Tag: Courtland Sutton

Texans Wire countdown to Broncos: 10 factors to watch

The Houston Texans and the Denver Broncos face off for a Week 14 encounter that is key for Houston, who seeks their eighth winning season ever.

WHEN: 12:00 p.m. CT

WHERE: NRG Stadium

FORECAST: Partly cloudy, 72 degrees, 6 mph winds (indoors)

FOLLOW: @therealmarklane, @averydduncan

LISTEN: Sports Radio 610 [KILT-AM] and 100.3 The Bull [KLOL]

WATCH: CBS (Kevin Harland & Rich Gannon)

Red: Baltimore at Buffalo

Blue: Denver at Houston

Green: Indianapolis at Tampa Bay

Yellow: Miami at NY Jets

Brown: Cincinnati at Cleveland

Source: 506 Sports

 

10: carlos hyde’s rank for rushing yards per game

The 29-year-old running back produces 71.1 rushing yards per game, good for the 10th-most in the NFL among running backs. Technically, he would be 11th because Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is at the 10th spot. Nonetheless, Hyde has had two games with 100-plus rushing yards, tying his total from 2016, which was also his best season with 988. Hyde is currently at 853.

 

9: noah fant’s drop percentage

The rookie first-round pick from Iowa has dropped 9.1% of his targets, tied for the 10th-most in the NFL. What it means is he is a key part of their passing game. What it also means is that he is a rookie adjusting to the pro game and the execution is not quite consistent. However, Fant burned Cleveland for three catches for 115 yards and a touchdown on Nov. 3. The talent is there. The capability is there. The Texans have to squelch it early.

8: Texans’ rank for opposing passer rating

Opposing quarterbacks have compiled a 99.5 passer rating against the Texans’ defense, the eighth-highest overall. Last week, Broncos rookie quarterback Drew Lock had an 84.5 rating in his first career start. The Texans defense will have to keep the second-rounder from Missouri off balance and disguise looks to keep him away from that near-triple digit mark.

 

7: deshaun watson’s interceptions

The Pro Bowler has chucked seven picks this season, and it is one of the only ways Denver has a chance to beat the Texans at NRG Stadium. The Broncos defense has some inside information with defensive back Kareem Jackson, a former Texans 2010 first-round pick, now in the fold. Can his information be enough to help get an edge on Watson?

 

6: texans’ rank for sacks

The Houston defense has generated 25 sacks this season, tied with the Los Angeles Chargers for the sixth-fewest in the NFL. The only other team in the bottom-10 of this category are the Seattle Seahawks, who are fourth on the list. To affect a rookie quarterback, the pass rush will have to ramp it up.

 

5: Houston’s rank for missed tackles

The Texans have missed 96 tackles through 12 games, the fifth-most in the league. Houston needs to make sure they don’t get burned by this deficiency as they attempt to corral running backs Royce Freeman and Phillip Lindsay, who, if get going, would be great friends for a rookie quarterback making his first career road start.

 

4: denver’s yards per carry

The real number is 4.2, but rounding makes one go down; therefore, four. Even though the Broncos don’t have an impressive figure compared to the rest of the league, they still have running backs capable of activating their run game. It should be a more challenging proposition with starting guard Ron Leary out for the game.

 

3: denver’s rank for third down conversions

The Broncos are third-worst in the NFL at third down conversions at 29.5%. If Houston can get Denver to third down, it should bode well for getting them off the field. The Texans’ defense gives up the third-most yards per drive in the NFL at 35.6. Having better play on first and second down will be key.

 

2: courtland sutton’s 100-yard receiving games

The second-year wideout from SMU has not had big games this season, and it could be due to the quarterback play. Last week against the Chargers, Sutton caught four passes for 74 yards and two touchdowns. The talent is there, and the size is assuredly there at 6-4, 216 pounds. Sutton is a big target and can post up any one of the Texans’ corners. Houston will need to use its pass rush to affect the timing and get rookie quarterback Drew Lock off target.

 

1: wins needed to post a winning record

The Texans have to beat the Broncos to get nine wins on the season. If they do that, it secures their eighth winning season in franchise history. Coach Bill O’Brien will extend his lead for the most by a single coach in team history with five. It would be a great way to start the final quarter of the season and help provide a boost as they seek to initiate their last AFC South series of the season against the Tennessee Titans.

Texans 100: Facts and Figures for Broncos, No. 76-100

The facts finish up with a look at the Houston Texans and Denver Broncos defenses, as well as receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Courtland Sutton.

The final quarter of facts conclude with a look at the NFL on CBS broadcast team as well as a few defensive figures for the Houston Texans and Denver Broncos, who both meet Sunday at noon CT at NRG Stadium for Week 14.

Facts and Figures for Broncos, No. 1-25

Facts and Figures for Broncos, No. 26-50

Facts and Figures for Broncos, No. 51-75

broadcast facts

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

76. CBS will broadcast their sixth game in the series. Here the breakdown by network:

CBS: 5

ESPN: 1

NFL Network: 1

 

77. The Texans are 93-124 all-time on CBS.

78. The Broncos are 161-119 all-time on CBS.

79. This week’s play-by-play crew is Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon, making them the eighth different team to call a game in the series.

80. The Texans are 14-22 when Harlan calls their games.

81. Houston is 15-15 when Gannon calls their games.

82. This is the second early afternoon game in the series. All of them have been at NRG Stadium.

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Broncos WR Courtland Sutton will be a challenge for the Texans defense

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton will be a challenge for the Houston Texans defense, according to coach Bill O’Brien.

The Houston Texans game-plan to defend the Denver Broncos on Sunday starts with wide receiver Courtland Sutton.

Sutton, a second-year former SMU Mustang, has grown into a start in a Broncos offense that has seen three starting quarterbacks in 2019. At 6-4, 216-pounds with catch-it-all hands, improved route-running and jump-ball ability, the Brenham native is a nightmare to defend.

Sutton has grabbed 54 catches for 906 yards and six touchdowns through 12 games of 2019 play. His production should not come as a surprise to the Texans coaching staff, who scouted him heading into the 2018 NFL Draft.

“We looked at him a lot. I mean, 6-foot-4, 216 pounds. Very good player, very physical guy, can run routes,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said Wednesday. “The 50-50 ball is tough to defend with him. He’s really good at contested catches. So, yeah, he’s a very difficult challenge for us this week, no doubt.”

The Texans got a look at Sutton as a rookie in 2018. Then, he had three receptions for 57 yards in a Broncos loss. He’s a different player from that early November Texans win; a more developed one.

“You guys are seeing a person that is growing into his body,” said Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay to the Broncos media on Wednesday. “He understands his leverage and his body. You can tell that he went back for the summertime and really, really practiced his routes, which we all knew that’s what he wanted to do. Now you guys are seeing somebody that’s more comfortable and confident, and that’s going to continue.”

Last week, Sutton hauled-in four receptions for 74 yards and two touchdowns en route to a Broncos 23-20 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. If the Texans don’t want to emulate the Bolts, the will enter NRG Stadium on Sunday with a clear-cut plan on how to stop Sutton, No. 14.

Broncos QB Drew Lock told Courtland Sutton what route to run on 1st TD pass

Before he threw his first touchdown pass in the NFL, quarterback Drew Lock told wide receiver Courtland Sutton which route to run.

Broncos quarterback Drew Lock made his NFL debut on Sunday and threw his first touchdown pass to wide receiver Courtland Sutton, a 26-yard toss that was caught with one hand by the talented receiver.

Lock later threw another touchdown pass to Sutton and Denver went on to beat the Chargers 23-20. After the game, Sutton revealed that Lock told him what route to run for the duo’s first score of the game.

“You know what’s crazy, Drew actually told me — I wasn’t supposed to run that route,” Sutton said. “Drew told me to run it, which I was happy that he told me to do, because I’m not going to go off-schedule.

“But him telling me to do it, it was awesome, and it was cool to be able to get a touchdown from him and get us rolling, get his confidence going and get the momentum on our side.”

Broncos coach Vic Fangio explained during his Monday press conference that the play was “tagged” with multiple options. Lock “had the ability to change the route,” the coach said. It turned out to be the right decision — thanks in large part to Sutton’s brilliant catch.

“Amazing is not even a good word for how great of a catch that was,” Lock said Sunday evening. “He’s been making plays left and right for us and I think he is a top receiver in this league without a doubt.”

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Good, bad, ugly from Chargers’ loss to Broncos

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez delivers the good, the bad and the ugly from the Chargers’ 23-20 loss to the Broncos.

The Los Angeles Chargers suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 13.

Here is the good, the bad and the ugly from the game:

The Good

WR Keenan Allen and Mike Williams

Quarterback Philip Rivers wasn’t great, but he wasn’t bad. But one of the biggest reasons why he was able to bounce back after an underwhelming start was because he benefited from Allen and Williams.

Allen got the best of cornerback Chris Harris Jr. and the rest of the secondary, winning with his savvy route running, including a beautiful corner route to get behind the coverage for a touchdown. Allen finished with six catches for 68 yards and a score.

Meanwhile, Williams continued to serve as the big playmaker for the offense, reeling in a couple deep passes, including one on a critical 4th-and-11 when he made an adjustment to come down with a one-handed grab to keep to drive going late in the game. He finished with five catches for 117 yards.

Linebackers

The group came together as one on Sunday, with all members making key plays. Rookie Drue Tranquill was all over the field, finishing with three tackles for loss. Second-year Kyzir White, who finally saw the field for an extended period, was a threat in pass coverage, finishing with a pass defended and was close to an interception. Denzel Perryman made the defensive play of the game when he intercepted a pass late in the game to set his team up for a field goal. Thomas Davis finished with six tackles.

Derwin James and Adrian Phillips

The return of James and Phillips was felt right away. James was utilized all over the field, but he was at his best filling in the alley to stop running back Phillip Lindsay, limiting him to 58 yards rushing. Phillips, on the other hand, was delivering hard hits all evening long and was a key contributor on third-down situations.

The Bad

Special teams

The Chargers let running back Troymaine Pope take over as the team’s punt returner after cornerback Desmond King struggled with fumbling the football. But Pope replicated King’s woes by muffing a punt in the second quarter, which ultimately led to a field goal.

Penalties

Linebacker Drue Tranquill’s roughing the kicker call could fall under the special teams category, but it was just one of many costly penalties committed by Los Angeles. In total, they were hit with seven for 82 yards, including a few false starts by offensive tackle Russell Okung

The Ugly

Defensive pass interference penalty

You never want to blame the officiating, but this is what it came down to. Cornerback Casey Hayward was hit a questionable penalty with seconds remaining in the game to set the Broncos up for the game-winning field goal. In reality, Hayward stayed in his tracks to make a play on the uncatchable ball, while wide receiver Courtland Sutton was the one who initiated the contact. They never reviewed the penalty, thus ending the game in what would’ve likely been an overturned call.

Game planning/Play-calling

You can blame one player, area or the penalty for the Chargers’ loss on Sunday but ultimately, it fell on the lack of execution with the planning, especially coming of a bye week and the play-calling as a whole. On the offensive side of ball, it was all vanilla and the red zone efficiency continues to be a problem, as they were 0-1 in a critical situation. The lone turnover by Rivers killed them, as it resulted in a touchdown. The defense played a great game as a whole, allowing only 219 yards. But the lack of pass rush and a few broken coverages bit them hard for two passing touchdowns.

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Chargers displeased with game-changing penalty in loss to Broncos

Fans, players and coaches couldn’t believe that defensive pass interference call.

NFL referees have been big question marks for years now, calling head-scratching penalties in which has led to the difference of winning and losing. You can add the Chargers-Broncos matchup to that list.

With seconds remaining, quarterback Drew Lock tossed up a bomb in the direction of wide receiver Courtland Sutton. The pass sailed over Sutton’s head, who collided with Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward as the ball hit the ground out of reach.

It was a 37-yard penalty which set up kicker Brandon McManus for a 53-yard field goal as time expired, sealing the deal and sending Los Angeles to last place in the AFC West.

When watching the replay, Hayward cut off Sutton and there was contact, but it seemed like the wideout initiated the contact. Hayward was turning to find the ball and the ball did not appear to be catchable, which meant that it should have been a no-call.

“I thought it was a non call. I was trying to find the ball myself. I think I got the same rights to the ball that he do. But (the ref) made the call. We live with it,” Hayward said.

The NFL elected to not review the penalty, even though they had an opportunity to do so with less than two minutes remaining in the game. Had they done so, it would’ve likely been overturned, sending the game to overtime.

After the game, head of officiating Al Riveron said the “defender cuts off the receiver while the ball is in the air; therefore, it is pass interference.” Even then, it is still questionable that they didn’t take a look at it while the game was still in play.

A lot of people were frustrated with the call, including coach Anthony Lynn.

“Officials are not perfect, but I did not like that call at the end of the game. I don’t think that’s the way you end a football game. To make that call, it’d have to be clear and obvious,” Lynn said.

Not being able to close out games has been the narrative for the Chargers this season. 17 of their last 25 games were decided by a single possession. But it’s an unfortunate feeling when one of those losses comes down to a blown call.

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4 takeaways from Broncos’ 23-20 win over Chargers

The Denver Broncos were able to get Drew Lock a win in his first career start in NFL with a 23-20 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.

You often hear that the NFL is a “week to week” league. That is a true statement.

In one week, you can go from feeling like your team is as bad as it gets to being quite excited after one small change. However, switching quarterbacks should not be considered a small change, particularly when the quarterback is a highly-drafted rookie.

Drew Lock took over as the Broncos quarterback on Sunday and his rookie debut was met with tempered expectations, mainly because the organization seemed hesitant to put him on the field.

He came through with flying colors against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 13, leading the Broncos to their fourth win of the season. Here’s what we took away from this game.

1. Drew Lock showed flashes

(Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

This is the obvious place to start. Lock wasn’t sensational by any means but he showed flashes while completing 18 of 28 passes and throwing two touchdowns. He did have one interception but for his first start, against a defense that features the likes of Joey Bosa, Melvin Ingram and Derwin James, this effort was more than sufficient.

It’s also exciting for fans to see a quarterback that the team used a high draft pick on getting off to a good start in his career. This team is starving for a “quarterback of the future” and has been for years.

While that may or may not be Lock, this was a good way to start things out on the right foot.

2. Courtland Sutton is a star

(Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

Sutton is quietly having a tremendous season for the Broncos and is quickly blossoming into one of the game’s top young receivers. He really likes to play the Chargers too.

In two games against Los Angeles this year, Sutton has eight catches for 166 yards and three touchdowns.

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WATCH: Broncos QB Drew Lock throws first NFL touchdown pass

Broncos rookie quarterback Drew Lock connected with wide receiver Courtland Sutton on a 26-yard touchdown pass on Sunday.

In his NFL debut on Sunday, Broncos quarterback Drew Lock connected with wide receiver Courtland Sutton on a 26-yard touchdown pass. Here’s video of the play, courtesy of the team’s official Twitter page:

Sutton made an excellent catch, as he has done multiple times this year. Denver currently leads Los Angeles 7-0 late in the first quarter.

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6 things to watch in Chargers vs. Broncos

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lays out six things to watch when the Chargers take on the Broncos in Week 13.

The Chargers return to action on the road as they’re set to take on the Denver Broncos following their bye.

Here are six things to watch in Sunday’s bout.

1. Will Philip Rivers turn things around?

Rivers isn’t having the season that he was anticipating in the final year of his contract, as he’s tossed 14 interceptions, seven in the last two games. The veteran quarterback is eager to overcome his woes, but it won’t be easy facing a Broncos defense that picked him off twice in their first meeting this season. In his last three games against Denver, Rivers has thrown three touchdowns and six interceptions.

2. Offensive tackle situation

Despite playing their best game with two backup tackles in Week 11, we saw Rivers look uncomfortable and rushed, largely due to the fact that he doesn’t trust them. If the Chargers want the most out of Philip Rivers, he has to trust the guys up front, and that means that his security blanket will have to be playing — left tackle Russell Okung. Okung and right tackle Sam Tevi are both questionable. Regardless, stopping linebacker Von Miller will be key to their victory since the offense has struggled recently.

3. Change at quarterback

The Broncos will likely have their third quarterback change this season, as rookie Drew Lock is set to take over under center. Lock is coming back from a thumb injury, which landed him on the injured reserve to start the season. In the three preseason games he completed 31-of-51 passes for 254 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Lock should have a warm welcoming from the presence of defensive ends Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, who face an offensive line that’s struggled to find consistency.

4. Derwin James and Adrian Phillips

The Chargers officially activated James and Phillips off the injured reserve on Saturday, which means that they will play tomorrow. With James back in the lineup, he will take over for Jaylen Watkins at strong safety. Phillips will resume his duties as the team’s dime linebacker. As for Watkins, he will still get snaps. It’s possible they could put him in the slot, and utilize Desmond King outside.

5. Slowing down Phillip Lindsay

The Broncos may take a little bit to get into a groove in the passing game with Lock making his debut, which means that they will resort to their offensive playmaker to find success. Lindsay had his best rushing performance of the season, amassing 111 yards rushing and 147 total yards in Week 5. But the Chargers have been stout against the run in their last three games, allowing 84.3 rushing yards per contest.

6. Wide receiver-cornerback battles

All eyes will be on wide receiver Keenan Allen and cornerback Chris Harris Jr. as Allen is looking to bounce back from his underwhelming performance in which he only had four receptions for 18 yards. But the matchup between WR Courtland Sutton and CB Casey Hayward deserves your attention.

Sutton finished with four receptions and a touchdown for 92 yards in the first meeting. He currently has 16.6 yards per catch, ranking 10th in the NFL. Meanwhile, Hayward has allowed only one catch over the last four games and has given up a reception on just 47.2% of his targets this season.

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Instant analysis: Bills make easy work of Broncos

The Buffalo Bills had their way against the Denver Broncos, improving their record to 8-3 after a 20-3 victory Sunday afternoon. 

The Buffalo Bills had their way against the Denver Broncos, improving their record to 8-3 after a 20-3 victory Sunday afternoon.

You might wonder, “How could a team dominate but win by only 17 points?” In reality, the game was not really as close as the score indicated.

Buffalo’s defense dominated a weak Broncos offense. Denver quarterback Brandon Allen was under duress all afternoon. Shaq Lawson recorded two sacks, while Star Lotulelei and Ed Oliver each added a sack to the team total. Lawson was in Denver backfield all afternoon, blowing past the Broncos offensive tackles with ease.

Tre’Davious White was a blanket on the Broncos best player, Courtland Sutton, all afternoon. Sutton only reeled in one pass out of eight targets, a catch on Denver’s first drive. White was credited with five passes defended on the day.

Linebacker Matt Milano was all over the field as well, registering six tackles and three passes defensed.

As a unit, the defense completely shut down the aerial game for the Broncos, allowing the fourth-year pro to collect only 82 yards through the air. Erase the yards lost via sacks by the Bills, and the Broncos gained only 49 net yards through their passing game.

Offensively, it took some time for Buffalo to put some distance on Denver. However, they stuck to the plan, and it turned out favorably for the team.

The Bills ran wild on Denver’s defense, gaining 244 yards on the ground as a team. Devin Singletary totaled 106 yards on 21 carries, while Frank Gore gained 65 yards on 15 rushes. Josh Allen added 56 yards on nine runs on the day.

Gore, the consummate professional, added another record to a memorable career. On a six-yard carry in the fourth quarter, Gore passed Barry Sanders for third all-time on the career rushing list.

Singletary also reached a milestone, as he eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark for the first time in his career.

Josh Allen had another solid game for the Bills, throwing two beautiful touchdown passes. He went 15-for-25 and 180 passing yards on the day. His streak of games without an interception ended with an errant pass in the second quarter. However, that miscue did not hurt Buffalo, as the defense eliminated any progress of the Broncos on the subsequent derive with a Tre’ Davious White interception.

Cole Beasley reeled in an 18-yard drive. His route was perfect and Allen put a throw on a rope to complete the score. The worries of Allen’s deep ball were put to rest in the fourth quarter, as the quarterback delivered a perfect pass for 34 yards to John Brown. The play initially was ruled incomplete, but the call was revered as Brown’s dive into the back corner of the end zone showed a clean catch.

Beasley led the Bills with six receptions for 76 yards.

Stephen Hauschka hit both of his field goals and point-after-touchdown attempts, helping put to rest some of his struggles from earlier in the season. Andre Roberts had a good day in the return game, averaging 8.2 yards on punt returns. He also returned a kickoff for 25 yards as well.

It was a complete game for Buffalo. The team followed the game plan by putting pressure on Denver through the Bills run game. They also played strong defense, forcing the Broncos to rely on their passing game, which was obviously not a strength this afternoon.

This are looking good for Buffalo, as they move to 8-3 for the first time since 1996.

Buffalo has a quick turnaround, as the team will get ready for their Thursday night Thanksgiving tilt against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. It will be a big game for both teams, as the Bills are working toward solidifying their second playoff berth in three years while the Cowboys are facing a challenge from the Philadelphia Eagles for the top spot in the NFC East.

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