Tag: DeAndre Hopkins

Deshaun Watson, Texans borrow trick play from Bears

The Texans borrowed a page out of the Bears’ playbook with a trick play in their win over the Patriots on Sunday night.

Chicago Bears fans watching the New England Patriots and the Houston Texans game on Sunday Night Football may have seen something that looked familiar when the Texans scored their final touchdown of the night.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, with the Texans leading the Patriots 21-9, quarterback Deshaun Watson and the Houston offense entered the redzone. On first-and-goal from the 6-yard line, Watson handed the ball to running back Duke Johnson, who then gave it to receiver DeAndre Hopkins on an end around, then pitched the ball back to Watson as he dove over the pylon for the touchdown.

The score put Houston up 28-9 and essentially sealed the game while fans were going nuts over the fake play they just saw. But Bears fans have seen this done before.

Back in 2017 during quarterback Mitchell Trubisky’s first NFL start against the Minnesota Vikings, the Bears ran a nearly identical fake play as a 2-point conversion following Trubisky’s first career touchdown pass. Trubisky handed the ball to running back Jordan Howard, who gave it to tight end Zach Miller, then pitched it back to Trubisky for two points.

Flashing back to the present, Watson wasn’t shy about revealing where he learned the play from following their 28-22 win.

“We were watching a game, and actually, I think it was Chicago that did it,” Watson revealed. “We brought it up, me and A.J. McCarron were looking at it, was watching film one day and was like ‘actually, we probably can run that.’ So we kind of through it out there to (offensive coordinator) Tim Kelly and OB (head coach Bill O’Brien) and Hop (Hopkins) saw it and Hop of course said ‘yeah, let’s do it, let’s do it.’ He was excited so we kept working on it, kept working on it, and we knew it was the perfect time once we got inside the 5 (yard line), it was going to come. It was good.”

This isn’t the first time a team took a specific play from the Bears. The Philadelphia Eagles’ famous “Philly Special” play from Super Bowl 52 that saw tight end Trey Burton throw a touchdown pass to quarterback Nick Foles against the Patriots was originally run by the Bears in 2016. Both plays were orchestrated by former offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains.

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Texans offensive grades from 28-22 win over the Patriots

There were plenty of gold stars to go around as the Houston Texans offense had their way with the New England Patriots 28-22 on Sunday night.

The Houston Texans, for the first in a decade, defeating the New England Patriots on Sunday night. Their offense blew away expectations, playing efficient football against one of the NFL’s best defenses — not in 2019, but ever.

The Texans gained 276 yards and four touchdowns on offense against the Patriots. They didn’t turn over the ball once, scored on all of their visits in the red zone (three) and converted six of their 11 first downs in the win. Let’s grade the individual groups who led to the upset victory.

Quarterback

Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Deshaun Watson needed a perfect or near-perfect performance to beat the vaunted, No. 1 scoring Patriots defense. He hit the latter, playing a near-perfect game to ultimately get what he wanted most: a win over Tom Brady, who refers to as the GOAT.

Watson went 18 for 25 passing for 234 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. His 140.7 passer rating is the most by any quarterback against the Patriots in 2019, surpassing Lamar Jackson’s performance in Week 9.

To top it off, Watson caught a touchdown pass via a trick option play with DeAndre Hopkins and Duke Johnson involved.

Watson did miss a few throws. He took three sacks, two of which were avoidable from his side. However, he faced one of the NFL’s historically great defenses and slew it via deep bombs, smart check-downs and decisiveness, whether running or standing still.

That’s called a passing grade and then some.

Grade: A+
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Texans 100: Facts and Figures for Patriots on Sunday Night Football, No. 76-100

The facts conclude with a look at the NBC Sports broadcast crew, and a few Houston Texans and New England Patriots defense and special teams stats.

The Houston Texans and the New England Patriots get ready for Sunday Night Football at NRG Stadium, and we finish up the 100 facts with a look at the clubs’ special teams, defense, and a few top performers.

Facts and Figures for Patriots, No. 1-25

Facts and Figures for Patriots, No. 26-50

Facts and Figures for Patriots, No. 51-75

broadcast facts

Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

76. This is the fifth game in the series to be in prime time, including playoffs.

77. NBC will be broadcasting their second game in the series. Here is the breakdown by network:

CBS: 9

NBC: 1

ESPN: 1

NFL Network: 1

 

78. The Texans are 5-5 on NBC with a 2-0 record in postseason.

79. The Texans are 3-5 when Al Michaels calls their games.

80. The Texans are 4-5 when Collinsworth does color commentary for their games.

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3 keys for Patriots to beat Texans in Week 13

Three keys for the New England Patriots to defeat the Houston Texans in Week 13.

The New England Patriots (10-1) will look to win 11 games in a season for the tenth consecutive year when they take on the Houston Texans (7-4) in this week’s Sunday Night Football matchup in Texas. Here are the Patriots’ three keys to victory.

1. Win game’s marquee player matchup

All eyes will be on the battle between Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore this Sunday.

Unless Gilmore faces off against Saints receiver Michael Thomas in Super Bowl 54 this February, this will be the undisputed best receiver-cornerback matchup of the season.

Gilmore has had his way with several of the league’s marquee receivers this year, which is why he’s one of the favorites to take home the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award.

Will he take Hopkins — six catches, 85 yards combined in last two games versus Gilmore — out of the game as he did the likes of Amari Cooper and Odell Beckham Jr. earlier this year?

2. Pressure/contain Deshaun Watson

Watson — 301 rushing yards (4th among QBs), five touchdowns —  isn’t exactly Lamar Jackson when on the run, but he’s a mobile quarterback capable of extending plays and scrambling for back-breaking third down conversion runs.

The Texans already have trouble protecting Watson (sacked 32 times) with their lackluster offensive line. This should encourage Bill Belichick to include a variety of pressure stunts and blitzes to the gameplan, that would send the likes of Jamie Collins and others after the Texans franchise passer.

Additionally, Kyle Van Noy, John Simon and Chase Winovich should be asked to contain Watson, keeping him in the pocket.

3. Gauge offensive approach along the way

Behind the return of left tackle Isaiah Wynn, Sony Michel and the Patriots found some success on the ground last Sunday versus the Dallas Cowboys.

They’d be wise to attempt to run on the Texans’ 17th-ranked run defense which allows 108 yards per game on the ground.

Although not an overly-porous unit, success can be had there with a good day of blocking a la last winter. The Patriots are capable of that again this season, even with their current unit up front.

But if the Patriots are stymied at the line, then a spread-it-out approach against the NFL’s 25th-ranked pass defense (in terms of yardage) may be the way to go.

Not that they need to be told, but the Patriots offense should be extra-flexible (and versatile) this week.

6 things Patriots fans should know about the Texans

The New England Patriots will once again be appearing in a national primetime game as they travel to face the Houston Texans in a Week 13 Sunday Night Football matchup. New England, winners of two straight, have found a resurgence in its defense …

The New England Patriots will once again be appearing in a national primetime game as they travel to face the Houston Texans in a Week 13 Sunday Night Football matchup. New England, winners of two straight, have found a resurgence in its defense after its 37-20 Week 9 loss in Baltimore. The defense will have yet another challenge in slowing down a Deshaun Watson-led Houston offense, which sits at No.7 in total offensive production in the league.

Here are six things that Patriots fans should know about the Texans, the leaders of the AFC South.

1. Watch out for Deshaun Watson.

It seems like every week the New England defense faces off against an elite quarterback. Last week it was Dak Prescott. In Week 11 it was Carson Wentz. And, in Week 9 it was Lamar Jackson. The trend continues this week with the Patriots facing off against Deshaun Watson.

The third-year dual threat quarterback is proving that Houston knew what it was doing by selecting Watson with its first-round draft pick in 2017. Watson is in the top 10 amongst quarterbacks in throwing yards (2899), touchdown passes (20), and rushing yards (301).

The Patriots slowed Dak Prescott down last week but that was in rainy and cold conditions at home last week. It will be a true telling point in just how good this defense really is if it can prevent Watson from having a big game in Houston.

2. Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson help elevate the elite Houston rushing attack.

Not only will New England need to worry about Watson on the ground, the Patriots defense can’t forget about running backs Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson. Add all three together and the Texans have the no. 6 rushing attack in the entire league, averaging 136.9 yards per game.

Hyde is more productive on the ground than Johnson, while Johnson is a more efficient pass catcher. Hyde has ran for 836 yards, the 11th most in the league. Johnson has 240 reception yards and a pair of receiving touchdowns.

3. Led by DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller, the Texans have a deep receiving unit.

Yes, the rushing attack accounts for a big part of Houston’s offensive production, but the Texans have perhaps one of the deepest receiving units led by DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller.

Hopkins is arguably the most athletically gifted receivers in the game, making hard catches look routine on a regular basis. Currently, Hopkins is no. 13 in receiving yards with 839 and the second-most targeted receiver with 112 targets. Stephon Gilmore will look to shut him out after shutting out talented Amari Cooper last week.

Fuller missed several games in October but has returned from injury. In a Week 5 game against Atlanta, Fuller posted a ridiculous 217-yard, 14-catch, 3-touchdown performance. The odds of him replicating a similar performance against New England are low, but the Patriots still need to focus on him.

4. The Texans defense is beatable.

Tom Brady and the rest of the Patriots offense have run into some of the most elite defenses in the league this past month. The offense gets a relief this week against a beatable Houston defense.

Through 11 games, the Texans are allowing the 16th-most points per game at 22.6 and the 13th-most yards per game at 367.3. Although the Patriots had their troubles slowing down Lamar Jackson in Week 9, the Texans fared even worse, allowing 41 points to Baltimore in a lopsided 41-7 Week 11 loss.

5. Bill O’Brien faces off against his old team

Houston head coach Bill O’Brien spent time working for Bill Belichick from 2007 to 2011 prior to taking over the Texans head coaching reins in 2014.

O’Brien will look to guide Houston to its first win against New England during his head coaching tenure. The Patriots have won five straight against O’Brien and eight overall against the Texans. The closest O’Brien has come to defeating his former team was in a Week 3 36-33 loss in 2017.

6. New England is successful in Houston.

The last four games between the two teams have taken place at Gillette Stadium, with New England winning all four of those contests. The last time the Patriots traveled to Houston was in 2015 when they won in a Week 14 matchup. New England has won two straight at Reliant Stadium after infamously losing in Week 17 in 2010 when Wes Welker tore his ACL.

Texans and Patriots vary greatly from their 2018 matchup

Sunday’s matchup between the Houston Texans and New England Patriots may be between familiar opponents, but the faces aren’t the same.

448 days will separate the New England Patriots’ last win over the Houston Texans and Bill O’Brien’s latest attempt to best his former boss, Bill Belichick.

On Sunday night, the 7-4 Texans host the 10-1 Patriots at NRG Stadium. A numerical value can’t do justice of the change made in 448 days.

The Patriots won a Super Bowl, saw the retirement of Rob Gronkowski come, had a cup of coffee with Antonio Brown, and got off to a 10-1 start to the 2019 season.

The Texans lost a wild-card game at home, fired their general manager, the week before mandatory minicamp, executed multiple season-altering trades, saw J.J. Watt end another season prematurely, and got off to a 7-4 start.

“I think every year we’ve evolved, we’ve had different players,” said O’Brien on Wednesday. “This year with Kenny (Stills) in there and (Darren) Fells and Carlos Hyde and Duke (Johnson), we’re a totally different team — Laremy Tunsil, Max Scharping, Tytus Howard, guys like that.”

Through a series of maneuvers, the Texans have surrounded their quarterback with a promising offense line and a thunder-and-lightning rush attack.

The culmination of their efforts: the NFL’s 10th-ranked scoring offense (24.1 ppg), seventh-ranked yardage offense (381.6 ypg) and ninth-ranked pass-blocking offensive line, in terms of ESPN‘s Pass Rush Win Rate metric (61%).

The Patriots remain the same vaunted opponent, achieving excellence on the offensive, defense and special-team sides despite numerous personnel alterations.

“We’re just a different team. I think every year is different,” continued O’Brien. “I think that relative to what we do this year relative to what we’ve done in the past, I think there’s some carryover, there’s some things that we do that we just really believe in, and then there’s other things that are new.”

Houston’s offense still runs through No. 4, Deshaun Watson. New England’s, No. 12, Tom Brady. However, those around the two quarterbacks aren’t all what they were 448 days ago.

Brady’s Patriots 10-1 record runs through their defense, which allows a top-ranked 10.6 points per game. The offense, after much turnaround, is going through growing pains, yet remains efficient. The Josh McDaniels offense is tenth in Football Outsiders‘ DVOA metric (6%).

The Texans offense is inconsistent, yet explosive; at times, unstoppable when healthy. They are healthy. No offensive starter is slated to miss Sunday night’s prime time bout.

Replacing Sammie Coates, Vyncint Smith, Bruce Ellington, Lamar Miller, Alfred Blue and Ryan Griffin from Houston’s 2018 Week 1 27-20 loss to New England is Will Fuller, Kenny Stills, Keke Coutee, Carlos Hyde, Duke Johnson and Darren Fells. A massive boost in productivity.

For the Patriots, there is no longer a premier No. 1 wide-out or tight end to carry the brunt of the workload. Instead, it goes through Julian Edelman and James White on the passing ends. The run game is propped up by Sony Michel, who is yet to face the Texans.

Brady still has weapons. However, they aren’t the world-beating talent that they once were. His offensive line isn’t, either, as they are 26th in ESPN’s PBWR (53%).

“I think both teams are very different than the last time we played them,” said O’Brien. “But I still think you have to look at those games, you have to study those games because there’s a lot of the same players that have played in those games, but the teams are different.”

Sunday night’s matchup between the Texans and Patriots may be a familiar one, but the faces aren’t.

4 things Texans fans should be thankful for this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a holiday to reflect on things to be thankful for. Here are four items Houston Texans fans should add to the list for 2019.

As Houston Texans fans prepare themselves to indulge into their Thanksgiving traditions, eating their favorite dishes, and enjoying family time, they have plenty to be thankful for on the gridiron. Their hometown club is first place in the AFC South with a 7-4 record. Here are four items Texans fans need to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

4. rb carlos hyde

texans-rb-carlos-hyde-love-peter-king
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Hyde has reestablished his career after being traded to Houston for Martinas Rankin. Through the first 11 games, Hyde has rushed for 76.0 yards per game, his most since the 2016 season, and the Texans have benefited from his resurgence as they are tied with the Seattle Seahawks for the sixth-best rushing team in the league at 136.9 yards per game.

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Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins leads AFC Pro Bowl voting for receivers

Houston Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins leads Pro Bowl voting in the AFC among wideouts.

Houston Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins is receiving the recognition he deserves.

To start Week 13, the NFL released updated Pro Bowl voting, and the two-time All-Pro is the top vote-getter among AFC receivers.

On the season, Hopkins is second in the NFL with 81 receptions and 11th in the league with 839 receiving yards. The former 2013 first-round pick is tied for the seventh-most receiving touchdowns in the NFL with six.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson is not leading the AFC in votes at his position. The Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson owns that top spot with 361,096 votes. To illustrate how tough quarterback will be on the AFC roster, Kansas City Chiefs field general Patrick Mahomes is the second-highest vote-getter overall with 286,205.

The San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, and Minnesota Vikings are the top-5 teams with Pro Bowl votes.

Houston will take on the New England Patriots on Sunday Night Football at NRG Stadium in Week 13. If Hopkins is able to have a great game against cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who is playing arguably the best football at his position this year, then it should help Hopkins keep his top spot among Pro Bowl voters.

Bill Belichick gives DeAndre Hopkins the ultimate compliment ahead of Patriots-Texans

Bill Belichick will often give credit where it’s due, but he rarely gives opposing players praise like he did with DeAndre Hopkins. 

Bill Belichick will often give credit where it’s due, but he rarely gives opposing players praise like he did with DeAndre Hopkins.

The New England Patriots will hit the road to face the Houston Texans on Sunday night and Hopkins will be high on the priority list for Belichick. Hopkins didn’t drop a single pass last season, while recording 115 receptions,  1,572 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Belichick told reporters on Wednesday that Hopkins’ picture belongs next to ‘NFL receiver’ in the dictionary. He also went on to call his catch radius and hands, ‘elite-elite’.

Belichick has always had respect for Hopkins, and he made that clear last season.

“If he’s covered, he’s still not covered because he still has the ability to go up and get the ball,” Belichick said, transcribed by Texans Wire. “He’s really never covered.”

This will likely be one of Hopkins’ toughest games of the season though, because he’ll be squared up with Stephon Gilmore — the NFL’s best cornerback. Gilmore is coming off of a week that he completely shut out Amari Cooper, and he hasn’t allowed a catch in the last two weeks.

The Texans vs. Patriots will be a great game, but the matchup within the game will be something to watch.

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In past two matchups, Stephon Gilmore has had Deandre Hopkins’ number

Week 13 in the NFL will feature one of the best cornerback-receiver matchups that the league has to offer. 

Week 13 in the NFL will feature one of the best cornerback-receiver matchups that the league has to offer.

Stephon Gilmore and the New England Patriots will travel to Houston on Sunday night to square off with the Texans and Deandre Hopkins. After shutting out Amari Cooper in Week 12, Gilmore solidified his spot as the NFL’s best cornerback. Hopkins is coming off of a two-touchdown performance against the Indianapolis Colts and he was among the league’s best receivers last season.

In 11 games this season, Hopkins has amassed 81 receptions, 839 yards and six touchdowns. Gilmore has recorded four interceptions, while allowing a 40.6 percent passer rating and zero touchdowns. Gilmore is a 6-foot-1, 202 pound cornerback that isn’t threatened by Hopkins’ 6-foot-1, 212 pound frame.

Since joining the Patriots in 2017, Gilmore has went toe-to-toe with Hopkins twice — allowing six completions for 85 yards and no touchdowns.

With a Bill Belichick gameplan and one of the league’s most feared defenses, it could be a long night for Hopkins. The Patriots have a league-high 20 interceptions this season and they’re second in passing yards allowed per game with 158. Fortunately for Houston, they have a reliable quarterback in Deshaun Watson who is in the NFL’s lower tier of interceptions thrown with seven.

New England vs. Houston is a huge AFC matchup, but the clash within the game will provide entertainment the entire night.

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