Tag: David Johnson

Texans are running out of excuses on offense

The Houston Texans are running out of reasons for why the offense continues to sputter after 12 weeks into the 2021 season.

Offensive coordinator Tim Kelly’s offense put out one of its most disheartening performances of the season yet on Sunday versus the New York Jets. The scene was perfectly set for the Texans to finally succeed to their fullest potential. The team was coming off a huge victory over the Tennessee Titans, starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor was fully healthy, and they were facing a dreadful Jets’ defense that had struggled all season.

Needless to say, that is not what came to fruition for Houston. The team mustered a measly 202 yards of offense in what was the team’s most disheartening loss of the season: a 21-14 loss, at home, to an equally porous 2-8 Jets team.

Quarterback Tyrod Taylor, despite throwing for two scores, did not perform to the veteran tag associated with his status on the team. The passer took inopportune sacks and ultimately failed to move the ball when it mattered late into crunch time against the Jets’ 29th ranked pass defense. This doesn’t include one of the more bizarre interceptions you’ll see this season.

Speaking of sacks, this was far from the offensive line’s best performance. They allowed five sacks on the day and, notably, the game of musical chairs continued with the shuffling of left guard (formerly right tackle) Tytus Howard to left tackle for the contest.

Running backs David Johnson and Rex Burkhead failed to make an impact on the ground running for 39 and 27 yards respectively for averages of 3.9 and 2.3 yards each. The offense once again struggled to feature its only star in Brandin Cooks.

Cooks received only five targets which were turned into three receptions for 45 yards, 40 of which came on a huge second quarter touchdown pass.

The lone bright spot on Sunday may have been the 2021 rookies. Both Nico Collins and Brevin Jordan found ways to get involved on offense. Collins tied Cooks in the team league for targets with 5 while Jordan hauled in the game’s first touchdown with a dart over the middle from Taylor.

It was more of the same for Houston: poorly timed and often poorly executed runs that couldn’t be overcome by a passing offense that has struggled all season. Despite any creativity seen early in the year, this offensive unit is one that has consistently struggled to generate yardage.

Ultimately, this game was yet another in a long testimony of failures by the 2021 Houston coaching staff. It was the worst offensive performance by any team against the Jets’ this year and in a contest many across the league expected them to win by a mile. A failure to perform in even the most favorable of circumstances will add even more heat to a seat that is scorching hot for the Texans’ 2021 staff.

One has to wonder just how long the team will allow Taylor to start in what is officially a lost season at 2-9. The team may be best suited to allow Davis Mills to start and to see what they can learn about their young passer. Even more so, how long will Tim Kelly be allowed to run out game plans that feature poorly timed Burkhead draws and Taylor rollouts.

Game scripts and game outcomes like this may force the staff to continue to lean on veterans as they try to save their jobs entering an important off-season.

7 waiver wire targets for fantasy football in Week 12

Target these 7 players on the waiver wire in fantasy football for Week 12.

The playoffs are just around the corner while fantasy football managers continue to deal with bye weeks and injuries as they make their push for the playoffs.

Whether you are indeed making that push for the playoffs or looking to spoil that chance for others in your league, the waiver wire will be vital in Week 12. This becomes even more so when considering the teams on a bye.

That would include the Kansas City Chiefs and Arizona Cardinals. It’s only two teams but that’s a lot of fantasy firepower into being used.

There aren’t a ton of major additions on the waiver wire but with some injuries and developing production, there are some options to consider. In order to qualify for the waiver wire, a player cannot be rostered in more than 50% of ESPN leagues. We’ll also include a section for players that are probably rostered but worth a look to see if they’re still available.

Here are seven players to target on the waiver wire for fantasy football in Week 12:

Texans RB David Johnson says ‘get as many bodies as possible’ on Rams DT Aaron Donald

Houston Texans RB David Johnson has faced Los Angeles Rams DT Aaron Donald before. The key to being successful is to have him sufficiently blocked.

Houston Texans running back David Johnson has seen plenty of Aaron Donald.

Prior to joining the Texans in 2020, Johnson was a member of the Arizona Cardinals from 2015-19, and was in the same division as Donald, who has been with the Rams organization since they drafted him in Round 1 in 2014. Whether it was in St. Louis or Los Angeles, Johnson had to rush against the eventual three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

In order to be effective against Donald, the Texans will need to double and maybe triple team the 6-1, 280-pound defensive lineman.

“Get as many bodies on him as possible, get as many guys blocking him as possible,” Johnson said. “He’s a disruptor, for sure. I played against him twice a year back in Arizona. I think the biggest thing is you never know what you’re going to expect with him. He’s so fast. He’s shorter, so he’s quicker, and his center of gravity is really good. I think the biggest thing is just trying to get as many guys blocking him, or in front of him, or disrupting him, trying to confuse him as much as possible.”

None of Johnson’s seven career games of 100-plus rushing yards have come against the Rams.

On the season, Donald has generated 29 combined tackles, 3.5 sacks, five tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hits, three pass breakups, and a forced fumble through all seven starts.

Texans’ commitment to respectability leads to humiliation again versus the Cardinals

The Houston Texans have a commitment to being respectable in 2021. Ironically, it has been the catalyst for the team’s lopsided road losses.

The dictionary definition of the word “respectable” is, “regarded by society to be good, proper, or correct.” In that manner, respectability seems to be the ultimate goal when the Houston Texans play football every Sunday. It may actually be the defining word of the David Culley era so far.

They run the ball frequently despite any evidence of their ineffectiveness. They limit opportunities where their rookie quarterback can make mistakes without ever challenging defenses vertically. Ultimately, they hope to have possession long enough that scores aren’t lopsided. All to look respectable.

Houston desperately wants to be respectable, to look coherent. The franchise is currently reminiscent of the man behind the curtain in The Wizard of Oz in their attempt to desperately hide how depleted and poorly coached their roster appears against superior competition from week to week.

On Sunday in Arizona, against former franchise superstars J.J. Watt and Deandre Hopkins, the Texans once again trotted out a game plan that was all about looking respectable. It didn’t matter this time. It was still humiliating.

The team mustered a brutal 160 total yards of offense that included just 42 on the ground for a team that preaches the importance of the run game. The Cardinals moved the ball against Lovie Smith’s 4-3 defense seemingly at will, and their decision to rush the ball 37 times was the only reason the outcome wasn’t more embarrassing than Arizona’s eventual 31-5 victory.

Rookie quarterback Davis Mills executed a game plan that asked him to do virtually nothing challenging or worthy of an NFL quarterback. The rookie finished 23 of 32 for 135 yards with no turnovers and no touchdowns. It was the second week in a row where the biggest question regarding the future of Mills in Houston was if the coaching staff was asking too little of their rookie third rounder.

David Johnson took seven carries for 25 yards while neither Mark Ingram nor Phillip Lindsay accumulated more than 10 rushing yards on the day. Nico Collins somehow led the team in receiving with two catches for 28 yards while Brandin Cooks turned 7 targets into five receptions for 21.

Humiliating, uninspired, boring, unwatchable. You name it, these Texans are bad in ways that never would have seemed possible even 12 months ago. And this doesn’t even include a defense that has zero positives of note beyond the development of second year edge rusher Jonathan Greenard.

The team has been outscored 151-39 in Mills’ five starts this season. How is the offensive scoring so suppressed in game scripts that continually favor pass heavy situations?

Houston’s vanilla game plan may be one that keeps scores from getting too far out of hand, like the Buffalo lost, but ultimately is resulting on the worst possible on-field outcome. The team is losing badly while taking away very few notes on how to play in the future and beyond into 2022.

It’s time for the Texans to admit that they’re bad. This is a tear down and a bad roster, the goal week-in and week-out cannot be looking respectable. Culley must be willing to lose and to lose badly moving forward. It’s time for the coaching staff to see what they have in Mills before a potentially franchise-defining 2022 NFL draft following an inevitable Deshaun Watson trade.

Fortunately, for a team adamant about being competitive, veteran Tyrod Taylor would appear set to return soon. Until then, fans can try to celebrate that the team only lost by three touchdowns. That’s the goal, right?

Cardinals, Texans have several well-known player connections

Each team has two players on their roster who used to be on the other team’s roster. J.J. Watt and DeAndre Hopkins both face their former team.

The Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans have only ever played each other four times. However, because of a couple of transactions, the two teams will be connected for a while.

After all, two of the Texans’ greatest players ever are now Cardinals.

They aren’t the only player connections between the two teams.

In all, there are four players who used to play for the other team.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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Texans RB David Johnson on loss to Patriots: ‘This one hurts a lot’

Houston Texans running back David Johnson says that the 25-22 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 5 hurt significantly.

HOUSTON — The Houston Texans were extremely close to ending their losing streak on Sunday, but a second-half collapse resulted in a 25-22 defeat to the New England Patriots at NRG Stadium.

With the loss, the Texans fell to 1-4 on the season amid dropping their fourth consecutive game. Midway through the third quarter, Houston held a 22-9 lead before the Patriots ended the day on a 16-0 run to complete the comeback victory.

“This one hurts a lot more,” running back David Johnson said after recording 45 yards on five catches during the loss. “We did so well in the first half, and in the second, you could feel the momentum swing to their side. This one hurts a lot, especially against the Patriots and the legacy they have.”

The momentum for the Texans began to shift midway through the fourth quarter when Cameron Johnson’s punt bounced off the backside of defensive back Terrance Mitchell for a net of zero yards.

The Patriots capitalized off the botched punt with a field goal to cut the Texans’ lead down to ten with a minute left in the third.

A few series later, kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn missed a 56-yard field goal attempt at the top of the fourth quarter. With the ball at mid-field, rookie quarterback Mac Jones connected with wideout Hunter Henry on a touchdown pass to even the score at 22.

On their final series of the game, Jones led the Patriots on an 84-yard drive that resulted in a game-winning field goal.

Following the loss, first-year coach David Culley credited penalties for the Texans’ collapse. The Texans recorded eight penalties for 70 yards.

“Even though the momentum was slipping, we still felt like we had a chance to win this game,” Johnson said. “We were up most of the game. But when the clock hit zero, we had lost.”

Johnson said he believes the Patriots’ defense could not get a sense of their offensive game plan but eventually figured it out. Moving forward, Johnson said it’s all about finding different ways to get better from here.

“The biggest thing for us is to stay together,” he said. “Everyone outside of our organization will point fingers and blame other people. As players and coaches, we have to stay together and correct our mistakes.”

Following worst loss in team history, Texans looking ahead to the Patriots

The Houston Texans are on to the New England Patriots after the worst loss in team history sustained in Week 4.

HOUSTON — The Houston Texans may have hit their lowest point as a franchise Sunday afternoon at Highmark Stadium.

With a losing streak that extended to three, the Texans sustained their most lopsided defeat in team history amid a 40-point blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills.

In an attempt to not dwell on the embarrassment, the Texans have immediately turned the page to their Week 5 match against the New England Patriots at NRG Stadium. And first-year coach David Culley says there is no added pressure to get the Texans back on track.

“There is no more pressure going into this New England game than there was going into Jacksonville, Cleveland, and Carolina,” Culley said. “There’s pressure every week. There is pressure on us and pressure on our players to make sure we’re doing the right things to win football games. In this league, the only way that guys get better is to feel that, because there is a way to do things and we didn’t do those things yesterday.”

The Texans and Patriots will enter Sunday’s game with an identical record at 1-3 through the first four games. Similar to Houston, the Patriots will start a rookie quarterback in Mac Jones, who Culley believes is playing pretty well to begin his NFL career.

Jones will be playing his first professional game in Houston as arguably the best rookie quarterback from the draft class of 2021. He has thrown for 1,012 yards while completing 77.5 percent of his passes, to go along with four touchdowns and four interceptions of the season.

But similar to the days when Tom Brady was under center for the Pats, Culley believes it’s going to take more than slowing down New England’s quarterback in hopes of ending their losing skid.

“Whatever they are doing offensively, and whatever they are doing defensively, they don’t make mistakes,” Culley said. “You have to beat that football team.”

“Obviously, we were not mistake-free on Sunday and when you have those kind of things happen to you, you lose football games, and that’s what we did. This football team that we are playing has a history of not doing that.”

Running back David Johnson co-signed with his coach that the team is not under any added pressure. Stating that the most important element for the Texans as a whole is to watch film, learn from it and don’t look back as they prepare for the Patriots.

Texans RB David Johnson details how he will help rookie QB Davis Mills in 1st career start

Houston Texans running back David Johnson explained how to help rookie quarterback Davis Mills as he makes his first career start.

The Houston Texans will be starting their second quarterback of the 2021 season when they host the Carolina Panthers for Thursday Night Football at NRG Stadium.

Rookie Davis Mills seeks to lead the 1-1 Texans against the 2-0 Panthers and put a dent in their perfect record to start the season. The third-round pick from Stanford will be the 18th Texans quarterback to start a game, and the fifth rookie to make a start for the franchise.

Coming off a short week, one wherein the Cleveland Browns beat the Texans 31-21 just four days ago, the Texans have had limited time to get Mills ready.

It will be up to the players, not just the coaches, to get Mills ready to go. Running back David Johnson outlined how the players can help Mills stay comfortable as they take on Carolina.

LOOK: Texans look fly for first road trip of the regular season

The Houston Texans looked sharp as they depart for their first road game of the regular season against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2.

The Houston Texans posted images Saturday of the team as they board the team charter and depart for Cleveland.

The Texans look for a 2-0 start as they play the Browns Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Quarterback Tyrod Taylor says the team is looking to stay consistent as they were against the Jacksonville Jaguars throughout the 37-21 win in Week 1 at NRG Stadium.

“We’ve done a good job of staying in third-and-manageable, sustaining drives where we as a team, or as an offense, we could definitely finish some of those drives better,” said Taylor. “And that’s something that we’re focusing on throughout the week.”

RB David Johnson is more comfortable in the Texans’ offense

Houston Texans running back David Johnson says that another year with offensive coordinator Tim Kelly has provided more familiarity with the offense.

David Johnson may have had his highest yards per carry in a single-season with 4.7 in 2020, but it felt like another down year for the newly acquired Houston Texans running back.

Short of winning the league rushing title, nothing that Johnson could do would be good enough given he was part of the trade that sent receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals.

In 2021, with the attention off of Johnson, with another year in the Texans’ system that included an actual offseason program, the former 2016 All-Pro says he is starting to get comfortable in the offense.

“Last year was my first year on the team and then with everything with COVID, we didn’t get a chance to do a lot preparing for the season,” said Johnson. “This year, I think we are just getting more familiar with each other.”

Offensive coordinator Tim Kelly, who is in his third year on the job and second as play-caller, is also getting a better feel of how to utilize Johnson, especially amid the committee that also features Mark Ingram and Phillip Lindsay.

Against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1, Johnson rushed three times for 10 yards but also caught three passes for 18 yards and a touchdown.

“He can figure out ways to utilize me and utilize all the running backs and come up with creative plays or plays to get me out in space,” Johnson said.

As to who is the leader of the running back committee, Johnson suggests that it all depends on what is happening in the game. Last week, Ingram led the way with 26 carries for 85 yards and a touchdown.

Said Johnson: “I think [Kelly] is just going to go with the game flow, what’s going on, what the defense is giving us, and we will see what happens.”

The Texans will see what happens when they face the Cleveland Browns Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time at FirstEnergy Stadium. Whoever has the hot hand could carry the Texans to their second victory of 2021.