4 Texans worthy of making the Pro Bowl

With the Pro-Bowl voting underway, here are four Houston Texans deserving of going to the All-Star Game in the winter, including Deshaun Watson.

Pro Bowl voting is live. In the thick of a tight AFC playoff race, the Houston Texans have their fair share of players worthy of heading to Orlando, Fla. on Jan. 26, 2020.

Four, in specific, stand-out as obvious Pro-Bowl selections. To get them there, Texans fans will be relied upon. They can do so by heading to NFL.com/ProBowlVote to cast their ballots. Voting ends on Dec. 12, it is free and encouraged that multiple ballots are sent in.

During the final two weeks of voting — Nov. 28 to Dec. 12 — fans will be able to vote for their favorite Texans on Twitter. They will be able to do so by tweeting the player’s first and last name, the player’s official handle or a hashtag including their first and last name. All three methods must include the #ProBowlVote hashtag.

When making voting, here are four Texans to keep in mind for Pro Bowl voting:

QB Deshaun Watson

Deshaun Watson is a full-fledged MVP candidate. His name on the Pro Bowl roster won’t be surprising come January. In fact, come game time in Orlando, Fla., the only thing that would be surprising is not seeing Watson suited up — unless he is in Miami.

Watson is drilling passes at a 70.2% clip, has a career-high 107.1 passer rating, has upped his passing touchdown rate from 5.1% to 6.0% (18) and lowered his interception rate from 1.8% to 1.7%. He has done so while throwing for 2,432 yards, rushing for 279 and tallying five touchdowns on the ground.

If stats don’t do the trick, take a gander at NFL Twitter on Sundays. Seemingly every week, Watson is producing highlight reels with his magical abilities. Combine that with a winning record (6-3), statistical improvement and a broad fan base and Watson is seemingly a lock to make the Pro-Bowl in back-to-back years.

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Bills playoff picture: Texans get two playmakers on offense back

Bills playoff picture 2019, the Houston Texans get Will Fuller, Jordan Thomas back from injury.

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The Texans currently sit in the top spot of the AFC South. But no division is tighter than theirs.

Behind the Texans (6-3), in order, are the Colts (5-4), Titans (5-5) and Jaguars (4-5).

That’s not AFC East with the Jets and Dolphins. Realistically, any of them can rip off a few wins and take the top spot from the Texans, who would then be a in wild card battle with the 6-3 Bills.

Regardless, the AFC South leaders who share the same record as the Bills are getting some reinforcements coming out of their Week 10 bye.

According to Texans Wire, receiver Will Fuller (hamstring) and tight end Jordan Thomas (ribs) returned to practice on Monday.

Fuller was hurt in Week 7 and nearly returned before the Texans’ bye. This season Fuller has 34 receptions for 450 yards and three touchdowns.

Thomas is an interesting case. He’s set to play already this week and the Texans have activated him from the injured reserve list. He’s yet to play this season, but Texans Wire called him the preseason “favorite” to be their No. 1 tight end this year. In 2018, Thomas notched four red zone touchdowns while racking up 20 receptions for 215 yards.

In terms of head-to-head meetings, the Bills won’t see the Texans this season, but quarterback Deshaun Watson will have these two playmakers at his disposal moving forward. Houston plays the Ravens in Week 11.

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Updated look at Bills’ remaining strength of schedule

Buffalo Bills remaining stretch of schedule in 2019.

The Bills sit at 6-3 after their 19-16 loss to the Browns and their 2019 schedule down the stretch is much tougher.

So, how much tougher is it exactly?

Currently the Bills sit dead-center in the NFL.

Buffalo has the 16th hardest schedule remaining in the NFL. Left on Buffalo’s schedule, in order, are the Dolphins, Broncos, Cowboys, Ravens, Steelers, Patriots and Jets.

Combined, those teams are 32-31 overall this year with a .508 winning percentage.

Earlier this season, NFL analysts were critical of the Bills and their opponents. Now the Bills will have a chance to prove they can beat better teams.

With the Bills’ schedule in mind, let’s now compare that with the other teams currently in the AFC Wild Card and playoff picture. If Buffalo doesn’t get it done, things could go bad.

Here’s how the standings currently sit with team records and remaining strength of schedule.

AFC seeding:

New England Patriots (8-1, .469 – 21st hardest)
Baltimore Ravens (7-2, .556 – 7th)
Houston Texans (6-3, .554 – 9th)
Kansas City Chiefs (6-4, .500 – 17th)
Buffalo Bills (6-3, .508 – 16th)
Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4, .383 – 30th)
Oakland Raiders (5-4, .364 – 31st)
Indianapolis Colts (5-4, .531 – 13th)
Tennessee Titans (5-5, .611 – 3rd)
Jacksonville Jaguars (4-5, .446 – 25th)

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Report: Texans work out veteran RBs Jeremy Hill, Elijah McGuire

On Tuesday, the Houston Texans worked out free agent veteran running backs Jeremy Hill and Elijah McGuire.

The Houston Texans worked out veteran free agent running backs Jeremy Hill and Elijah McGuire on Tuesday, according to Aaron Reiss of The Athletic.

The #Texans also worked out RB Elijah McGuire, according to a source. He's a 2017 6th round pick of the Jets who played in 8 games last season.

— Aaron Reiss (@aaronjreiss) November 12, 2019

The #Texans worked out running back Jeremy Hill, according to a source. He previously played for the Bengals and Patriots.

— Aaron Reiss (@aaronjreiss) November 12, 2019

Per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, Hill’s work out went “very well.” However, the Texans did not sign him immediately.

Hill, 27, last played with the New England Patriots. He tore his ACL in Week 1 of the 2018 season — against the Texans — and was subsequently placed on the injured reserve. The LSU product rushed for 25 yards on four attempts before sustaining the season-ending injury.

Before New England, Hill called Cincinnati home. In four seasons with the Bengals, the 6-1, 230-pound tailback recorded 2,873 yards and 29 touchdowns on 704 attempts in 54 games( 43 starts). He finished his 2017 season on the injured reserve with an ankle injury.

McGuire, 25, was a New York Jets sixth-round pick in 2017 out of Louisiana-Lafayette. In 24 games as a rotational cog in the New York backfield, the 5-10, 214-pound back rushed for 591 yards and four touchdowns on 180 attempts.

McGuire spent half of his 2018 campaign on the injured reserve (foot). The Jets released him on Aug. 31, before the Cleveland Browns added him to the practice squad. The Browns waived him on Oct. 22.

Houston, in 2019, has employed a two-headed rushing attack in Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson. On the year, the two have combined for 231 touches for 1,241 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns.

Texans’ DeAndre Hopkins doesn’t care about the next receiving record he is set to break

Houston Texans All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is on-pace to break yet another record. However, he could care less.

Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is no stranger to the record books. A two-time All-Pro with only one missed game in his seven-year career, the wide-out, otherwise known as “Nuk,” continues to climb receiving statistics leaderboards.

Hopkins can put his name back in the record books on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. With four more receptions, he would be the second-youngest player (27 years, 164 days) in NFL history to reach 600 receptions (behind Larry Fitzgerald).

Unless Houston wins, Hopkins couldn’t care about the record. Sharing a list with Fitzgerald is nice for him, but he doesn’t play for statistics — unless it’s doubling what he currently has; a monumental feat.

“That’s dope. That’s cool. Definitely going to keep that football, only if we win,” Hopkins told reporters Monday. “But no, winning is really the most important thing to me. But to be up there with people like Larry Fitzgerald, that’s not bad. That’s not bad at all. That’s pretty cool. The only thing better than [600] is [600] more, so hopefully I can be the first to do that.”

On the season, Hopkins has 68 receptions for 665 yards and four touchdowns. He is on pace to break his career-high for receptions in a season (115) with 121. Unless the 6-3 Texans win, however, he won’t be one to mention that number.

Hopkins was raised to win, not to look at his numbers. In his eyes, if he is not a champion, those accomplishments don’t mean anything.

Said Hopkins: “I honestly don’t think about the accomplishments. That’s not the way I was raised. I was raised that you’re either a champion or you’re not a champion. So, anything else is really disappointing to me personally because I love winning.”

Until Hopkins gets that coveted Super Bowl ring that he is in pursuit of, don’t expect the quiet 27-year-old to discuss his resumé.

Texans are blocking out the noise for vital three-game stretch

The Houston Texans are blocking out the noise for their vital three-game stretch. Their focus is on the Baltimore Ravens. That’s it.

Starting on Nov. 17, the Houston Texans will endure the toughest stretch on their 2019 schedule.

On Sunday, they will duke it out with the vaunted 7-2 Baltimore Ravens, four days later, they will host the 5-4 Indianapolis Colts, then the 8-1 New England Patriots the next Sunday on the NFL’s biggest stage, Sunday Night Football.

Houston’s three-game stretch against the Ravens, Colts and Patriots features a combined 20-7 record, with all three teams possessing playoff aspirations. However, the Texans don’t have their collective minds on that; their focus is on the Ravens.

“I think as soon as you put that film on of the Baltimore Ravens, it doesn’t take you a long time to focus on the Baltimore Ravens,” said coach Bill O’Brien on Monday. “We’re very focused on the Ravens.”

At 6-3, the Texans are on-top of the AFC South race. Their record and divisional standing give them the third seed in the AFC playoffs. O’Brien and Co. are all too aware that the Baltimore game, like any against a tough AFC foe, is vitally important.

“I think that when you only play 16, you have to take it as 16 one-game seasons. I think that’s what we try to do,” said O’Brien. “Any time you go on the road to play an AFC opponent, that’s an important game. So, we’re going to do the best job we can of focusing on Baltimore. They’ve got a great football team and we’ll do the best job we can.”

O’Brien emphasizes the importance of focusing on their next opponent, treating it like a playoff game and then going from there. Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins believes the same.

Hopkins, and the Texans’ locker room, could care less about the excitement, and subsequently, nervousness for the upcoming schedule. They are in Houston to get work done.

“We really block out the noise in here, honestly,” said Hopkins on Monday. “Not just saying that cliché, but we don’t really pay attention to really what goes on. As long as we handle business, that’s all that matters.”

Lamar Jackson and the red-hot Ravens in Baltimore present an immense challenge for the Texans. Those donning battle red and steel blue would be foolish to think about anything but those that reside in Maryland.

Texans coach Bill O’Brien excited to regain offensive line continuity

Houston Texans head coach Bill O’Brien is excited for the return of Laremy Tunsil, who will give the offensive line continuity moving forward.

The Houston Texans, after much trial and error, have their offensive line.

A five-man unit of (left to right) Laremy Tunsil, Max Scharping, Nick Martin, Zach Fulton and Tytus Howard has given Houston its best blocking unit in eons. The problem: The quintuplet has struggled to stay together.

With Tunsil, Howard and Fulton each missing at least one start in 2019, the entirety of the unit has just 176 snaps together. In those snaps — worth two games and a half — they have allowed two sacks to Deshaun Watson.

As benefactors of the Week 10 bye, Houston won’t just have 176 snaps logged onto their rebuilt offensive line. Tunsil, who missed Week 9 (shoulder), is expected to come back for Week 11’s tilt with the Baltimore Ravens. Howard (partially torn MCL) returned in Week 9.

“I think any time you can have continuity up front, I mean, obviously that’s a good thing,” said coach Bill O’Brien on Monday. You don’t want to have guys moving in and out based on injuries. You really don’t want that, but sometimes, obviously, that happens and you have to deal with it like any other teams does.”

Houston recently employed the help of Roderick Johnson and Chris Clark to negate the injuries to Tunsil and Howard. That will no longer be the case for the Texans. O’Brien is giddy to get the offensive line he and former General Manager Brian Gaine slaved over to create.

“Any time you can have (Laremy) Tunsil and (Tytus) Howard at tackle, and (Max) Scharping and (Zach) Fulton at guard, Nick Martin at center, that’s a pretty good group and that’s good continuity,” O’Brien continued. “So, hopefully we can have that this week.”

Despite the never-ending rotation of players, the Texans offensive line has produced in 2019. Houston is eighth in the NFL in ESPN‘s Pass Block Win Rate (61%), 11th in adjusted line yards (4.37) and ninth in run-stuffed rate, per Football Outsiders.

The Texans’ offensive line should be together for their fourth start as a cohesive unit on Sunday. From there, the only place to go for Tunsil, Scharping, Martin, Fulton and Howard is up.

Bills playoff picture: Post-Week 10 recap of AFC teams ‘in the hunt’

The Bills’ loss to the Cleveland Browns hurt. All loses tend to do that in the NFL, but this one hurt a little more. The feeling that Buffalo let this one get away, combined with other teams around the AFC playoff picture scoring some wins of their …

The Bills’ loss to the Cleveland Browns hurt.

All loses tend to do that in the NFL, but this one hurt a little more. The feeling that Buffalo let this one get away, combined with other teams around the AFC playoff picture scoring some wins of their own, things didn’t go well for Western New York in Week 10.

Here’s a recap of the latest happenings in the AFC playoff picture:

AFC seeding:

New England Patriots (8-1)
Baltimore Ravens (7-2)
Houston Texans (6-3)
Kansas City Chiefs (6-4)
Buffalo Bills (6-3)
Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4)
Oakland Raiders (5-4)
Indianapolis Colts (5-4)
Tennessee Titans (5-5)
Jacksonville Jaguars (4-5)

In the hunt teams recap:

Playoff teams recap:

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Texans must tighten up their tackling against the Ravens

To beat the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, the Houston Texans will need to have sound tackling from the defense, according to Bill O’Brien.

If the Baltimore Ravens can make someone slip, they will. Lamar Jackson, Marquise Brown, Mark Ingram, Willie Snead and Mark Andrews have torched defenses all season long with the ball in their hands.

On Sunday, Nov. 17, the Houston Texans will witness the slippery Ravens as they face them in Maryland at noon CT. The NFL’s top-ranked rush-offense (197.2 yards per game), Baltimore is capable of giving the Texans problems. Houston can negate that with sound-tackling and clean play.

“If you look at the games, whether it was the NFL or college, I do think that these games are coming down to mistakes – turnovers, bad tackling, penalties,” said coach Bill O’Brien on Monday.

The Texans are eighth in the NFL in missed tackles (68), as of Nov. 9, per Pro Football Reference. They have allowed the NFL’s most yards after the catch (1,205). That has to change against the Ravens.

O’Brien has three names in mind who will help the Texans’ tackling woes: Safety Justin Reid and inside linebackers Benardrick McKinney and Zach Cunningham.

“So, I think any time you have guys that can tackle, which Justin (Reid) can do. We have guys that can tackle – (Benardrick) McKinney and Zach (Cunningham) and all the other guys out there,” said O’Brien. “We feel like we have a pretty good tackling team. I think that’s important, especially against a team like this.”

Reid, McKinney, and Cunningham have combined for 176 total tackles to 19 missed tackles on the year. They are not the problem. However, they also aren’t the entire solution for containing the Ravens’ defense. The three are second-level defenders.

To truly contain the electric Ravens’ offense, Houston must play with sound gap-control upfront while simultaneously setting the edge consistently. It won’t be easy without J.J. Watt.

However, that’s football. Adapt and survive or perish; it’s as simple as that.

Report: Texans work out journeyman DL Caraun Reid

The Houston Texans worked out journeyman defensive lineman Caraun Reid on Monday, giving him a physical after.

With the bye week over with, the Houston Texans are molding their roster for the stretch run. On Monday, they worked out defensive lineman Caraun Reid, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.

Texans worked out veteran defensive lineman Caraun Reid on Monday, according to a league source. Undergoing physical

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) November 11, 2019

Reid, 27, last played with professional football with the Dallas Cowboys. In 2018, the 6-2, 292-pound lineman tallied 10 combined tackles, a half-sack, a tackle for loss and three QB hits in 10 games, one start, for the Cowboys.

Reid was a Detroit Lions fifth-round selection out of Princeton in 2014. He spent two seasons in Michigan — starting 12 games in the second — before waiving him in the preseason. The then-San Diego Chargers claimed him, only to see him play seven games before tearing his ACL.

The Lions claimed Reid off of waivers after the 2017 preseason. From there, he spent short visits with the Washington Redskins and Indianapolis Colts before landing in Arlington. The Cowboys released him on Sept. 1, leading the Colts to sign him and waive him two months later.