The Denver Broncos pulled a huge upset in Week 14, beating the Houston Texans by a score of 38-24. Here are takeaways from the game.
The Denver Broncos pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the 2019 season when they went into Houston and easily defeated the Texans on Sunday.
It was a strong performance all the way around despite the Texans being able to post plenty of garbage time points. The game was nowhere near as close as the final score would indicate (38-24).
There was plenty to take away from this game.
1. Drew Lock appears to be for real
(Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)
Fans were skeptical after Lock helped lead the Broncos to win over the Los Angeles Chargers but skeptical with plenty of hope. Hope overshadowed by skepticism should start to fade following this performance.
Lock looks great. He throws the ball with much more zip than either of the other quarterbacks the Broncos started ahead of him this season and seems to be much more of a playmaker.
He completed 22-of-27 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns in the game. His numbers would have been even bigger if the Broncos didn’t take such a conservative approach in the second half.
Best of all is seeing Lock’s teammates react to him. They all seem like they really want to play for this guy.
2. Why did the team wait so long to play Lock?
(Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports)
The Broncos kept Lock on injured reserve with a thumb injury sustained in the preseason and it really seemed questionable as to whether or not they would even take him off of it this season.
It’s a really good thing they did.
But the team continually insinuated that he just wasn’t ready to be on the field (but Brandon Allen was). He’s either been ready for a while or he picked things up really, really quickly.
How many more wins might the team have if it turned to him quicker? Like it or not, after these last two games, it’s a fair question to ask.
The Houston Texans showed in the 38-24 loss to the Denver Broncos Sunday that handling success can be just as difficult as overcoming a loss.
It isn’t accurate to say that the Houston Texans’ 38-24 loss to the Denver Broncos Sunday at NRG Stadium was as equal in magnitude as their 28-22 win over the New England Patriots the week before on a national stage.
However, it is accurate to say that the Texans didn’t handle well the success that came with beating the best team in the AFC.
A win over two of the best in the game ever, coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady, with the Patriots at 10-1, would be enough to spark a winning streak that could get the Texans in the conversation of obtaining a first-round bye with a 12-4 finish.
Now, the Texans will be in the midst of a battle for the AFC South championship as they have two games with the pesky Tennessee Titans, who are 7-5 entering Week 14.
The Texans had success against rookie quarterbacks in the Bill O’Brien era with Romeo Crennel as defensive coordinator. Try a 12-1 record, including playoffs. However, Broncos quarterback Drew Lock played like anything but a rookie completing 22 passes on 27 attempts for 309 yards and three touchdowns. The second-round pick from Missouri earned the right to notch a crooked number in Crennel’s ledger against rookie quarterbacks while with Houston.
Denver was out of the playoffs with a 4-8 record. They had nothing to play for, and they should have been rolled over. Perhaps a little momentum went the Broncos’ way in pregame when outside linebacker Von Miller was declared active and Texans No. 2 wideout Will Fuller was deemed inactive with a hamstring injury. Nonetheless, a team that found a way to beat the best team in the conference should have found a way to beat a team fighting to not finish last in the AFC West.
The mantra after the 41-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11 was that they could quickly forget about it because they had a Thursday night encounter with the Indianapolis Colts. Houston responded with a 20-17 win that nullified the Colts’ tiebreaker over the Texans.
It seems that after a big win against New England, the sweetness lingered in the Texans’ mouths a little too long, and left them anesthetized and ripe for a beating from Denver.
Should the Texans beat the Titans in Week 15, it is possible it could happen again as Houston travels to Tampa Bay for a Week 16 tilt. If so, the Texans will have to be on guard as a slip up at that point could put even more pressure on their Week 17 rematch with Tennessee.
On Sunday, the Houston Texans will host the Denver Broncos. Here are their keys to victory, according to Deshaun Watson, Bill O’Brien and Co.
Sunday’s tilt with the 4-8 Denver Broncos is less intimidating for the 8-4 Houston Texans than their Week 13 matchup with the then-10-1 New England Patriots. However, it’s still a must-win game with the AFC South division not yet clinched.
The Texans currently check-in as a playoff team. To continue that high-status, besting the Broncos would need to happen. Here is they can do so, from the players and coaches.
Bill O’Brien: Stay disciplined against the run
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
The Texans saw the Broncos in 2018. In Denver, Houston defeated them 19-17, in large part due to their ability to stop the run.
The Texans limited the Broncos to 75 yards and a touchdown on 20 rush attempts. Running back Phillip Lindsay, who would go onto a Pro-Bowl appearance, recorded 60 yards on 17 attempts, good for 3.5 yards per rush.
How will the Texans repeat their rush defense performance? Coach Bill O’Brien explains.
“I think any time you talk about the running game, it’s always about discipline. It starts with discipline, it starts with being able to set the edge of the defense,” said O’Brien on Wednesday. “It starts with good fundamentals upfront, low pads, good footwork, good hand placement, gap control, good gap control, being able to recognize what the scheme is when the ball’s snapped. Hopefully we can do that. They do lot of different things in the running game. Mike Munchak, as you know, is their line coach, does a great job. It’s going to be a challenging day relative to the run because they do a good job of running the football.”
Offensive line coach and Houston Oilers great Mike Munchak has molded the Broncos’ power-rush attack, which ranks 16th in the NFL with 108.3 rush yards per game.
Saturday’s Big 10 Championship features running backs Jonathan Taylor and J.K. Dobbins. If they need a running back, the Houston Texans should watch.
The Houston Texans have gotten production out of their rushing new duo of Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson. Both in their first years in Houston, Hyde has run for 853 yards and four touchdowns on 4.6 yards per attempt. Johnson has acted as a complementary back, tallying 679 scrimmage yards and four total touchdowns on 6.5 yards per touch.
Based on production alone, the Texans should be happy with their running back position.
However, Hyde is a free agent at the end of the season. Though a revelation for the Texans’ offense, signing the 29-year-old to a new deal could make the Bill O’Brien-led front office pause. Johnson is under contract, but he has yet to play a lead-back role in the NFL.
Queue the 2020 NFL Draft. Specifically, queue Jonathan Taylor and J.K. Dobbins.
On Saturday, Taylor and Dobbins will meet each other for the second time of the 2019 college football season, in a matchup between Taylor’s No. 8-ranked Wisconsin Badgers and Dobbins’ No. 1-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. The game: the Big 10 Championship.
The Texans should have their eyes peeled for multiple reasons — each team boasts an array of prospects. However, they should key-in on both Taylor and Dobbins, as each is draft eligible. If Houston is looking for a running back, either of the two will suit their needs with their second-round pick; if, of course, they slip to the second.
The Houston Texans and Denver Broncos square off at NRG Stadium Sunday. Jon Heath from Broncos Wire provides a preview in “Behind Enemy Lines.”
The Houston Texans and Denver Broncos get ready for a Week 14 showdown at NRG Stadium, and Jon Heath, managing editor for the Broncos Wire, gets Texans fans ready for the game with a look behind enemy lines.
Texans Wire: Did Broncos fans expect the season to go this way?
Jon Heath: Every team has its overly optimistic fans and overly pessimistic fans. If you asked the average (generally realistic) fan for a win-loss record in August, they probably would have guessed 8-8 or 9-7. A .500 season is still possible, but very unlikely. Vic Fangio is a defensive guru and he has delivered there. Denver’s biggest weakness at the beginning of the year was QB play and fans are hoping Drew Lock will solve that problem.
TW: How has Kareem Jackson worked out for Denver? He was a fan favorite in Houston.
Denver wasn’t quite sure where he was going to line up at the beginning of the year but after Jackson settled in at safety, he has been brilliant. He has teamed up with Justin Simmons to give the Broncos their best safety duo since T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart helped the team win Super Bowl 50 in 2015. With Simmons, Chris Harris and Will Parks all set to become free agents in 2020, Jackson looks like a player who will be a crucial member of the secondary even beyond this season.
TW: How has Phillip Lindsay performed in light of his season-ending injury a year ago?
JH: Lindsay seems to have fully recovered from his wrist injury and is on pace for a 1,021-yard, seven-touchdown season. Lindsay earned a Pro Bowl nod last year after rushing for 1,037 yards and nine touchdowns. So. his production is pretty similar to last year despite the fact that Royce Freeman is stealing more touches. In 2018, Freeman got 144 touches in 14 games. This year, Freeman has 142 touches through 12 games.
TW: Does John Elway have too much ego as a HOF quarterback to truly figure out the club’s QB situation?
JH: I’m not sure if his ego is getting in the way but Elway has swung and missed on Brock Osweiler and Paxton Lynch as draft picks and on Case Keenum and Joe Flacco as free agent signings. If Lock doesn’t help turn things around in 2020, Elway might just strike out as GM in Denver.
TW: What’s the one thing the Broncos are doing really well right now? Even teams out of contention by December develop really solid, dominating aspects of their game that can beat playoff-bound teams if they’re not careful.
JH: Denver has had three different starting quarterbacks this season and all of them have done one thing right: throw the ball to Courtland Sutton. The second-year receiver has 54 catches for 906 yards and six touchdowns so far and seemingly no cornerback has been able to cover him one-on-one this season. If defenses double-team Sutton, it creates opportunities for other players. If defenses leave Sutton one-on-one, it’s usually a mismatch.
TW: do you have a prediction and a bold prediction?
JH: The Broncos have had a lot of close games this year and might be a better team than their record suggests. Even with that being the case, though, Lock will have some growing pains as a rookie QB and it’s never easy to win on the road.
Bold prediction: Von Miller recovers from his knee injury and sacks Deshaun Watson three times. Unfortunately for Denver, that won’t be enough to get a win. Texans, 24-17.
The Nets have a decision to make with Wilson Chandler returning soon. The decision is a little more complicated than it first seemed to be.
On December 15, the Brooklyn Nets will essentially acquire a new player. Only, it’s a player they already have under contract.
The date marks then end of Wilson Chandler’s 25-game suspension for testing positive for the performance-enhancing substance Ipamorelin. Chandler’s suspension allowed Brooklyn to carry a 16th player on the roster, but the Nets can no longer do so when the forward returns.
With the extra slot, the Nets signed Iman Shumpert. But he’s not going anywhere. He’s been a vital defensive piece since he arrived.
David Nwaba might’ve been another candidate, but he’s changed the conversation, as well.
That second unit, I thought, was fantastic. Started with Shump. Then David Nwaba, I thought, was really good. Then DeAndre [Jordan] was incredible tonight. They really picked it up, really got our energy going.
If Nwaba is a lock to stay — which it seems he is — the logical move is to part ways with one of their two-way players, Henry Ellenson or Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, then waive either Theo Pinson or Dzana Musa and re-sign whoever they waive to a two-way deal.
Titleholder Jermall Charlo may be the most talented fighter in the stacked middleweight division. The problem? He has yet to prove it.
OPINION
Titleholder Jermall Charlo may be the most talented fighter in the stacked middleweight division. The problem? He has yet to prove it. And when he takes on Dennis Hogan on Saturday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, he won’t be any closer to doing so.
Both fighters made weight today. Charlo weighed in at 159¾ pounds and Hogan, with plenty of room to spare, at 158½ pounds.
Of course, Hogan (28-2-1, 7 knockouts) is a career junior middleweight who is making his debut at the 160-pound limit. That, in a nutshell, should tell you how difficult it has been for Charlo to match up with the top fighters at middleweight; he needed to entice a junior middleweight to step up as an opponent.
Granted, Hogan, an Irishman who resides in Australia, is coming off a controversial loss to Jaime Munguia in a match he appeared to have done enough to win. Hogan’s team immediately pursued a rematch, but Munguia’s brain trust had other ideas. Still, putting forth a convincing effort against a defensively porous fighter like Munguia (perhaps one of the most overrated titleholders in recent memory) is one thing; doing it against a fighter of Charlo’s caliber is an altogether different proposition.
Kevin Hogan (right) probably isn’t the type of opponent who will take Jermall Charlo to the next level. Stephanie Trapp / Showtime
Indeed, a Charlo (29-0, 21 KOs) victory is hardly in doubt, but it’s not clear what it will do for the Houston native’s career. To wit, Charlo’s middleweight run has consisted of Jorge Sebastian Heiland, Hugo Centeno Jr., Matvey Korobov and Brandon Adams. Hardly breathtaking. Aside from the Korobov fight – one in which many observers had Korobov winning – many of Charlo’s fights at middleweight are little more than showcases.
In many ways, Charlo’s predicament bears some comparison to that of Terence Crawford, the welterweight titleholder who currently faces a dearth of quality opponents on his end of the stratified boxing landscape, over at Top Rank/ESPN. Most of the best welterweights fight under the Premier Boxing Champions banner, which does business exclusively with Showtime and Fox. Likewise, the other middleweight titleholders all fight exclusively on DAZN, including Canelo Alvarez, Gennadiy Golovkin and Demetrius Andrade, and it’s not clear whether Charlo can ever get those fights. That’s a shame considering Charlo built his name off of one of the most impressive knockouts in the past few years, his fifth round stoppage of Julian Williams, in what was his last fight at junior middleweight.
Surely, though, if the unification matchups are out of reach, there should be better options for Charlo than the likes of Hogan, Adams and Centeno. To that end, hard-hitting British contender Chris Eubank Jr., who fights Korobov on the same card Saturday night, may prove to be an attractive possibility. That fight would be intriguing and it would certainly sell, especially in Eubank’s native England. Moreover, Eubank would offer a far sterner test for Charlo than his recent opponents did. But there is no guarantee that Eubank even gets passed Korobov, a skilled, if somewhat shopworn southpaw who landed a surprising number of left hand leads against Charlo. Eubank has struggled with dexterous boxers in the past, namely Billy Joe Saunders and George Groves.
For Charlo, a Eubank win, at least in the interim, may represent the only meaningful step forward in his career.
Chris Eubank Jr and Matvey Korobov also made weight for their middleweight bout that will top the undercard. Eubank weighed in at 159 1/2 pounds, Korobov at 159.
Also, Marlon Tapales and Ryosuke Iwasa both weighed in at 121 1/2 pounds for their 12-round junior featherweight bout.
The Knicks have parted ways with David Fizdale — once again proving the Nets were the right choice for Kyrie irving and Kevin Durant.
Unstable.
It’s not always easy to define a major brand like the New York Knicks in one word, but unstable perfectly encapsulates James Dolan’s franchise.
David Fizdale’s firing is just another example of what a mess New York’s basketball team has become.
During his 104-game run as Knicks head coach, Fizdale never had a competitive roster. The front office was busy trying to make space for Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Of course, the Knicks failed in their efforts, leaving New York to look toward the future — thus putting Fizdale in a spot where it was even tougher to win games.
Knicks fired coach David Fizdale, league source tells ESPN.
Yet, just days before Knicks brass decided it was time to move on from Fizdale, Durant and Irving received criticism for electing to sign with the Brooklyn Nets over the Knicks.
Not sure why the Knicks allowed David Fizdale to run a practice before firing him.
As New York native and longtime rapper Fat Joe put it, Durant and Irving “didn’t want that smoke.”
There’s certainly a different vibe with the Knicks versus the Nets. One has direction, the other one is the Knicks.
And if the Knicks are willing to solely blame Fizdale for their miserable run during his time, who knows how bad things could’ve been for Durant or Irving if they chose to call the Garden their home.
Receiving criticism from fans and media with high expectations is one thing. Dealing with unreasonable expectations in-house, well, that’s something no one wants to sign up for.
The Brooklyn Nets can’t afford to drop either of their upcoming games against the Charlotte Hornets.
On Sunday, the Nets have to face the always challenging Denver Nuggets. But Brooklyn has one more matchup before taking on Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic again: the Charlotte Hornets.
Actually, oddly enough, the game against Denver is sandwiched between a pair of games against Charlotte, first on the road, then back at Barclays Center on Wednesday (December 11).
As the Nets try to stay over .500 after their slow start to 2019-20, they have to take both of these games. The close proximity of the matchups does make things more challenging, but Brooklyn has to find a way to win both games against the Hornets. They truly can’t afford to take the night off in either game.
Now, an added emphasis on winning these games isn’t because the Hornets are inclined to steal a game or two. Of course, any win is helpful, but the issue is Brooklyn has a tough slate ahead.
In addition to Denver, the Nets visit the Toronto Raptors, then host the Philadelphia 76ers. Then, after four winnable games, the Nets face six playoff-caliber teams over the span of seven games, including the Houston Rockets and Miami Heat.
Knocking off lesser opponents is always a must, but when there’s a daunting stretch on the horizon, good teams always take advantage of the weak spots in their schedule — which is exactly what both games against the Hornets are for the Nets.
The Houston Texans defeated the New England Patriots 28-22 on Sunday night. Let’s take a gander at the snap counts from the upset win.
The Houston Texans slayed the dragon on Sunday Night Football, beating the, now 10-2, New England Patriots to move to 8-4 on the season, in turn, gaining full control of the AFC South and the AFC’s third seed.
Despite the Patriots winning the yardage and time of possession battles, the Texans won the game handily, though a six-point win doesn’t depict that. Outside of garbage time stat-padding, the Texans were dominant against a team they have struggled with since the conception of the franchise.
The Texans were able to get the win despite missing three starters. Right tackle Tytus Howard (injured reserve – MCL), cornerback Gareon Conley (hip) and outside linebacker Brennan Scarlett (shoulder) did not play. Let’s take a gander at the snap counts, which showed the impact of losing the three.
Without Howard, the Texans rotated their right tackles, with Chris Clark and Roderick Johnson each receiving snaps. Clark got the start and saw 61% (34) of snaps, with Johnson got 39% (22).
The line allowed three sacks for 16 yards on the night, two of which weren’t solely their fault. They struggled to help out the run-game, as Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson ran for just 53 yards on 19 combined attempts.
Secondary
Houston has employed Jahleel Addae as their nickel safety for much of the 2019 campaign. That didn’t happen on Sunday, as he played just three defense snaps (3%).
Addae’s lack of usage likely correlates with Houston’s willingness to run four cornerbacks with the return of Bradley Roby. Romeo Crennel masterfully schemed up his gameplan to have slot cornerbacks covering running backs. In turn, Roby played 98% of snaps (85) and Vernon Hargreaves played 84% (73).
Lonnie Johnson saw 38 snaps (44%). Johnathan Joseph received 77 (89%). The Texans played with four cornerbacks, having Johnson as their fourth. The re-addition of Gareon Conley should make things interesting.
Front-seven
With Scarlett out, the Texans turned to Jacob Martin to produce as an edge-rusher. The investment paid off, as he tallied 1.5 sacks, three quarterback hits and a tackle for loss in 45 snaps (52%).
Charles Omenihu continues to slowly eek his way into a starter role as a base defender. He saw his most snaps as a defender on Sunday, playing in 63 (72%). Last week, he saw an uptick in snaps going from 30% of snaps the week before to 43%.
Barkevious Mingo received defensive snaps with Scarlett not playing, specifically 17 (20%). On the Patriots’ first drive, he warranted an unnecessary roughness penalty, giving New England a first.
Offensive skill positions
Keke Coutee, again, was a healthy scratch. The Texans ran with DeAndre Hopkins, Will Fuller and Kenny Stills for the majority of their snaps. DeAndre Carter played sparingly, receiving seven snaps (12%).
The Texans continue to increase tight end Jordan Thomas’ snap count. The second-year Mississippi State man doubled his snap counts from Week 12 (seven) to 13 (14 – 25%). Darren Fells and Jordan Akins played the majority.
Duke Johnson edged out Carlos Hyde for running back snaps, playing 38 (68%) compared to Hyde’s 21 (38%). His increased usage correlated to the game plan, as he was Watson’s check down option (five receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown) and also hauled in the game’s first touchdown.
Going forward, the Texans will host the 4-8 Denver Broncos on Sunday, Dec. 8. Expect differing snap counts with Conley and Scarlett expected to return by then.
