Tag: NFL Week 17

A telling stat that proves the Texans upgraded their secondary in 2019

The Houston Texans are reaping the benefits of bringing in new secondary members, as four are allowing less than the league average passer rating.

The Houston Texans entered the 2019 offseason with a major concern, among others: their secondary.

In 2018, Houston’s secondary struggled mightily, no matter the personnel or schematics. They sought to fix that in the offseason by bringing-in numerous members to the group. Four of those new members have paid off as coverage players.

The Texans boast four secondary members allowing below the league-average in passer rating (90.9). All four of those players were not on the roster in 2018.

Safety Tashaun Gipson has allowed a 47.4 passer rating in coverage in 2019, per Pro Football Reference. Cornerback Bradley Roby follows with a 79.4. Corner Keion Crossen follows Roby with an 81.9. Rounding out the group is safety Jahleel Addae with a 90.8.

Cornerback Gareon Conley nearly made the group; he allows a 92.4 in coverage.

Perhaps the most telling statistics are Gipson’s and Roby’s, who are both starters in the Texans’ defense. Houston plucked both of them in free agency, signing Gipson to a three-year deal and Roby to a one-year contract. Both have proven to be revelations in the Texans’ secondary.

Crossen has not seen a start in the Texans’ defense. His third-ranked, for the Texans, passer rating allowed comes while playing 103 snaps in Houston’s secondary.

Addae rounds-out the list. Though not a starter, he plays an integral role as Houston’s third safety behind Gipson and Justin Reid. The former Los Angeles Charger has 489 defensive snaps on the season.

The Texans remain to be a leaky pass defense, allowing the third-most passing yards per game (270.9). However, that may not be due to the secondary. The pass-rush has struggled mightily throughout the year, acting like the NFL’s worst since J.J. Watt’s torn pectoral in Week 8.

Houston’s secondary may not be all-world. However, it’s not one of the biggest wholes on the roster. They targeted help in the offseason and found just that. If the pass-rush can improve, the Texans can slowly build-up a pass defense that can hold-up.

Texans take pride in being dominant on special teams

The Houston Texans, under special teams coach Brad Seely, rank as one of the NFL’s best special teams units for the second year in a row.

It wasn’t long ago that the Houston Texans shot themselves on the foot consistently due to poor special teams play. However, that changed in 2018, when Houston brought-in special teams coach Brad Seely.

Since the arrival of Seely, the Texans have risen from Football Outsiders‘ 26th-ranked special teams unit (in terms of DVOA [-4.5%]) to fifth in 2018 (3.5%) to fourth in 2019 (2.9%). They’ve allowed the fewest punt return yards in 2019 (73) and led the NFL in field goals made in 2018 (37).

“I think it’s an important part of who we are as a team,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said on Thursday.

The Texans take a special teams approach similar to the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens, teams that historically, under their respective head coaches, are among the NFL’s best on special teams. They bring in players specifically for their abilities on the ever-so-valuable but overlooked third-team.

Cornerback Keion Crossen, fullback Cullen Gillaspia, running backs Buddy Howell and Taiwan Jones, safety A.J. Moore and linebackers Dylan Cole (out for the season – ACL), Barkevious Mingo and Tyrell Adams see most of their snaps on special teams. They take pride in that.

“These guys take a lot of pride in it. They love being on special teams,” said O’Brien. “So, we’ve done a good job, especially of covering kicks, and I think our return game has been able to get a couple of first downs, basically, during the year and I think that’s important. So, I think our special teams is a big part of who we are.”

The Texans have 99 problems, but the special teams ain’t one.

Saints missing three starting DB’s on final Saints-Panthers injury report

The New Orleans Saints ruled out Vonn Bell, Marcus Williams and Eli Apple on their final Week 17 injury report against the Carolina Panthers

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The New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers published their final injury report ahead of Week 17’s game, and it carries significant status updates for multiple players on each sideline.

It appears the Saints will kick off on Sunday missing three of their four starting defensive backs. Safeties Vonn Bell and Marcus Williams, and cornerback Eli Apple, are each ruled out while managing different injuries. In their place, fans will likely get an extended look at rookie C.J. Gardner-Johnson and some recently-signed backups like Janoris Jenkins, D.J. Swearinger, and maybe DeShawn Shead.

Here’s everything we learned on Friday’s Saints injury report. Updates from previously-issued reports are denoted with bold text.

From the Saints

  • CB Eli Apple (ankle), Did not participate, Out
  • FS Marcus Williams (groin), Did not participate, Out
  • SS Vonn Bell (knee), Did not participate, Out
  • WR Krishawn Hogan (hamstring), Designated to injured reserve
  • LB Kiko Alonso (quad), Limited
  • FB Zach Line (knee), Limited, Questionable
  • QB Drew Brees (knee), Full
  • WR Michael Thomas (hand), Full
  • DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson (hip/forearm), Full
  • OL Andrus Peat (forearm), Full
  • OL Larry Warford (knee), Full

From the Panthers

  • DT Gerald McCoy (knee), Full
  • WR D.J. Moore (concussion), Did not participate, Out
  • LB Andre Smith (ankle), Full
  • LB Shaq Thompson (foot), Did not participate, Out
  • LB/DE Marquis Haynes (knee), Limited, Questionable
  • LB/DE Brian Burns (shoulder), Full
  • S Tre Boston (shoulder), Full
  • TE Ian Thomas (ankle), Full
  • TE Greg Olsen (knee), Full
  • DT Kyle Love (ankle), Full
  • DT Woodrow Hamilton (illness), Full
  • CB Corn Elder (illness), Questionable

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Texans-Titans Friday injury report: QB Deshaun Watson questionable with back issue

The Houston Texans released their final injury report for Week 17 versus the Tennessee Titans, and QB Deshaun Watson was listed as limited.

The Houston Texans released their final injury report ahead of their Week 17 rematch with the Tennessee Titans Sunday afternoon at 3:25 p.m. CT at NRG Stadium.

On Friday, they had their second full practice of the week. Receiver DeAndre Hopkins was held out with an illness. He did not receive a designation for the game, unlike Will Fuller, who was declared out.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson remained limited with a back issue and was listed as questionable.

Did not participate
WR Will Fuller Groin OUT
WR DeAndre Hopkins Illness
Limited participation
S Jahleel Addae Achilles QUESTIONABLE
OLB Jacob Martin Knee QUESTIONABLE
WR Kenny Stills Knee QUESTIONABLE
OT Laremy Tunsil Ankle QUESTIONABLE
QB Deshaun Watson Back QUESTIONABLE
WR DeAndre Hopkins Illness QUESTIONABLE
CB Bradley Roby Hamstring QUESTIONABLE
Full participation

ILB Benardrick McKinney — Concussion

OLB Brennan Scarlett — Achilles

How much respect do the Texans have for Titans RB Derrick Henry?

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry will return to the field on Sunday to face the Houston Texans. Bill O’Brien has a lot of respect for him.

Following a one-week hiatus due to a hamstring, Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry will play the Houston Texans in Sunday’s finale at NRG Stadium.

The Titans are entering the week with a mindset of “must-win.” If they don’t do so, they will find themselves out of the playoffs, if they don’t get the help they need. Henry’s return in Houston is ever-so-valuable for a team seeking to get to the postseason after not doing so in 2018.

Henry will help them. The Titans sorely missed his powerful rushing in Week 16’s loss to the New Orleans Saints.

“I think Derrick Henry is an excellent running back,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said on Thursday. “Big, downhill guy. He’s played a lot of football this year. I’m sure that week off probably helped him be ready to go. We know that we’ve got a lot of respect for Derrick. We’ve played against him a lot and he’s a tough guy. He’s a tough guy to handle and we’re going to have to be ready to go.”

Despite missing a contest, Henry ranks second in the NFL in rushing yards (1,329) and third in total touchdowns (15). The former Heisman Trophy winner has 4.4 speed to go alongside his 6-3, 247-pound frame, making a prototype power back seemingly impossible to tackle on the first attempt.

According to Player Profiler, Henry ranks second in the NFL in breakaway runs (13) and ninth in evaded tackles (77). Per Pro Football Reference, he creates 3.4 yards on average after contact.

The last time Houston faced Henry, in Week 15, they did a better job limiting him than his last opponents. He rushed for 86 yards on 21 attempts, the first time he was held under 103 rushing yards in over a month.

The Texans could enter Week 17 without anything to play for, as the Kansas City Chiefs, with a win, can lock them into the fourth seed. However, for Henry, he’s playing to help the Titans get to the postseason, and the Texans should expect him to run angry as always.

Ravens vs. Steelers injury report: Who’s playing and who isn’t

With a decision to be made on which players will sit out, seeing four Ravens listed as “questionable” against the Steelers should help

The Baltimore Ravens are already set to rest several key contributors, both on offense and defense, against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 17. But with an injury report that features five players listed as “questionable” already and nothing to play for, we could effectively see a preseason squad on the field for Baltimore this week.

Players like tight end Mark Andrews and cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Jimmy Smith have been limited in practice this week. With how important they are to the Ravens’ ultimate goal of winning Super Bowl LIV, all three could see a reduced snap count, if they play at all.

Meanwhile, the Steelers will be without starting running back James Conner and center Maurkice Pouncey, who were ruled out with injuries. That will make it far easier on a defense that’s already seeing third-string quarterback Devlin Hodges start.

Take a look at the full injury report for the Ravens and Steelers in Week 17 and which players could miss this game.

Baltimore Ravens injury report:

Player Position Injury Wed. Thur Fri. Game status
Mark Andrews TE Ankle DNP DNP LP Questionable
Brandon Carr CB NIR DNP FP FP –
Mark Ingram RB Calf DNP DNP DNP Out
Marcus Peters CB Chest DNP LP FP Questionable
Jimmy Smith CB NIR/Groin DNP LP LP Questionable
Earl Thomas S NIR/Knee/Hand DNP DNP DNP Questionable
Brandon Williams DT NIR – DNP FP –
Chris Wormley DT NIR – DNP FP –
Marquise Brown WR Illness – – DNP Questionable

Pittsburgh Steelers injury report:

Player Position Injury Wed. Thur Fri. Game status
Mark Barron LB NIR DNP FP FP –
James Conner RB Quad DNP DNP DNP Out
David DeCastro G NIR DNP FP FP –
Cameron Hayward DT NIR DNP FP FP –
Vance McDonald TE NIR DNP FP FP –
Steven Nelson CB Groin DNP FP FP –
Maurkice Pouncey C Knee DNP DNP DNP Out
Alejandro Villanueva T NIR DNP FP FP –
T.J. Watt LB NIR DNP FP FP –
Ramon Foster G NIR – DNP FP –
Joe Haden CB Foot – DNP FP –

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Behind Enemy Lines: Finishing up the Texans’ season with Titans Wire

The Houston Texans finish off their regular season with a Week 17 tilt with the Tennessee Titans. Titans Wire helps go behind enemy lines.

The Houston Texans and the Tennessee Titans finish off the regular season with a Week 17 tilt at NRG Stadium. For the Titans, a win means they are definitely in the playoffs. For the Texans, a conclusion to the contest with zero injuries is a win in and of itself.

To help preview the rematch, Crissy Froyd, managing editor of the Titans Wire, returns to give a preview. Crissy also manages the new LSU Tigers Wire, and helps preview a little bit of the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl between LSU and Oklahoma Saturday.

 

Texans Wire: What does it say about the culture Mike Vrabel has established that the Titans have clawed back to this point?

Crissy Froyd: This team has a lot of fight and is just a few small tweaks away from being a serious contender. Injuries have a lot to do with that as well. But we’re seeing a Titans team that can compete and play from behind — something that hasn’t always been the case.

 

TW: If the shoe were on the other foot, would the Titans players or the fans care about sweeping the Texans though everything is locked up?

CF: I wouldn’t say that. Resting important players ahead of the postseason would be the logical thing to do in that case, and I think if the Texans play their starters for a significant amount of time on Sunday, they’ve made the wrong decision.

 

TW: If the Titans do go to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs, how do you like their chances?

CF: The Titans took care of the Chiefs earlier this year, and they’re plenty capable of doing it again. The Chiefs are a strong team, but the Titans have proven they can shut them down.

 

TW: How big of a surprise has A.J. Brown been?

CF: I think we all knew he was capable of this, but how quickly he’s gotten to this level is what’s truly amazing. He’s fully cemented the WR1 spot, and rightfully so.

 

TW: Will Arthur Smith get any consideration for coaching gigs this offseason?

CF: Absolutely. He’s brought this Titans offense to a new level. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are some head coaching gigs on the table.

 

TW: How do you think LSU will do against the Sooners?

CF: They’re heavy favorites for a reason. The Sooners are simply outmatched in terms of talent, and are dealing with suspensions and injuries on top of that. The Tigers win by at least 10.

 

tw: what’s your prediction for sunday? any bold predictions?

CF: The Titans will beat the Texans, 27-20. Bold prediction? Perhaps (and hopefully for the team’s sake) Watson will be on the bench by halftime.

The secret for the Texans to stop Titans QB Ryan Tannehill: Play tight coverage

If the Houston Texans want to duplicate their success against the Tennessee Titans and QB Ryan Tannehill, they will have to play tight coverage.

Just because the AFC South is wrapped up and the outcome won’t get them out of wild-card weekend doesn’t mean the Houston Texans are going to give the Tennessee Titans a free win.

Defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel and the defensive staff will be working to ensure the Titans earn the win, which would secure them as the No. 6 seed in the AFC bracket.

In Week 15, the Texans defense had success against quarterback Ryan Tannehill, limiting him to a 92.2 passer rating, the only sub-100 passer rating the former 2012 first-round pick has had in the past six games.

“I think that if you can take away some of the big plays and make him have to execute when guys are tight in coverage,” Crennel told reporters Thursday. “We were tighter in coverage than maybe we had been other games.”

In addition to keeping Tannehill to 279 yards and two touchdowns, safety Justin Reid deflected a pass from tight end Anthony Firkser that outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus intercepted to erase a red zone trip and set one up for Houston’s offense.

Keeping the opposing quarterback to below 100 in passer rating is part of the secret sauce for the Texans’ success in 2019. However, it doesn’t always guarantee success. Quarterback Kyle Allen posted an 89.3 passer rating in the Carolina Panthers’ 16-10 win over the Texans in Week 4 at NRG Stadium.

“This is a quarterback league,” Crennel said. “Everybody knows that. If the quarterback is able to perform, generally he makes plays and they score touchdowns and it makes it hard on your team to win. If the quarterback, if you can hold him down and he’s not able to make some of the plays that they want him to make or he thinks he can make, then that gives you a chance to win the game.”

The Texans will look to hold Tannehill down and finish with an 11-5 record for the second straight season.

Panthers rule out D.J. Moore, Shaq Thompson for Week 17 vs. Saints

The New Orleans Saints will face the Carolina Panthers in Week 17 without top wide receiver D.J. Moore or starting linebacker Shaq Thompson.

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The Carolina Panthers preemptively ruled out two players ahead of their Week 17 regular season finale against the New Orleans Saints: wide receiver D.J. Moore and linebacker Shaq Thompson. Additionally, Panthers cornerback Corn Elder and linebacker/defensive end Marquis Haynes are questionable to play. Elder is battling an illness, while Haynes is dealing with a knee injury. This injury news was first reported by the Charlotte Observer’s Alaina Getzenberg.

Moore, who has been sidelined by a concussion, is an especially significant loss considering the success he had against the Saints in their last meeting. He caught six passes to gain 126 receiving yards, including two long touchdown catches, feasting against a New Orleans secondary that was overmatched without top cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Though Lattimore is back in the saddle and playing well, Moore would have expected to run against the same cornerback he fried last time (P.J. Williams, likely starting in place of Eli Apple).

Thompson is another big loss. He signed a four-year, $54.2 million contract extension (with bonuses raising its value to as high as $57 million) just three weeks ago, but he won’t be able to play against the Saints after sustaining late-season foot and shoulder injuries. Without him in the lineup, things could project well for Saints running back Alvin Kamara to continue building on the momentum he gained in last week’s big win over the Tennessee Titans — Kamara finally looked like his old self, running for 80 yards (and scoring twice) while catching six of his seven targets for 30 yards through the air.

We’ll learn more when the Saints and Panthers release their final injury report later on Friday. For now, it looks like the Saints are getting healthier, while the Panthers are getting close to throwing in the towel.

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DC Romeo Crennel: CB Gareon Conley has ‘done a nice job’ for Texans

Houston Texans defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel thinks cornerback Gareon Conley has done a nice job since his trade from the Oakland Raiders.

Oct. 21, the Houston Texans risked it. In trading a third-round selection to the Oakland Raiders for 2017 first-round pick Gareon Conley, Houston banked on the Ohio State product’s potential over his production.

Conley has played seven games for the Texans since the trade. Houston’s defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel likes what he sees.

“I thought he did all right,” Crennel said on Thursday in response to his expanded playing time. “He’s done a nice job for us. I feel good about him.”

The Texans are tinkering with their cornerback lineup heading into the postseason. It appears Conley will act as a starter in a group that tends to rotate play himself, Bradley Roby, Vernon Hargreave and Johnathan Joseph.

According to Pro Football Reference, Conley is allowing a 92.4 passer rating in coverage in Houston, as compared to 130.6 in Oakland in 2019. On the year, with the Texans, he has 22 combined tackles and nine pass deflections.