Tag: andrew beck

How Texans QB C.J. Stroud can rock Jim Schwartz’s Browns defense

Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud vs. Jim Schwartz’s Browns defense is one of the best matchups of wild-card weekend. Here’s how it could play out.

Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik comes from the Kyle Shanahan tree, so you know that he wants to fool your defense with personnel. Slowik had been a defensive assistant and passing game coordinator under Shanahan both in Washington and San Francisco, so if there’s a 49ers-ish tint to what the Texans are doing, don’t be surprised.

One thing you’ll see from the Texans is explosive passing plays out of heavier personnel. It’s a Shanahan staple, Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniels (Shanahan’s former run game coordinator in San Francisco) draws on it as much as anybody, and Slowik continues that trend. Rookie sensation C.J. Stroud has 62 explosive passing plays in the 2023 season, and 22 of those plays have come out of 12, 13, 21, and 22 personnel — with multiple tight ends and/or running backs on the field.

Why is this effective? In preparation for his team’s wild-card matchup with the Cleveland Browns’ outstanding defense, Slowik got into why he likes to run things the way he runs them.

“That was very intentional coming into the season that we did that,” Slowik said when asked why ne needs his personnel looks to be interchangeable. “Obviously in San Francisco that’s kind of how that offense was built. I was lucky and fortunate enough to be there kind of when that evolution happened and we really started getting different pieces like that with guys that could play multiple positions. Really, you just see how freeing it is as someone who has to game plan, as a play caller, but also, it’s freeing for the quarterback. Just being able to know, ‘Wherever I distribute this ball, on my four reads on this play, I trust and I love all these dudes. I want to get all of them the ball.’ That’s really important.”

Dec 24, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik smiles before the game against the Cleveland Browns at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Slowik also deploys different guys in different positions because it makes things easier for the quarterback, giving him more pure progression reads against match-style coverages.

“I feel like a lot of it now, more across the NFL, there’s more just zones and different versions of zones, in particular soft zones where you can’t always determine where the ball’s going when teams are doing that,” Slowik said. “So sometimes – I think that’s part of why a lot of NFL teams have gone to so much pure progressions where you just go from one to two to three because it just simplifies that whole process and at some point you know you have to get a completion, and you can’t always determine who that’s to. I know for us, that’s why we coach how you handle yards after the catch, how you handle transition, how you handle when the ball is thrown to you in eight yards or less, how we’re making the most of those opportunities and getting the most yards, getting vertical on that stuff.

“We coach that a lot, namely because those are the teams that it’s really hard to game plan against when you can’t pin-point where the ball is going and the quarterback has to go and distribute it all the way across the field. That would be the No. 1 thing to me.”

One thing Slowik knows he’s likely to see from Jim Schwartz’ Browns defense is single-high coverage. The Browns have played middle-of-the-field-closed coverage at a 64% clip, most in the NFL. Now, Schwartz loves to mix that up with different looks and inverted coverages, but you know what you’re going to get there. The task for Stroud, who missed Houston’s Week 16 loss to the Browns with a concussion, is to wade through all of that with the personnel he has. And that’s tough, because the Texans are missing a lot of their top receivers right now — Nathaniel “Tank” Dell is out, and Noah Brown and Robert Woods are questionable.

Fortunately, Stroud still has world-beater Nico Collins. And this is where the matchup could tilt in Houston’s favor.

Another bit of good news for the Texans is that Stroud has absolutely annihilated single-high coverage this season. Against Cover-1 and Cover-3, Stroud has completed 141 of 228 passes for 2,054 yards, 1,335 air yards, 11 touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 105.4 – only Dak Prescott and Lamar Jackson have higher passer ratings against MOFC coverage this season. Stroud is great at challenging single-high with crossers underneath, and quick-to-intermediate out routes to displace cornerbacks playing to the numbers.

And it’s not just Collins. Stroud can find openings against anybody with heavy personnel, as he showed on this 26-yard pass to fullback Andrew Beck against the New York Jets in Week 14. It was a hard crosser underneath the Jets’ Cover-3, and another example of a great defense a step behind what Slowik drew up, and what Stroud executed.

Remember that Mays/Tice statistic regarding how the Browns stack the box as a default reaction to heavy personnel? Schwartz is smart enough to know what his own tendencies are, and how it might be time to switch things up.

CLEVELAND, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 24: Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz of the Cleveland Browns looks on during the first half in the game against the Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns Stadium on September 24, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

“Obviously a rookie, but has command that goes beyond usually the scope of a rookie,” Schwartz said this week of Stroud. “Decisive with the ball, accurate passer, buy some time time, makes big plays down the field. I think when it’s all said and done, the fact that he’s passed for as many yards as he has without turning the ball over is really impressive for a young guy. Usually the cost of doing business if you’re going to throw a lot of yards is you also turn the ball over a lot. It’s been impressive what he’s been able to do. We’re going to have to play tight coverage. We’re going to have to stay after him in the pass rush. We’re going to have to limit run after the catch because he does a good job of giving his guys opportunities to run after the catch, including Nico Collins. That’s one of the things he does best.”

Pair that with Slowik’s quote about why he aligns his passing structures against match stuff that limits YAC, and you have fodder for an amazing matchup.

In this week’s “Xs and Os with Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar,” the guys go deep into this fascinating matchup.

You can watch this week’s “Xs and Os,” previewing every game in the wild-card slate, right here:

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You can also listen and subscribe to the “Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.

Texans have 4 former Broncos set to face their old team

Several former Broncos will face off against their former team on Sunday, including fullback Andrew Beck and running back Mike Boone.

When the Denver Broncos go on the road to face the Houston Texans this week, they will see some familiar faces.

Texans fullback Andrew Beck, who played for the Broncos from 2019-2022, has one rushing touchdown and one kickoff return for a touchdown this season.

Houston running back Mike Boone, who played in Denver from 2021-2022, has five carries and seven receptions this season. Boone has also returned four kickoffs.

Texans tight end Eric Saubert, who played for the Broncos from 2021-2022, is yet to catch a pass this season. Houston backup quarterback Case Keenum, who played in Denver in 2018, has only appeared in two games, completing two passes.

The Texans also have a former member of the Broncos’ coaching staff in tight ends coach Jake Moreland, who held that role in Denver last year.

Earlier this year, Houston also rostered former Broncos cornerback Darius Phillips and ex-Denver tight end Eric Tomlinson during training camp, but Phillips and Tomlinson failed to make the Texans’ 53-man roster this summer.

Beck, who has 236 snaps on offense and 128 snaps on special teams this year, will likely have the biggest role among ex-Broncos players this weekend.

WATCH: Texans FB Andrew Beck, gives RB Dameon Pierce ball to spike

Houston Texans fullback Andrew Beck scored a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers and gave RB Dameon Pierce the ball to spike.

Andrew Beck was caught giving a friendly gesture in Week 8.

After the Houston Texans fullback crossed the goal line for a 1-yard touchdown against the Carolina Panthers with 13:17 to go in the second quarter, Beck sought out running back Dameon Pierce and invited him to spike the football in celebration.

Pierce had his touchdown run the play prior reversed as the Panthers challenged that he had not crossed the plane. The officials reviewed and overturned Pierce’s scoring run.

The Texans capped off a 17-play, 92-yard drive with Beck’s entrance into the end zone.

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Secret Superstars: The top underrated players for Week 3 of the NFL season

From De’Von Achane to Tank Dell to Hjalte Froholdt to Terrel Bernard to Kendall Fuller, here are the Secret Superstars for Week 3 of the 2023 NFL season.

There are all kinds of reasons that NFL players are underrated.

Perhaps they’re in systems that don’t best show their skills. Maybe they’re buried on a depth chart. Or, they’re in somebody’s doghouse, and their coaches can’t see their potential. Sometimes, young players haven’t quite put it all together, but there are enough flashes to make you sit up and take notice, and when it does work, it’s all good.

Week 3 of the 2022 regular season features players at every position who showed up and showed out despite their underrated statuses, and here at Touchdown Wire, it’s our job to point them out.

Here are the Secret Superstars for Week 3 of the 2022 NFL season.

(All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus unless otherwise indicated). 

Twitter reacts to Texans TE Andrew Beck’s crazy kickoff return TD vs. Jaguars

Twitter was full of reactions as Houston Texans FB Andrew Beck scored an 85-yard kickoff return TD against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Houston Texans fullback Andrew Beck showcased his wheels against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The converted tight end muffed a kickoff return with 4:35 to go in the third quarter of Sunday afternoon’s Week 3 tilt with the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field. Instead of fall on the ball and allow the offense to take over first-and-10 at their own 15, Beck scooped up the ball and found a way to score a touchdown.

Twitter absolutely lost it — both for how successful the Texans’ special teams were at blocking it, and how putrid the Jaguars were for allowing it.

Here are some of the best reactions.

Fullback Andrew Beck returns kickoff 85 yards for Texans touchdown

At 6-foot-3, 255 pounds, one wouldn’t consider Andrew Beck a threat to return a kick for a TD

It usually isn’t a bad idea to kick off to a 6-foot-3, 255-pound fullback.

The Jacksonville Jaguars did just that on Sunday in the third quarter but Houston fullback Andrew Beck made them pay. Dearly.

Beck grabbed the football and 85 yards later was in the end zone after a beautiful run.

After the PAT, Houston was surprising the reigning AFC South champions, 24-10.

Beck had all of 14 catches for 159 yards in four seasons with the Broncos, who considered him a tight end.

This was big. How big?

WATCH: Texans FB Andrew Beck scores 85-yard kickoff return TD against the Jaguars

Houston Texans fullback Andrew Beck scored an improbable touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars on a kickoff return.

The Houston Texans just needed to score.

The Jacksonville Jaguars had scored 10 unanswered points to start the second half. The Texans led 17-0 at the break, but the defending AFC South champions were roaring back and cut Houston’s lead to 17-10 with 4:35 to go in the third quarter.

Houston found an unlikely hero.

While it appeared fullback Andrew Beck was going to signal a fair catch on the ensuing Brandon McManus kickoff, he muffed it. Instead of disaster taking place at the Texans’ 15-yard line, Beck scooped up the loose ball, found a lane, and returned the improbable kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown to give the Texans a 24-10 lead.

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Get to know Andrew Beck: The Texans’ answer to Kyle Juszczyk?

The Houston Texans’ signing of tight end-fullback Andrew Beck may give new offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik his very own Kyle Juszczyk.

In serious need of more offensive talent after their dreadful 2022 campaign, the Houston Texans searched far and wide for the best free agents that could bolster the unit next season.

Enter former Denver Broncos tight end-fullback Andrew Beck, who may prove to be one of the team’s most versatile offensive assets in 2023 after making a name for himself as a gritty blocker in the Centennial State.

Broncos Wire editor Jon Heath detailed Beck’s highs and lows from his 51-game tenure with the Broncos from 2019-22. Here is why Beck could play a pivotal role in new offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik’s scheme.

Here are Michael Burton’s contract details with the Broncos

Michael Burton’s cap hit (just over $1M) ranks 12th among 17 fullbacks. He’ll earn less than half of what the Texans will pay Andrew Beck.

The Denver Broncos signed two offensive linemen, a blocking tight end, a fullback and a running back early in free agency. It’s not hard to connect the dots: Broncos coach Sean Payton wants to run the ball in 2023.

Michael Burton, the team’s new fullback, agreed to a one-year, $1.3175 million contract with Denver on Tuesday. Burton received a $126,250 signing bonus and he will have a $26,250 roster bonus. That combined with his $1.165 million base salary will give Burton a 2023 salary cap hit of $1,092,500.

That will represent the 12th-highest salary cap hit among fullbacks in the NFL this season. Considering that only 17 teams carry fullbacks on their roster, another — perhaps more appropriate — way to put it would be saying Burton is the sixth-lowest paid FB in the league.

A good direct comparison is Andrew Beck, who the Broncos let walk in free agency this week. Beck signed a two-year deal with the Houston Texans and he will have a cap hit of $2,441,176 this year, seventh-highest among FBs.

Denver brought in a cheaper fullback who has a year of experience in a Sean Payton offense (2020 with the New Orleans Saints). It seems fair to say Burton was a good signing for the Broncos.

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Longhorns in NFL: DeShon Elliott signs with Miami, other notable moves

DeShon Elliott, Andrew Beck and other former Longhorns have made moves this offseason.

Several former Longhorns have signed with new NFL teams this offseason. Continue reading “Longhorns in NFL: DeShon Elliott signs with Miami, other notable moves”