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

The Houston Texans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers meet on NFL Network, so, we take a look at a few broadcast facts as well as defensive facts.

The Houston Texans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers meet for a Week 16 Saturday afternoon tilt on NFL Network. We finish up our last quarter of facts with a look at the NFL Network broadcast team as well as a few facts surrounding the Texans and Buccaneers defenses.

Facts and Figures for Buccaneers, No. 1-25

Facts and Figures for Buccaneers, No. 26-50

Facts and Figures for Buccaneers, No. 51-75

broadcast facts

76. This is the first game in the series to be broadcast on NFL Network.

77. The Texans are 7-7 on NFL Network.

78. The Buccaneers are 3-6 on NFL Network.

79. This week’s commentators are Rich Eisen, Nate Burleson, and Joe Thomas, who will be calling his first Texans game. The trio is the fifth different play-by-play team in the series.

80. The Texans are 1-0 when Eisen calls their games.

81. The Buccaneers are 0-1 when Eisen calls their games.

82. The Texans are 1-0 when Burleson calls their games.

83. This is the third game to be simulcast on KRIV, where Houston holds a 2-0 mark.

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Texans 100: Facts and Figures for Buccaneers, No. 51-75

The Houston Texans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers face one another for Week 16. Next, we look at Bucs coach Bruce Arians and rookie referee Scott Novak.

The Houston Texans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers face one another to kickoff triple-header coverage on Saturday on NFL Network. If the Texans win the Week 16 encounter with the Bucs, Houston will have the AFC South title for the sixth time in club history.

Next, we take a look at facts surrounding Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians and referee Scott Novak.

Facts and Figures for Buccaneers, No. 1-25

Facts and Figures for Buccaneers, No. 26-50

bruce arians facts

51. Arians is the seventh former playoff-winning coach the Buccaneers have hired.

52. With a win, Arians would join Jon Gruden and Dirk Koetter as the only Buccaneers coach to lead the team at a least eight wins in his first season with the team.

53. Arians is 12-3 against the AFC South with a 6-0 record at home.

54. A win would join Arians with Gruden as the only Buccaneers coach to get a win against the Texans in their first try.

55. Arians is 1-2 against the Texans with a 1-0 record at home.

56. Arians is 20-9 in December with a 9-4 record at home.

57. Arians is 27-30-1 against playoff-winning coaches with a 14-12-1 record at home.

58. Arians and Texans head coach Bill O’Brien are the only head coaches since 2014 to lead their teams in back-to-back playoff appearances with multiple quarterbacks.

59. Arians is 23/46 on challenges for his career with a 6/11 rate in 2019.

60. Arians has made six challenges related to pass interference this season with a 2/6 success rate.

61. The Buccaneers have the second-most penalties in the NFL with 115.

62. The Buccaneers have the third-highest scoring offense in the NFL at 29.7 points per game.

63. The Buccaneers have the eighth-highest red zone conversion rate in the league at 64.0%.

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Ravens vs. Browns: Who’s playing and who isn’t

The Baltimore Ravens should have every player available for Week 16 against the Browns, with Ronnie Stanley and Chris Board “questionable”

The Baltimore Ravens are headed into their Week 16 rematch with the Cleveland Browns as healthy as they can possibly be.

After giving some key veterans days off on Wednesday and Thursday, Friday’s injury report saw no one miss practice or even be limited. In turn, only left tackle Ronnie Stanley and linebacker Chris Board are “questionable” for this game, though both should play after getting cleared from the concussion protocol earlier in the week.

Take a look at the final injury report as well as the game statuses for both the Ravens and Browns in Week 16.

Baltimore Ravens injuries:

Player	Position	Injury	Wed	Thur	Fri	Game status
Mark Ingram	RB	NIR	DNP	FP	FP	–
Jimmy Smith	CB	NIR	DNP	FP	FP	–
Earl Thomas	S	NIR	DNP	FP	FP	–
Marshal Yanda	G	NIR	DNP	FP	FP	–
Chris Board	LB	Concussion	FP	FP	FP	Questionable
Ronnie Stanley	T	Concussion	FP	FP	FP	Questionable
Brandon Williams	DT	NIR	–	DNP	FP	–

Cleveland Browns injuries:

Player	Position	Injury	Wed	Thur	Fri	Game status
Kendall Lamm	T	Knee	DNP	LP	LP	Questionable
Sheldon Richardson	DT	Back	DNP	DNP	LP	Questionable
JC Tretter	C	Knee	DNP	DNP	LP	Questionable
Odell Beckham Jr.	WR	Groin	LP	LP	LP	–
Tae Davis	LB	Knee	LP	LP	FP	–
Dontrell Hilliard	RB	Neck	LP	LP	LP	Questionable
Chris Hubbard	T	Knee	LP	LP	LP	–
Jarvis Landry	WR	Hip	LP	LP	FP	–
Eric Murray	S	Knee	LP	LP	FP	Questionable
Olivier Vernon	DE	Knee	LP	LP	LP	Questionable
Denzel Ward	CB	Ankle	LP	LP	FP	–
Porter Gustin	DE	Neck	FP	FP	FP	–

Key:

DNP – Did not participate
LP – Limited participation (anything below 100%)
FP – Full participation
NIR – Non-injury related

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Bucs coach Bruce Arians: Texans have a ‘heck of an offense to try to defend’

Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians is complementary of the Houston Texans offense, which he knows will give his defense a headache.

Bruce Arians knows a good offense when he sees one. The constructor of many of the great attacks of the 2010s, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach has the label of “quarterback whisperer” while also being one of the NFL’s most respected offensive minds.

He sees a good offense in what the Houston Texans will bring into Tampa on Saturday, starting with the Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson run-game coupled with receivers that will stretch defenses to the brink of their powers.

“Oh yeah, they’ve got a very potent running game and a lot of speed outside, so it’s a heck of an offense to try to defend,” Arians said on Thursday to Tampa media.

The Texans have the NFL’s seventh-ranked rushing attack, averaging 130.9 yards per game. Last Sunday, in a win over the Tennessee Titans, Hyde hit 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career. His complementary teammate, Johnson, creates a “fire-and-ice” attack with his speed and agility.

Johnson has 394 rushing yards and a touchdown on 5.1 yards per carry.

The wide receivers of DeAndre Hopkins, Will Fuller and Kenny Stills forces defenses to spread out. They offer speed and individual skill sets to create one of the NFL’s most feared threesome, led by the back-to-back All-Pro, Hopkins.

Then there is No. 4, quarterback Deshaun Watson. Arians regularly compares Watson to Seattle Seahawks passer Russell Wilson. He knows dual-threats, but still stresses that his defense must be disciplined and aggressive — no easy task.

“Having faced Russell [Wilson] and a couple others, it helps to know what you’re up against,” Arians said. “You have to be disciplined, but you still have to be aggressive.”

The Texans boast the NFL’s 10th-ranked scoring offense (24.4 points per game) and seventh-ranked yardage one (375.9 yards per game). Arians leads a high-profile all-out passing game attack, which ranks third in points (29.7) and yards (400.1) per game.

Saturday’s bout between the Texans and Bucs could be one that both defenses have a heck of a time.

Saints rule out three players on final Saints vs. Titans injury report

The Week 16 New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans injury report highlighted Derrick Henry, Adoree’ Jackson, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

The final Week 16 injury report was issued by the New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans ahead of Sunday’s game, and it offers some insight into the status of several big names on each side of the field.

For the Saints, they’ll be without starting guards Andrus Peat and Larry Warford, as well as strong safety Vonn Bell. But standout rookie safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson is questionable to play, which is a good sign after he exited last week’s game with a concussion. If he can’t go, however, the Saints have an experienced option in place after they signed free agent D.J. Swearinger earlier this week.

Additionally, the Saints defense is expected to get a boost from ex-New York Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins. The ankle injury that would have ended Jenkins’ year with Big Blue miraculously cleared up once the Saints claimed him on waivers, and he has a real shot at pushing embattled number-two corner Eli Apple for the starting nod in Week 16.

On the other side, the Titans are managing injuries to key contributors like running back Derrick Henry and dynamic cornerback Adoree’ Jackson. Henry might be the biggest threat to the Saints’ run defense streak (having not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 39 consecutive games, including the playoffs) they’ll see this year, but he’s battling a hamstring injury. Jackson was ruled out with a foot injury.

Updates to previously-issued injury reports are highlighted in bold text. Here’s what we learned on Friday as far as who is in, and who is out for Week 16.

From the Saints

LB Kiko Alonso (quadricep), Did not participate, out
OL Andrus Peat (forearm), Limited, Questionable
OL Terron Armstead (ankle), Full
OL Ryan Ramczyk (knee), Full
CB Patrick Robinson (calf), Full, questionable
S Vonn Bell (knee), Did not participate, Out
OL Larry Warford (knee), Did not participate, Out
S C.J. Gardner-Johnson (concussion), Full, Questionable

From the Titans

WR Adam Humphries (ankle), Did not participate, Out
LB Daren Bates (shoulder), Full
WR Corey Davis (ankle), Full
RB Derrick Henry (hamstring), Full
CB Adoree’ Jackson (foot), Did not participate, Out
WR Kalif Raymond (knee), Full
LB Wesley Woodyard (knee), Full
RB Dion Lewis (ankle), Full
DT Jeffrey Simmons (knee), Did not participate, Questionable

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Texans ILB Zach Cunningham lets his actions speak for themselves

Houston Texans inside linebacker Zach Cunningham is having an outstanding season, where he’s letting his actions speak for themselves.

Quietly, the AFC has a new tackling-machine. He resides in Houston and plays for the Texans.

Third-year inside linebacker Zach Cunningham paces the AFC with 128 combined tackles, which also sits at fifth in the NFL. His 89 solo tackles are second in the league. He has also cut-down his missed tackle rate from 13% to 7.9%, per Pro Football Reference.

On Tuesday evening, the NFL recognized Cunningham’s efforts by naming him as a Pro Bowl alternate behind Darius Leonard and Dont’a Hightower. For him, it’s an honor, but it wasn’t one he pushed for.

A quiet menace, the Vanderbilt product lets his play do the talking.

“I let my actions speak for themselves,” Cunningham said on Wednesday.

Cunningham isn’t just one of the top tackles in professional football, he’s also one of the top run defenders. According to Pro Football Focus, he leads the NFL in run stops (44) and run-stop rate (14.3%).

Cunningham’s numbers and fiery style of play earns him recognition from those around the NFL. Though he lets his action speak for themselves, as he says, he can’t help but realize that the recognition means a lot to him.

“To definitely have that recognition, you know, just knowing that you got that respect around the league, that’s something that means a lot to me,” Cunningham said.

His peers have noticed. After games, Cunningham attracts the attention of opponents who would like to tell him to continue doing well and compliment him.

“There’s a few things I’ve heard after games,” Cunningham said. “Just guys letting me know that I’ve been doing real good. And (what they say) it’s keep balling, stay healthy, those type of things.”

At 25 years old, Cunningham is still a relative newbie to the NFL. However, the league is taking notice of his actions, even if he isn’t one to show them first-hand.

Behind Enemy Lines: Previewing Texans’ Week 16 with Bucs Wire

The Houston Texans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers face off in Week 16, and the Bucs Wire helps preview things from the NFC South club’s point of view.

The Houston Texans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers meet on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. CT in a matchup exclusively broadcast on NFL Network. To help preview the Week 16 showdown at Raymond James Stadium, Colin Liotta from the Bucs Wire sat down and answered a few questions.

Texans Wire: Even though the Bucs are out of the playoffs, what would a 9-7 finish mean

Colin Liotta: It would mean a lot for this team. They haven’t had a winning season since 2016, when they also finished 9-7. Since then, Tampa Bay has had two-straight 5-11 seasons, and after starting off 3-7 this year, it looked like another losing record was all but guaranteed. But, this Bucs team has shown resilience the past month of the season, and at 7-7 they have a chance to finish strong. It would go a long way in building this team’s confidence heading into the offseason if they can finish above .500.

TW: Tampa Bay finished 10-6 in 2010 and then fell back to being the same ol’ Bucs. How can the organization prevent that from happening this time

CL: Hiring Bruce Arians was a big first step. Arians is a two-time NFL Coach of the Year and has shown an ability to work his wonders with quarterbacks. Jameis Winston has had a very Jameis Winston year, leading the league in interceptions with 24 while also on pace to throw for over 5,000 yards. Finding the right coach for this team and changing the culture was imperative for the Bucs, and Arians looks to have them headed in the right direction.

TW: Has Jameis Winston taken the steps to earn that second contract with Tampa Bay?

CL: Yes and no. While Winston has put up big numbers this year the turnovers are still alarming. He has 24 interceptions on the year and can’t seem to go through a game without at least one head-scratching turnover. But, you have to cut him some slack when you consider this is the first season Winston has played in a non-Dirk Koetter system. The Bucs have played well over the past month and while Winston may not deserve a new long-term contract with Tampa Bay, a short-term deal or even the franchise tag is a definite possibility.

TW: How dominant has Carlton Davis been, and can he make a name for himself locking down DeAndre Hopkins?

CL: Davis has shown improvement in the secondary this season, but this unit is still young. Tampa Bay’s secondary is ranked near the bottom of the league, so it’s been a baptism by fire for them all season under new defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. Davis and others will need to find ways to slow down DeAndre Hopkins, since he’s too good to stop completely. If Deshaun Watson and Hopkins hookup early, it could be a long day for Tampa Bay.

TW: How has O.J. Howard progressed as a tight end?

CL: It might be hard to believe, but O.J. Howard is still on the Bucs. The tight end was expected to have a breakout season, but has found himself in Bruce Arians’ doghouse at times due to his lackluster play. Howard has had virtually no impact on the offense this year, and you have to wonder what the future holds for him in Tampa Bay. The Bucs apparently rebuffed the Patriots’ inquires about Howard at the trade deadline, but you have to wonder if they’ll change their tune in the offseason.

TW: What is the organization hoping Bruce Arians can do?

CL: The organization wanted Arians to work his magic with Jameis Winston and help save the former number one pick’s career. The results have been mixed, but over the past month it looks like Winston is finally starting to understand how to run this Arians-Byron Leftwich offense. The Bucs have taken big steps forward in the second half of the season and you have to give credit where credit is due. Tampa Bay endured a brutal five-game stretch away from home this season, including trips to Los Angeles, London and Seattle, and were 3-7 just over a month ago. It would’ve been easy for this team to roll over and give up, but Bruce Arians has them fighting every game. That’s something you couldn’t say about this team in years past.

TW: What’s your prediction? Any bold predictions?

CL: I love how the Bucs have looked the past few weeks, but without their top two receivers on offense Saturday, it’ll be hard for the Bucs to keep pace. The Texans would love to win and lock up the AFC South. With more on the line, I predict Texans 34, Bucs 17.

Who are experts taking in Chargers vs. Raiders?

NFL experts and analysts have made their predictions for the matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and Oakland Raiders.

The Los Angeles Chargers (5-9) are considered 6.5-point favorites over the Oakland Raiders (6-8) in Week 16 of the 2019 regular season. The over/under line is set to 46.5 points, per BetMGM.

That means oddsmakers are taking bets on whether the two teams will combine to score more than or fewer than 46.5 points.

Our score prediction for the game is a 24-20 win for the Chargers, with a combined total of 44 points. So if we were putting money behind our prediction, we’d bet the under.

As for game picks, a plethora of experts are rolling with Los Angeles to bounce back after suffering defeat last Sunday and pick up a win in their last game played at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Expert	Pick
Nate Davis (USA Today)	Chargers
Mike Jones (USA Today)	Chargers
Mike Clay (ESPN)	Chargers
Sporting News	Chargers
Pete Prisco (CBS Sports)	Chargers
Jared Dubin (CBS Sports)	Chargers
Pro Football Focus	Chargers
Bleacher Report	Chargers

Sunday’s contest will begin at 1:05 p.m. PT and will be televised on CBS.

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Texans 100: Facts and Figures for Buccaneers, No. 26-50

The Houston Texans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers square off in Week 16. Next, we take a look at Bucs QB Jameis Winston and Texans coach Bill O’Brien.

The Houston Texans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers meet in Week 16 for a Saturday afternoon tilt at Raymond James Stadium. For the Texans, a win gives them the AFC South. For the Buccaneers, it helps them in their quest to finish with a winning record despite no postseason qualification.

Next, we look at Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston and also Texans coach Bill O’Brien.

Facts and Figures for Buccaneers, No. 1-25

jameis winston facts

26. Winston has the second-most touchdown passes in the NFL with 30.

27. Winston has thrown the most interceptions in the league with 24. Second-closest is Philip Rivers with 18.

28. Winston has the most passing yards in the NFL with 4,573.

29. Winston has the most first downs by pass in the NFL with 220.

30. Winston is tied with Russell Wilson for the sixth-highest yards per pass attempt in the NFL with 8.3.

31. As prolific as Winston has been in some areas, he is 18th in the NFL in passer rating at 87.9.

32. Winston has taken the third-most sacks in the NFL with 43.

33. Winston has the highest intended air yards in the league with 5,624.

34. Winston has been the beneficiary of 1,699 yards after the catch, the 10th-highest in the league.

35. Winston has been blitzed 211 times, the most in the league.

36. Winston has thrown the sixth-highest red zone passing touchdowns with 17.

37. Winston is tied with Jimmy Garoppolo for the ninth-most red zone passes with 64.

38. Winston leads the NFL with nine interceptions on third down.

39. Winston has the seventh-highest third down conversions on the ground for a quarterback with eight.

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Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins works hard to play in the Super Bowl, not Pro Bowl

Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is a four-time Pro Bowler. While impressive, that’s not why he plays the game at a high-level.

All-star games are a counting man’s game. While an honorable award and certainly one worth celebrating, most NFL players don’t play the grueling game to go to the Pro Bowl.

For seasoned vets that have seen and gone to the spectacle, a bid to be a Pro Bowler is simply a resumé booster for an application into the Hall of Fame. At least, it is for Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

Hopkins said on Thursday, “to be considered at the top, it’s an honor.” But, he also said that it’s not what he practices for. The goal is not to play in it, as that would hint at being in the Super Bowl.

“That’s the reason that we come out to practice every day, for that reason, not to play in the Pro Bowl,” Hopkins said.

Hopkins has his eyes set on the Super Bowl, as all Texans players and members of other playoff-eligible do. Through his first six seasons in the NFL, he didn’t get close to sniffing it, as Houston has never gone as far as the AFC Championship.

At 9-5, Hopkins’ Texans are the AFC’s fourth seed. They can lock-up their spot in the playoffs, and a subsequent first-round home game, if they beat the 7-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, who have won four straight.

“Those guys have some injuries, they still got a good team over there,” said Hopkins. “So we got to come out and focus and take it play by play.”

On the season, Hopkins has 99 receptions for 1,142 yards and seven touchdowns. Not only is he going to his third-straight Pro Bowl, but his season also makes him a candidate to make the All-Pro first team for the third-straight season.

Don’t tell Hopkins that, however, because he couldn’t care less about those individual accolades.