. They showed up in the Florida heat and humidity, were handed their pads, told "ok, don't care who you hit - hit somebody until you're numb." Then they went to sleep, woke up the next morning, hit someone again. Rinse, repeat.

It showed on Sunday. The Texans were incredibly soft, and it starts back at that little vacation they took while others were hitting the snot out of one another. The Jags were viciously physical, and punched the Texans in the face pretty much the entire day.

[Texansfan713]

Texans didn't show up on Sunday. I sure as heck don't expect them to show up on 3 days rest on a road game vs Cincy. If Savage is starting I wont watch a single minute of the game. 

[Pastor Dillon]

I am glad we are playing so quickly, but man we left that game beat up.

Cushing, Ellington and all 3 TEs will be out this week.

That basically leaves us with the only option of going to a spread offense, which is custom made for Watson

Foreman and Miller will split time at RB

Hopkins, Strong, Miller and Ervin will run the 4 WRs 

Clark/Filo/Martin/Mancz/Giacomini will be the line, because it looks like Allen will miss the game as well.

 

We are beat up badly, but at least we have a 10 day break to get some of these guys back

 

honestly I dont want Cushing back. I want to see a starting D of 

Watt/Reader/Clowney

Mercilus/Cunningham/McKinney/Scarlett

Jackson/JJoe/Moore/Hal

 

Kevin Johnson didnt practice yesterday either and he sucked badly Sunday anyway. Clowney has to move back to DE where he was decent last year. He is just not an OLB. Watt really has me worried because sometimes guys are just not hte same after back surgery and hes looking like hes not going to be the same. 

[ET80]

58 minutes ago, Pastor Dillon said:

Foreman and Miller will split time at RB

This absolutely needs to happen if our OL is as bad as it is. One thing that can be done to aide a bad OL? Grind out against the DL with a 240lb bowling ball. Get three yards and a cloud of dust up the gut. Physically punish the Bengals front seven and watch how pass protection gets better as the game goes on because guys are simply getting pounded into the ground. No fancy trap/pull schemes, no stretch option stuff - just line up and piledrive the guy in front of you until they start getting rubber legs, then look for short passing plays with slants, digs and crosses.

It's not going to be exciting football, unless Foreman breaks to the next level (which can happen). It's very methodical, very blue collar football. It's basics right now.

And, it's what we need.

[ET80]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000844164/article/texans-to-start-qb-deshaun-watson-at-bengals

Looks like Watson got every snap on Tuesday. Pretty sure he's the guy on Thursday.

[Pastor Dillon]

Injury report seems to indicate that Allen will not be playing. 

 

Any word on whether we have signed another TE?

 

watson was listed as a full participant. He has to be the guy 

[berlin calling]

so with all of your TE out, is it safe to assume Watt will get some offensive snaps again? Only half joking to be honest.

[berlin calling]

PS do us a favour and beat the Bengals. 

[Texansfan713]

37 minutes ago, berlin calling said:

so with all of your TE out, is it safe to assume Watt will get some offensive snaps again? Only half joking to be honest.

I sure as heck hope not.

[ET80]

2 hours ago, berlin calling said:

so with all of your TE out, is it safe to assume Watt will get some offensive snaps again? Only half joking to be honest.

Well, Watt apparently broke his finger to the point where bone was exposed. He's a full participant, but I'd imagine a finger broken that bad probably inhibits the ability to catch a football.

[fluhartz]

You guys are fine.. you have beat us with a rookie QB before (we make them look good), it's a night game (usually doesn't go well) and I think the Bengals o-line will make any defense look good this year.

 

Hope I'm wrong and good luck (I don't mean that)

 

WhoDey!!

[Apollo Stallion]

As I predicted last week, the Bills cut TJ Yates this week with an injury settlement, so he is there for the taking.  3-0 career record as Texans QB vs. the Bengals including 2 regular season road victories (one in prime time) and 1 playoff win.  Just a silly "Bengal Killer" reference, but in case you need a reminder of just how awful Bill O'Brien's teams have been on the road outside of our division, Yates owns 1 of 3 total road victories for this team in O'Brien's 3 year tenure.  It is worth repeating that O'Briens teams are 4-6, 4-6, 5-5 overall outside our division and 0-6, 1-5, 2-4 on the road - our 9-7 records have included only 1 division loss the past two seasons and 2 in 2014.  Losing AT HOME to a Jags team that has been 11-37 overall (with only 2 road wins) the past three seasons not only means that we have to win every other division game to keep pace with last year, but also do something we did NOT do all season last year - win a non division game on the road - JUST to have a chance to get back to 9-7. I count the Bengals as one of our ONLY chances of winning outside the division on the road this year as NE, SEA are near certain losses, BALT is pretty close, and even LA RAMS looks tough especially with their front 7 & running game comparable or better than the Jags.

Doomsday predictions after 1 week of football are as silly as people who burn their fantasy waiver budgets on 3rd string WRs who score 2 TDs in week 1, but if the Texans lose this week, the CEILING for this season is 7-9 with 6-10, 5-11 entirely possible as Steelers & Chiefs look like certain home losses and we'll certainly be road dogs in Tenn and Jax at this point (and play Luck/Colts in Nov/Dec vs. Tolzien/Brissett Colts in Sept/Oct).  Must win in week 2 - O'Brien's road history says yep.  1-5, 0-6 at bye is absolutely in the cards with a loss this week and I doubt O'Brien survives, which I am beginning to suspect may have been Rick's plan all along.