The Houston Texans will take on the Las Vegas Raiders in Sin City on Sunday with absolutely nothing to lose. Their 1-3-1 record is reflective of the pitiful season they’ve had so far, but somehow they’ve managed to outdo the Raiders, who currently sit at 1-4.
Even with the half-game advantage in the AFC standings, Houston is sure not to be satisfied with its current position. A one-game swing in their regular season record would put them just one win from the .500 mark and could boost the Texans’ momentum ahead of their mid-season push.
Their safeties coach Joe Danna spoke to the media on Thursday and told reporters that the challenge of playing Las Vegas is not one that he takes lightly. Asked specifically about the threat presented by Davante Adams, he made it clear that the Raiders’ entire offensive cast will be a tall task for his unit to match up against.
“He presents a lot of problems,” Danna said of Adams. “They’ve got plenty of good players, not just him. That’s why they’re such a good offense. In every defense you play, there are strengths and weaknesses. Everybody’s got a job to do in each defense. As we go into Sunday from the safety position, we’ve just got to try and execute our job the best that we can.”
This meeting between two of the NFL’s worst teams is set to be more influential on each squad’s sense of pride rather than outright competitiveness in the league’s pantheon of playoff contenders. The Texans will bring their young talent into Allegiant Stadium with the intention of keeping their collective boots on the throat of the floundering Raiders, and prove that despite all the adversity they’ve faced over the last few years, they can still put on a show against a team that some thought might take a step forward before the regular season.