Tag: nfl week 18

Texans DT Ross Blacklock says his goal for 2022 is to expand leadership role

Houston Texans defensive tackle Ross Blacklock wants to expand his role as a leader in 2022.

HOUSTON — If one was to look at Ross Blacklock’s stats, they may conclude that the second-year defensive tackle made a substantial jump during his sophomore season with the Houston Texans.

Entering the final game of the 2021 campaign, Blacklock has recorded a career-high 21 total tackles and two sacks in 13 games played. Alongside Jonathan Greenard and rookie Roy Lopez, Blacklock has established himself as a promising piece to a Texans’ defensive line that can create havoc for the opposing team in 2022.

But despite the on-field improvements, the Houston native believes his next significant progression will come by the way of his leadership within the locker room.

“The one thing I want to do next year is just be more of a leader and a captain in my room — as far as being an older guy,” Blacklock said. “I don’t know how our room is going to look next year or anything like that — but just kind of being that spark in our room. That’s my personal goal, but just keep making that step up and keep trying to improve.”

It did not matter if it was his student-athlete days at Elkins High School or collegiate time at TCU, Blacklock said he has always been a leader in some form or fashion throughout his career and wants to translate his leadership qualities to the pro-level.

Blacklock described his leadership style as a player who lets his actions speak louder than his words, and he wants to be a veteran Houston’s rookie class of 2022 can lean on for advice next season.

It’s a benefit Blacklock could not take advantage of during his rookie season with the Texans imploding to a 4-12 record in 2020. The turmoil throughout 2020 resulted in Blacklock missing out on lessons he did not learn until his second season.

“It’s not necessarily running everything, but as far as a person in my room helping guys out, I was always that older guy helping guys out, leading them the best way possible,” he said. “I’m not a big ‘rah-rah’, loud guy, but I try to lead by example the best way that I can, so that’s all I’m trying to do and just keep being my best self for this team.”

In addition to becoming a better leader, Blacklock said he wants to put the Texans in a better position to compete in 2022. He wants to get Houston to the level of one day winning the Super Bowl.

DT Ross Blacklock says Texans were ‘going through the motions’ in 2020 season finale

Houston Texans defensive tackle Ross Blacklock says the team has a much better attitude heading into their season finale than they did in 2020.

Kicking off the new year with the four-win Houston Texans hosting the AFC South champion Tennessee Titans at NRG Stadium seems to be a new tradition; it has been happening the past two years.

The Texans are 4-12 and their season mercifully ends after they play the Titans Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time.

In 2020, the final game of the season also came down to then 4-11 Texans hosting the Titans, and according to defensive tackle Ross Blacklock, the players on that roster were waiting for the season to just end.

“Honestly, I can say a year ago we were kind in the same situation,” said Blacklock. “The mood obviously was different. Guys were kind of ready for it to be over with and just going through the motions.”

The Texans fell down 24-9 with 9:53 to go in the third quarter against the Titans on Jan. 3, 2021. Instead of packing it in, Houston fought back and Tennessee had to kick a 37-yard field goal as time expired to secure the division, 41-38, as the Indianapolis Colts would have wrapped it up had Tennessee lost. The Titans had everything to play for, the Texans didn’t, but it still was a furious finish.

According to Blacklock, the Texans are even more inspired this year than last.

Said Blacklock: “This year, we’re still fighting. We’re still trying to find ways to win, trying to find ways to play together and get better as a team. Each game counts. It doesn’t matter what the record says or anything. You can have an impact on this team, an impact on somebody else’s team, ruin the playoffs or whatever the case may be.”

If the Texans were to lose, it would help them possess the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft. Houston winning would move them deeper into the top-10.

“At the end of the day, we are just here to get a win,” Blacklock said. “We just have to keep putting our best foot forward, and better things and better days are coming.”

Texans do not budge, stay at No. 29 in Touchdown Wire NFL power rankings

The Houston Texans didn’t budge a bit in the Touchdown Wire NFL power rankings for Week 18.

The Houston Texans had their two-game winning streak snapped, but it didn’t cost them any spots in the power rankings.

According to Nick Wojton from the Touchdown Wire, the Texans are still the 29th-best team in the NFL following their 23-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 17 at Levi’s Stadium.

A second half to forget for the Texans. After heading into the break with a 7-3 lead, the 49ers put up 20 points in a 23-7 final. Sloppy play like an interception by QB Davis Mills and a missed field goal from Ka’imi Fairbairn happened for Houston while San Fran scored on five of their last seven drives.

Across the AFC South, the Tennessee Titans, who are in the driver’s seat for the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, are seventh in the power rankings, an improvement from No. 9 last week. The Indianapolis Colts fell from No. 7 to No. 11 following their loss to the Las Vegas Raiders that jeopardizes their playoff spot. The Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t budge and have full command of the No. 32 spot.

How far could the Texans fall if they lose to the Titans Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time at NRG Stadium? How precipitous would the tumble be for Tennessee if Houston beat them?

The Huddle’s Blitzed Fantasy Football Podcast: Episode 164

Week 18 fantasy football player news, DFS advice, and more!

In this episode, Steve and Harley bring you B.P.N. NFL news, fantasy football resolutions, and “DFS Pay-ups, Stay-aways and Value Plays.” So Huddle up, tune in, and get Blitzed!

Or, click here to listen

Texans vs. Titans Week 18 set for early game time slot

The Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans kickoff for Week 18 at NRG Stadium has been set.

The NFL has released its full schedule for Week 18, including the kickoff time for the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans rematch.

The Texans’ season ends Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time against the Titans at NRG Stadium.

Tennessee currently has possession of the No. 1 seed in the AFC. However, they have not officially clinched home-field advantage. If they lose and the Kansas City Chiefs win, the Titans will be the No. 2 seed and have to play in the wild-card round, a total of three AFC games should they reach Super Bowl LVI.

The Texans could see the Titans’ backups if the Chiefs lose to the Denver Broncos in Week 18 on Saturday.

NFL flexes Week 18’s Saints-Falcons game to more prominent time slot

NFL flexes Week 18’s Saints-Falcons game to more prominent time slot

Another week, another New Orleans Saints game flexed into a different time slot. The team announced that their regular season finale with the Atlanta Falcons in Week 18 has been pushed back to 3:25 p.m. CT/4:25 p.m. ET, having originally been scheduled for a noon kickoff. That should put the Saints and Falcons in front of a larger audience (still broadcast on FOX) with fewer games beginning in the late afternoon.

Why the move? Expect some scoreboard watching from the Saints with an ongoing NFC West rivalry game carrying huge playoff implications — the San Francisco 49ers will kick off with the Los Angeles Rams at the same time, needing a win to lock up the final wild-card seed in the NFC. If the Rams win (and they need a win to lock up the division, and the No. 2 seed) and the Saints take care of their business in Atlanta, San Francisco will be eliminated while the Saints advance to their fifth consecutive postseason.

And, oh yeah, it would also mean the Saints end the year with a winning record. Accomplishing that with all of the injuries and COVID-19 issues they’ve been dealt would be beyond impressive, strengthening Sean Payton’s candidacy for Coach of the Year voting. And, to look a little further past the horizon, it might help to lure one of the big-name quarterbacks on the move in the offseason.

But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. The Saints need to put down the Falcons, who have already been eliminated and have nothing to play for beyond spoiling the Saints’ season. Take care of your business and see if you can get some help from out west.

Sean Payton says NFL could flex Week 18’s Saints-Falcons game

Sean Payton says NFL could flex Week 18 Saints-Falcons game to a different time slot with playoffs on the line

There’s a lot on the line for the New Orleans Saints in Week 18. A win in the regular season finale would go a long way towards getting New Orleans in the playoffs, though they’ll still need some help.

So of course their oldest, most despised rival is standing in the way. The Saints will close out the season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium with the Atlanta Falcons, who have already been eliminated from playoff contention. But if there’s any team eager to play spoiler, it’ll be the dirty birds.

And the weight of the situation isn’t lost on Saints coach Sean Payton. He said after the game that there’s a chance the NFL flexes this game into a different time slot, and it makes sense with some other relative matchups on hand. The most important game for Saints fans to watch will be the San Francisco 49ers’ road game with the Los Angeles Rams; a 49ers win would clinch the final NFC wild-card seed, eliminating New Orleans.

But if the Rams win (and they’ll be motivated to, with the second NFC playoff seed on the line) the Saints could get into the playoffs by defeating Atlanta. Sure, they need some more help along the way — the Minnesota Vikings are also in the mix, but a Week 17 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night would knock them out — but it’s a realistic scenario.

So where could the game be moved? With the Rams-49ers tilt scheduled for kickoff at 3:25 p.m. CT on Sunday, Jan. 9, moving the Saints-Falcons matchup to the same window makes sense. On the other hand, the NFL has an open doubleheader for Saturday, Jan. 8. Either of these games could be bumped up a day, as could the play-in confrontation between the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers.

With that said, Payton made sure not to get ahead of himself in what’s important. He quickly added, “We got to find a way to get to 9-8 and go from there.”

As is always the case this late in the season, there are a ton of moving parts to keep up with. Be sure to check back here at Saints Wire to stay on top of the latest news.

[listicle id=61772]