Tag: Texans special teams

Texans plan to let long snapper Jon Weeks walk in free agency

The Houston Texans will allow long snapper Jon Weeks go in free agency.

The Houston Texans are changing the operations with their special teams.

According to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, the Texans have informed long snapper Jon Weeks that they will not re-sign him, making him a free agent when the new league year begins on March 17.

What is perplexing about the move is Weeks had not sustained a bad snap in his 11 seasons with the team. Furthermore, Weeks is atop franchise annals with most games played with 176, and at age 35, he still has some great years ahead of him as a long snapper.

Nevertheless, the Texans plan to move on from Weeks. Houston already has a long snapper signed to a reserve/future contract in Anthony Kukwa, who is 28 years old and went undrafted from Lake Erie in 2017. Kukwa was with the Oakland Raiders in their 2017 offseason program, and later spent the 2018 offseason with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Texans to use RB Dontrell Hilliard in third down role, as returner

Houston Texans interim coach Romeo Crennel gave a brief scouting report on what RB Dontrell Hilliard can bring to the team.

The Houston Texans claimed running back Dontrell Hiillard off waivers from the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday.

The 2018 undrafted free agent from Tulane played 30 games for the Browns, catching 22 passes for 199 yards and carrying 22 times for 97 yards and two touchdowns.

Where Hilliard also had utility for Cleveland was as a kickoff returner, where he returned 30 kicks for a 23.5 yards per return after. Hilliard also returned 15 punts for 7.1 yards.

Interim coach Romeo Crennel gave a brief scouting report on Hilliard and what he can bring to the Texans’ offense and special teams.

“Basically, a third-down back who’s been a returner,” Crennel said. “Has some quickness, change of direction. Has an opportunity to be more productive maybe in the kickoff return area and then in the third down area as a third-down back out of the backfield.”

The Texans waived DeAndre Carter, their primary returner, on Nov. 17. Receiver Keke Coutee had been fulfilling that role since Carter’s departure.

Starting running back David Johnson missed Week 14’s 36-7 loss to the Chicago Bears due to being placed on the COVID-19 reserve after being in close contact with a positive case. Duke Johnson and Buddy Howell replaced Johnson in the loss.

Texans WR Will Fuller could continue to return more punts

Houston Texans receiver Will Fuller may be used more often to return punts if the situation calls for it, according to interim coach Romeo Crennel.

In the Houston Texans’ 10-7 loss to the Cleveland Browns Sunday afternoon at FirstEnergy Stadium, there was a curious development on the punt returns.

Receiver Will Fuller was back on a punt return and field it for a 13-yard return.

According to interim coach Romeo Crennel, part of the reason to incorporate Fuller on the returns was due to the weather, not anything that normal return, DeAndre Carter, was doing or not doing.

“The decision wasn’t to take Carter out, because he was in the punt return, but we had two punt returners back,” Crennel said. “Carter was the short punt returner and Will was the deep one. The weather had something to do with that. Plus, we have used Fuller in the past to return a punt.

“Sometimes it’s just one or we get a feel for maybe a punter outkicking his coverage and now Will will be able to take it and get started and have a chance to make a big play. We had him deep and Carter short and he was able to field the deeper kick and get it started up the sideline.”

Fuller’s return resulted in Houston setting up first-and-10 at the Cleveland 49-yard line. It was favorable field position the Texans could not use to generate points, as the drive ended in kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn booting a punt from field goal formation.

Crennel indicated they may try Fuller’s hand at punt returner throughout the season.

Said Crennel: “Now, we might continue to do that from time to time. I don’t know if it will be a full-time thing, but we’ve used Will in the past, put him in and let him return one because he can catch it and he has return ability.”

The Texans take on the New England Patriots in Week 11 at NRG Stadium, and it could be another chance for Fuller to get another shot at having the ball in the open field.

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.

Texans K Ka’imi Fairbairn has turned his season around after early kicking woes

Houston Texans placekicker Ka’imi Fairbairn struggled early in 2019. However, since then, he has turned it around, coach Bill O’Brien says.

It wasn’t long ago when Houston Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn was not well-beloved within the team’s fan base.

The third-year placekicker started the season cold, missing four extra point attempts and three field goals by the mid-way point of the year. However, recently, he’s hot.

Since Week 9, Fairbairn is playing the part of one the NFL’s best kickers. Though he missed an extra point and two field goals (one being a 58-yarder in London, the other a 43-yarder), he has not missed a kick of any kind since Week 11.

“In the beginning, he had a couple of misses,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said on Thursday. “But he’s definitely turned it over around. I think in the Tampa Bay game, I would say one of the main reasons why we won was because of how we kicked the ball.”

In the Texans latest bout — a 23-20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Fairbairn was perfect. He made all three of his extra points, both field goal kicks and even punted once, downing the Bucs at their 10-yard-line.

“Ka’imi’s kickoffs, for example, were very accurate and placed exactly where we wanted to place them,” O’Brien said. “Then obviously he made his field goals and PATs, which are points on the board, which is huge.”

Fairbairn’s early kicking woes sparked a yearn among the Texans’ fan base to release him and find a new option. However, Houston stuck with him and are now reaping the benefits of the results that they expected of him coming into the 2019 campaign.

In 2018, in his second-year in the Texans’ organization, Fairbairn led the NFL in scoring with 150 and field goals made with 37. Though he won’t boast the same achievements in 2019, it’s fair to say that O’Brien and Co. are happy to have him on the roster.

“Ka’imi’s a very good kicker,” O’Brien said. “And we are glad he’s on our team.”

Special teams unit trying to be a turning point for the Texans

The Houston Texans’ special teams unit is trying to be a turning point for the team in 2019. Though less flashy, they are putting in work to win.

The offense and defense may get the credit for a team’s success. However, a lack of competency on special teams can be the ultimate restraint. The Houston Texans employ that train of thought; it’s visible in their recent improvement since special teams coordinator Brad Seely’s arrival in 2018.

Under Seely, the Texans have elevated from 29th in Football Outsiders‘ special teams rankings in 2017 to seventh in both 2018 and 2019 (through Week 9). For long-time Texans long snapper Jon Weeks, that improvement comes via a group that puts their collective heads down and works.

“I think we have a great special teams unit. I think we have a lot of great guys that understand their role on the team,” Weeks told The Texans Wire Monday. “They work very hard to better themselves each day. I think that we understand that there is always room for improvement.”

From Weeks to kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn to punter Bryan Anger to returner DeAndre Carter, the goal is simple for the Texans’ “third-team”: be a turning point, and, subsequently, make plays.

“We can be a turning point for this team,” Weeks continued. “We can help this team with explosive plays, whether its kickoff or punt returns or just making a big tackle on our kickoff coverage.”

Under coach Bill O’Brien, the Texans have taken a Bill Belichick-like approach to their special teams. Their 53-man roster contains a handful of specialized special teamers; including running backs Buddy Howell, Taiwan Jones, linebackers Barkevious Mingo, Tyrell Adams, Peter Kalambayi and safety A.J. Moore.

There is one consistent in the Texans’ special teams unit: hard work. Like the defensive line’s “Lunch Pail Crew,” the group takes pride in constant improvement and grinding out the less-flashy snaps.

“We understand the group of guys in our locker room,” said Weeks. “We understand that we can be special. But, we also understand that we have to put the work in to do it. Which is why I think everyone has seen the improvement because we have a bunch of guys that are willing to come in every day and put in work and make sure we are getting the best out of each other.”

Moving forward, the special teamers of the Texans may not be the superstars you tune into on Sundays. However, without them, Houston may not boast their 6-3 record and current AFC South first-place ranking.