Odds-makers give the Houston Texans the slight advantage against the Indianapolis Colts Thursday night at NRG Stadium for Week 12.
The Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts face off for a Thursday night encounter at NRG Stadium to kickoff Week 12 in the NFL. With an abbreviated week of preparation for both teams, the Texans are hoping to come away with a win to neutralize the Colts’ head-to-head tiebreaker and prevent Indianapolis from getting their 11th series sweep.
Odds-makers are giving the Texans the advantage at -3.5, according to BetMGM, and those odds are tied with the 49ers, Titans, and Lions for the fourth-slimmest odds of Week 12. Only the Eagles (-1.5), Raiders (-2.5), and Ravens (-3.0) have closer odds.
The point total for the game is 46.5, which is tied with Oakland-NY Jets, Carolina-New Orleans, Dallas-New England, Green Bay-San Francisco, and Baltimore-LA Rams for the third-highest point total of Week 12. In the Week 7 matchup between the Colts and Texans, both teams combined for 53 points.
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The Houston Texans have a promising situation at quarterback for the future with Deshaun Watson. Where does that compare to the rest of the NFL?
The Houston Texans have a young quarterback in Deshaun Watson that provides the club a chance to win virtually every ballgame. But with the Pro Bowler still on his rookie deal, how exactly does their quarterback situation shape up?
The Texans undoubtedly will exercise Deshaun Watson’s fifth-year option for 2021, but they also will be looking to sign him to a long-term extension. At 24, Watson already has shown he’s a franchise quarterback. This season, he has thrown for 2,601 yards and 18 touchdowns while also rushing for 291 yards and five touchdowns. A.J. McCarron is the backup, but the Texans hope Watson never has to leave the field. “Watson already is approaching elite status,” a panelist said. “In two or three years, he’ll be one of the best in the league.”
Watson was having quite the MVP campaign until he threw for 169 yards and an interception in the Texans’ 41-7 loss at the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11 at M&T Bank Stadium.
What is interesting is that the Atlanta Falcons are a spot ahead of the Texans. Certainly it is reasonable to have the Chiefs No. 1, Seahawks second, Dallas at No. 3, and the Ravens fourth-best. However, the Falcons have an aging quarterback and the team is in the midst of another wasting the efforts of Matt Ryan with a dynamic receiving tandem in Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley. While there are cases such as Tom Brady and Drew Brees being able to play into their forties at a high level, there are also cases such as Tony Romo of taking took many injuries in the late thirties and Joe Flacco, who has lost it altogether.
How the Falcons’ situation is better than the Texans andWatson is questionable.
The Colts are back on top of the AFC South, tied with the Houston Texans with a 6-4 record. This game means so much for both teams as the division and possibly even a potential wild card spot could be at stake here.
Houston is coming off their worst loss of the season, a 41-7 blowout against Baltimore on Sunday. The Texans will not come out as flat as they did last week when they host the Colts on Thursday night and this team is not to be underestimated.
If the Colts want to stay on top of the AFC South and go a game up on Houston, here are seven Texans the Colts must gameplan for:
(Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports)
QB Deshaun Watson
This mobile, strong-arm quarterback is a threat every time he steps on the field. The Colts will need to contain him in the pocket and not allow him time to throw to his talented receiving core. Look for Darius Leonard to spy on Watson all game and try to keep him from torching them in the run game.
WR Deandre Hopkins
Regarded as one of, if not the best wide receiver in football, Hopkins creates a significant matchup problem for the Colts. With top corner Pierre Desir questionable for Thursday, it will be up to rookie Rock Ya-Sin and the collection of safeties to keep Hopkins from going down the field.
LB Zach Cunningham
The talented linebacker leads the team in tackles with 79 total tackles on the year. He is a force in the run game and will have to be picked up by the Colts O-line in order to have success with Hines and Williams on the ground.
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(Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LB Bernardrick McKinney
McKinney is another linebacker that along with Cunningham, can be a real problem for teams trying to run the ball. With 68 total tackles on the year, McKinney will have to be accounted for on Thursday. He is also a solid pass coverage outside backer as well.
TE Darren Fells
Fells has had a quiet season, but has six touchdowns, mostly coming in the red zone. Watson targets his big tight end in goal-line sets so look for Anthony Walker and Leonard to be on Fells especially if the Texans drive down the field.
S Tashaun Gipson Sr.
Gipson has been banged up in 2019 but he is still a great cover safety with run-stopping ability. Gipson has two picks on the year including a 79-yard touchdown return earlier in the season. Brissett will have to be careful airing it out if Gipson is in coverage.
LB Whitney Mercilus
The eighth-year veteran has still been disruptive in this defense that has desperately needed a pass rush after trades and injuries. Mercilus has fit the bill with five and a half sacks on the year along with an interception. With this powerful pass rusher coming off the edge, tackles Anthony Castonzo and Braden Smith will have to make sure he does not get around them.
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Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins are on the same page pre-, and post-snap.
A No. 1, go-to wide receiver is a luxury in the NFL. Only so many teams have one. The same can be said for a true franchise quarterback. Every year, teams spend months and assets galore finding one.
The Houston Texans have both, in Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins, a duo known as one of the NFL’s most feared.
In 2018, Hopkins amassed 115 receptions for 1,572 yards and 11 touchdowns with Watson throwing to him. He earned his second-straight All-Pro nod for his efforts. In 2019, his yardage (745) and touchdown (four) numbers may be down, but his receptions are up (75).
Hopkins, in 2019, has altered his game from fewer bulk yards — he allows Will Fuller and Kenny Stills to do so — to be a true chain-mover and safety valve, often reeling in his 47 first down receptions from the slot.
Hopkins can be that guy for Watson due to their chemistry. They have a clear understanding of their timing, routes and adjustments.
“I see it pre-snap, he sees it pre-snap, post-snap, and we’ll just be on the same page. We just have that chemistry,” said Deshaun Watson on Tuesday. “We just have that communication and we talk about it all the time. We talk about it, we watch film on it, on different looks, different situations and if we have time to get to that second hole or that second window or this look or different looks, we just communicate it.”
The Texans wide-out may not have big-time numbers to boast from the 2019 season as in years prior. However, Hopkins’ is still “that” guy for Houston’s offense. He’s clutch; rarely makes a mishap in a big moment; and is the person Watson looks for at the end of the game, third or fourth quarter.
“He’s just a guy that wants the ball every time, especially in a moment like that where the drive is on the line,” said Watson. “He likes that pressure situation where, like you said, the drive is on the line so we’ve got to keep the chains moving and keep the possession of the ball.”
The killer instinct can define a football player. The Texans, in Watson and Hopkins, have two with that ever-so-valuable intangible. Even better: their chemistry cannot be touched.
All seems to be well again for the Indianapolis Colts after their 33-13 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Whether it was Jacoby Brissett returning to his post this team’s starting quarterback or the historical rushing performance by Marlon Mack and Jonathan Williams, the Colts certainly had a lot of positives in their Week 11 performance.
But things will take a different turn in Week 12 as the Colts play face another divisional rival in the Houston Texans on Thursday night. This game is arguably the most important one for either team, as they’re currently tied for first place in the AFC South and it involves playoff implications for not only right now but at season’s end.
Here are three key matchups to watch in the Colts’ primetime Week 12 bout against the Texans:
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
RB Carlos Hyde vs. Colts’ defensive front seven
It was just a few days ago when the Colts’ defense had to face another red-hot running back in Leonard Fournette before ultimately slowing him down (eight carries for 23 rushing yards). But this week is a new week and up next for the AFC South competitor now is a tough matchup with Texans running back Carlos Hyde.
As crazy as this might sound, Hyde’s very solid season in Houston is under the radar. After disappointing stints in Cleveland and Jacksonville between 2017-’18, the former San Fransisco 49er is playing his best football ever. By having 769 rushing yards, a yards per carry average of 4.9, and four rushing touchdowns, Hyde is easily the third-most important player on the Texans offense, behind Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins.
Even with Watson and Hopkins being more than capable of taking over this game, it shouldn’t stop the Colts from trying to contain Hyde. By doing so, this could keep the Texans’ offense in longer down and distances, which is bad for them given their shaky pass protection and Justin Houston’s recent streak of sacks in a game.
Touchdown Wire ranks the 32 NFL teams in terms of stability and potential at the game’s most important position over the next 3-4 seasons.
Tom Brady might be the best quarterback ever, but he’s not the best in the NFL right now. He certainly won’t be the best in 2022.
He’s human, after all, and at age 42, regression is inevitable even for someone with six Super Bowl rings. That puts the New England Patriots in an uncertain situation at quarterback two or three years down the road. The New Orleans Saints, with 40-year-old Drew Brees under center, find themselves in a similar scenario.
Other teams, such as the Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers, likely will face difficult personnel decisions at the quarterback position much sooner than that. Only a handful of teams, notably the Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks, appear secure in their quarterback situation for years to come.
All this got us thinking about the quarterback situations of the future — and where each of the NFL’s 32 teams ranks in terms of preparedness at the game’s most crucial position.
By quarterback situations, we mean the full overview of each team’s quarterbacks group, including backups and a potential succession plan, if necessary. For this exercise, we will define the future as three to four years down the road.
To help form these opinions, we consulted with a blue-ribbon panel of one former head coach, two former general managers and one current general manager. They were asked for their thoughts on each team’s quarterback situation. They provided insight to inform our rankings.
With that in mind, we present Touchdown Wire’s future quarterback rankings for every NFL team, from worst to first:
32. Miami Dolphins
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Earlier this season, many observers accused the Dolphins of tanking to earn the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and presumably select a quarterback. Since then, Miami (2-8) has been eclipsed by the ineptitude of Cincinnati (0-10) and Washington (1-9), so the Dolphins might not get the first QB off the board. Currently, the Dolphins have Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen on their roster. Rosen has failed in his playing time. There’s no way he’ll be back next year. The Dolphins have the option to hang onto Fitzpatrick, 36, who’s currently under contract next season at $5.5 million. It makes sense to keep Fitzpatrick around for one more year to help groom a young quarterback. That could be LSU’s Joe Burrow, Alabama’s Tua Tagavailoa (although his recent hip injury now complicates his draft status), Oregon’s Justin Herbert or Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts. Two members of my panel said they like Burrow better than Tagovailoa. Either way, it’s going to take some time to develop a young quarterback.
31. Chicago Bears
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For the moment, Mitchell Trubisky is Chicago’s starting quarterback. But it doesn’t appear that he will be in that role next year — although he remains under contract and the team holds a fifth-year option on the No. 2 overall pick from 2017. Given his level of play this season, it’s highly unlikely he will receive the option year, and he might not even see 2020 with the Bears — although the cap hit for cutting him would be slightly more than $9 million. The Bears are 4-6 after going 12-4 last year. There’s one main reason for the decline. That’s Trubisky. My panelists say he’s holding the offense back and could end up keeping a good team out of the playoffs. All four panelists agree Trubisky should be nothing more than a backup. Current backup Chase Daniel’s contract expires after this season. So there’s no telling who will be Chicago’s quarterback next year. Maybe the Bears will draft a quarterback. But with a talented roster already in place, the Bears should be first in line to sign New Orleans backup Teddy Bridgewater as a free agent.
30. Cincinnati Bengals
David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
Veteran Andy Dalton has been benched, and the Bengals are giving rookie fourth-rounder Ryan Finley a shot. There should be no turning back to Dalton, even though he remains under contract for 2020 with a $17.5 million scheduled salary. The Bengals can cut Dalton after the season without any salary cap ramifications. It’s too early to judge Finley. Cincinnati is going to end up with an early draft pick and could have a shot at Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert or Jalen Hurts. The Bengals will be starting over. But, given their current state, that’s not a bad thing. “Dalton had more than enough time and couldn’t win consistently,” one panelist said. “I have no idea what they have in Finley. But they have to draft a quarterback if they’re sitting there at No. 1 or 2.”
29. Washington Redskins
Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
The current situation is a mess. Veterans Colt McCoy and Case Keenum, who clearly aren’t the answer, each is in the last year of their contract. The Redskins have little choice but to play rookie Dwayne Haskins, who has five interceptions and two touchdown passes, the rest of this season. Call it an audition for Haskins. But this situation is complicated because the Redskins currently have interim coach Bill Callahan, who took over when Jay Gruden was fired. There will be a new coach next year, and he might not like Haskins. With an early draft pick likely, the new coach might want his own guy. Give up on Haskins after only one season? Arizona did it with 2018 first-round pick Josh Rosen after drafting Kyler Murray. All four of our panelists said Haskins was overrated when he was drafted.
Houston Texans wide receiver Keke Coutee is going to help the team out in their playoff run, says quarterback Deshaun Watson.
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After a two-week hiatus as a healthy scratch, Keke Coutee found his way back to the Houston Texans’ lineup in Sunday’s blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The Red Raider played 72% (44) of offensive snaps in Week 11, recording three catches for 25 yards.
While coaches haven’t explained directly why Coutee did not play in Weeks 8 and 9, they did allude to a lack of attention to detail as a reason being his removal from the offense.
Coutee’s quarterback, Deshaun Watson, is elated for the return of the second-year wide receiver.
“It’s always good to get Keke back out there and get his confidence up,” said Watson on Tuesday. “He’s a great help for this team, he’s a great football player, great teammate, just a great person, a brother.”
In theory, Coutee is supposed to be the quarterback’s slot sidekick. Though he briefly fell out of favor at the position, there remains hope that he can develop into a reliable, speedy weapon in Houston’s offense.
“You just kind of make sure that he’s staying along, staying encouraged and that’s what we’ve been doing,” continued Watson. “He’s definitely going to help us out as we make this run.”
Coutee has 16 receptions for 179 yards in seven games for the Texans in 2019. In 2018, he recorded 28 for 287 yards and a touchdown. His specialist, as a rookie, was dicing up the Indianapolis Colts.
In two games against the Colts in 2018 (including playoffs), Coutee recorded 22 receptions for 219 yards and a touchdown. His momentum against the Colts took a halting stop in Week 7 when he dropped a pass; resulting in a game-losing interception.
On Thursday, Coutee will get an opportunity for redemption. The Texans host the Colts on the short week. With a job within Houston’s offense in his name, Coutee can either prove he is the “Colt Killer” or that his success against them in 2018 was a fluke.
Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson made plenty of mistakes against the Ravens. He won’t make them again against the Indianapolis Colts.
Two days ago, Deshaun Watson made a mistake — by fumbling the ball. Then he made another — by trying to play hero ball. And another — by throwing an errant interception.
Nov. 17 was a day of mistakes for Watson and the Houston Texans. The 24-year-old quarterback turned over the ball twice, finished with the third-worst starting passer rating of his career (63.7) and felt the pain of being trounced by the Baltimore Ravens 41-7.
Watson’s mistake-laden performance painted a clear picture of misery for the Texans. However, it’s about responding from a defeat that defines a football team, not the defeat itself.
Watson is here to respond. It’s who he is. It’s what he has done since setting Georgia state records at Gainesville High. When adversity strikes, he strikes back. When that adversity is his own wrongdoing, he learns from it.
“He really has a good memory bank so he can understand what happens. He’s not a repeat error, he doesn’t make the same mistakes twice. But he still is seeing things that are new. I think he does a great job in working hard to correct things,” said Texans coach Bill O’Brien on Tuesday. “That’s what good players do, and that’s what he is.”
After he became a full-time starter at Clemson, Watson never strung together games of back-to-back passer ratings of 104 or below (the equivalent of 63.7 in NFL). In his three seasons as a Texan, he is 4-1 coming off a rating of 75 or below.
“He does a really good job of that,” said O’Brien on Watson correcting mistakes. “He takes that to heart, whether it’s mechanics or reads, something in protection that he can fix in the next week. He works very hard to correct his own mistakes.”
Dwelling is not Watson’s forte. Revenge is. What better opportunity than the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night?
The Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts square off for a Week 12 encounter on Thursday Night Football. Find out how to watch the game.
The Houston Texans can quickly get the taste of Week 11’s 41-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens out of their mouths as they host the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday Night Football to kickoff Week 12.
One of the perils of facing the Colts on such a short week is the lack of prep time that comes with a Thursday night game, and the fact it is a very consequential matchup as the Texans have to prevent being swept by the Colts. Indianapolis currently holds the tiebreaker over Houston with a 30-23 win in Week 7 at Lucas Oil Stadium. A win would propel the Colts to 7-4 and drop the Texans to 6-5, almost a two-game swing because of the tiebreaker the Colts would have over the Texans.
Houston may be without safety Justin Reid due to a concussion, but they will have quarterback Deshaun Watson, who suffered an ankle injury in the loss at the Ravens. However, Reid has appeared as not having participated in practice the past two days while Watson has been a full participant.
The Colts are in a similar boat and may be without the services of running back Marlon Mack, who had a hand procedure on Monday to fix his fractured hand. Even on a regular week, it would be iffy to overcome that. On a Thursday night week, it is almost impossible.
