Tag: Tim Kelly

Texans RB David Johnson could produce chunk plays in the passing game

The Houston Texans could have another player who could produce chunk plays in running back David Johnson.

Chunk plays: where an offense gains yards in the 10-30 yard range. If an offense has enough of them in a drive, they will probably score a touchdown, but for sure will maintain possession and melt clock.

Sometimes chunk plays are found in the run game when a running back is able to bust off a 10-yard run. For the Houston Texans, they have a running back in David Johnson that will be able to add those chunk plays in the passing game, not just on the ground.

According to new data from Pro Football Focus, in 2019, Johnson was tied with the Minnesota Vikings’ Dalvin Cook for the highest catch rate of 15 yards or more among running backs.

Combined with receivers Brandin Cooks, Randall Cobb, Will Fuller, and Kenny Stills, the Texans’ passing game will be an explosive group along with Johnson.

“I think when you look at the people that we have in our offensive unit room right now, you’ve got a lot of explosive players there for us, guys that have unique skillsets, guys that are experienced and guys that have produced at a high level in this league,” offensive coordinator Tim Kelly told reporters on May 20. “It’s an exciting thing to be able to kind of sit back and watch those guys come together throughout this virtual offseason and learn the offense and kind of come together as one unit.”

If Johnson is able to add another element of chunk play production, it should help take the pressure off of quarterback Deshaun Watson in the post DeAndre Hopkins era.

How will a shortened preseason hurt the Texans?

The Houston Texans could have their preseason games cut in half as the NFL implements safety protocols in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NFL preseason could be shortened in 2020 as the league gears up its safety protocols in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

If the NFL decides to cut the preseason in half, it will have an effect on all 32 teams. How would that decision affect the Houston Texans?

Training camp is already confined to NRG Stadium and surrounding facilities, which isn’t any different than virtually every other training camp in team history. However, the Texans will not be able to have joint camps with any other teams. Coach and general manager Bill O’Brien’s love for the joint camps is well documented.

“I think it breaks up the monotony of camp,” O’Brien told reporters on Aug. 3, 2019, ahead of the team’s joint practices with the Green Bay Packers. “This is, I think it’s eight practices now going against each other. Now we get two practices against a great football team up in Green Bay. A historic franchise, great quarterback, new coaching staff up there. We’re looking forward to it. Then, we have a chance to see how they do things and they have a chance to see how we do things, look at the rosters on both teams. I think there’s just a ton you can get out of it.”

That leaves the Texans with preseason games to see how their team fares against other NFL squads. If those get halved, then O’Brien and the coaching staff will have even less material to judge.

What does help the Texans is they still have the same coaching staff from previous years. Even the promotion of defensive line coach Anthony Weaver to defensive coordinator isn’t that big of a shift as he has been with the organization since 2016. Offensive coordinator Tim Kelly will be the play-caller for the first time in his career, but he has overseen the offense since 2019, and has been with O’Brien ever since 2014 when he arrived in Houston.

The players and coaches know how the team is expected to operate.

What could happen is the Texans don’t start to get their football legs under them until midway through October. However, the rest of the league will be in the same boat.

Deshaun Watson is taking more command of the Texans offense

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is taking grasp of the offense under second-year offensive coordinator and new play-caller, Tim Kelly.

Tim Kelly doesn’t want to speak for his starting quarterback, but he thinks Deshaun Watson is excited.

The two-time Pro Bowler is entering his fourth season as the Houston Texans’ field general, and Kelly, who is in the midst of his second year as the offensive coordinator, is getting an extra responsibility in calling the plays. For the first time since offensive coordinator George Godsey in 2016, someone other than coach Bill O’Brien will be calling the plays.

Again, Kelly doesn’t want to speak for Watson, but he can see the mindset and approach, even if it’s in a virtual setting through video conferencing.

“With the communication that we’ve had these however many days throughout this virtual offseason, he’s come in with a great mindset, coming in, trying to get better at some areas and really take grasp of the offense,” Kelly told reporters on May 20. “He’s doing a great job as far as that’s concerned.”

The Texans’ 2020 offense will be different from anything Watson has ever played in, chiefly because of the departure of three-time All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Watson will have to develop stronger chemistry with Will Fuller and Kenny Stills, in addition to forming cohesion with Randall Cobb and Brandin Cooks.

Even without the loss of Hopkins, who was traded to the Arizona Cardinals, Watson will be working with a new running back in David Johnson, who was a part of that trade. The former All-Pro running back brings an obvious rushing attack, but also pass-catching skills out of the backfield.

“It’s all things that are going to help us basically take the next step here as an offense,” Kelly said.

With more involvement and understanding of the Texans offense, Watson will be able to elevate his game to another level, which is what Houston will need if they are to retain their AFC South title they have possessed for the last two seasons.

Tim Kelly: Texans running backs stable will open up play-calling

Houston Texans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly expects the pairing of David Johnson and Duke Johnson to open up the play-calling in 2020.

The Houston Texans’ top two running backs in David Johnson and Duke Johnson both have unique skills as pass-catchers.

David tallied 208 catches for 2,219 yards and 15 touchdowns in his five seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. This receiving production from a running back amplifies what they already have with Duke, who caught 44 passes for 410 yards and three touchdowns in his first season with the Texans.

Second-year offensive coordinator Tim Kelly, who takes over the reins as the play-caller, likes having two running backs with similar skillsets.

“I think it opens up the play calling, obviously,” Kelly told reporters on May 20. “You’re not limited by a guy’s ability to only run the ball or only catch the ball. When you have guys that are versatile and are both a vital running threat and a good receiving threat, it allows you to open up and be creative and find different ways to get guys the ball in space and do some good things.”

The Texans traded for Duke in on Aug. 8, 2019, the day of Houston’s preseason debut at the Green Bay Packers. The former Cleveland Brown had to learn the new offense as he went.

Houston also added other pieces to their passing game at the end of preseason in left tackle Laremy Tunsil and receiver Kenny Stills. Unlike Duke, the former Miami Dolphins did not have the benefit of preseason games to mesh with the new offense.

With a full offseason, even if virtual, for both Johnsons, Tunsil, and Stills, Kelly is hopeful the Texans will feature a more well-rounded offense that is on the same page as they seek to defend their AFC South title.

“A lot of this stuff that we’re covering right now, it’s the first time they’re really being able to kind of hear it in depth and it’s really, really good,” Kelly said.

Texans hope to benefit from continuity on the offensive line

The Houston Texans will be starting the same five offensive linemen from a year ago for the first time in the Deshaun Watson era.

For the first time in the Deshaun Watson era, the Houston Texans will have all five starters return along the offensive line.

Having Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard at left and right tackle, Max Scharping and Zach Fulton as guards, and Nick Martin in the center gives the Texans a continuity among their blocking unit they have rarely had even in the Bill O’Brien era.

“That position especially, there’s a lot of chemistry that goes into that position of playing next to one another, how certain people are going to handle certain blocks and how it’s going to feel and the different responses and reactions that you’ll get,” offensive coordinator Tim Kelly told reporters on May 20.

Part of offensive line coach Mike Devlin’s philosophy has been to find the best five-man rotation that works as a unit along the offensive line, which involves linemen having to display versatility. This is why Howard, who was a left tackle for Alabama State, played guard in his rookie preseason, and also why Scharping, who was a tackle for Northern Illinois, played guard in his rookie year.

In 2019, the Texans found their best five-man unit, and now they can work on the continuity.

“Having all five of those guys back is vital,” Kelly said. “It’s a good thing and it’s something that we’re definitely excited for.”

In 2018, Watson’s first full season at quarterback, he sustained 62 sacks, leading the NFL. In 2019, Watson’s sack totals dropped to 44, which were still in the top 10 at sixth-most in the NFL, but a marked improvement over 2018.

The Texans offensive line also produced a 1,000-yard runner in running back Carlos Hyde, who collected 1,070, marking the first time in the 29-year-old’s career that he went over the 1,000-yard mark. Houston is expected to match or surpass that total with the addition of All-Pro running back David Johnson.

What are the expectations for Texans TE Kahale Warring?

Tight end Kahale Warring is entering his second year with the Houston Texans. What does the club expect from their 2019 third-rounder?

Kahale Warring missed his entire rookie season due to his placement on injured reserve related to a concussion.

The Houston Texans were trimming their roster down to 53 men at the end of preseason, and Warring was still in the concussion protocol. The club made the move, and Warring lost his rookie year.

Houston’s tight end group flourished with Darren Fells and Jordan Akins. Fells tied receiver DeAndre Hopkins for the most touchdown catches on the team with seven, and Akins had the most receiving yards by a tight end with 418, the fourth-most on the team.

There doesn’t seem to be a place for Warring, but the Texans still have great expectations for their Round 3 selection from the 2019 NFL Draft.

“The expectation for Kahale is for him to be on top of his game mentally when he comes in, just like all of them, and be able to compete for a spot once we get on the grass,” offensive coordinator Tim Kelly told reporters on Wednesday.

Akins is a favorite to be the starting tight end while Fells has carved out a niche as a red zone threat. That would leave Warring battling with former 2018 sixth-round pick Jordan Thomas for a spot on the game day roster, if not the new 55-man regular season roster.

“That entire room with Akins, Jordan Thomas, Fells and Kahale, they’re doing a great job coming here and working with [tight ends coach] Will Lawing and making sure that they’re on top of it,” said Kelly.

The Texans need to get something in return from Warring. Houston drafted the San Diego State product with their 86th overall pick in 2019. At the time, the selection appeared to be redundant due to Thomas and Akins being selected the year prior, Fells having been signed that offseason, and Ryan Griffin on the roster.

If Warring can avoid any developmental hiccups as the club goes to training camp, at 6-6, 250 pounds, the former water polo player should be able to compete for playing time in Kelly’s offense.

The Texans offense will take advantage of matchups in 2020

The Houston Texans offense has multiple weapons, which allows them to take advantage of matchups each week.

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The Houston Texans offense will have multiple weapons in 2020, and offensive coordinator Tim Kelly hopes to take advantage of those matchups in each of the regular season.

Deshaun Watson presents his own unique challenges as mobile quarterback who can sling the ball deep downfield. Watson’s ability to extend plays and avoid pressure, combined with his threat to take off and run, makes him hard to defend.

However, Watson has arguably more diverse weapons now than he has at any point in his career. Running back David Johnson can also catch passes out of the backfield and be a staple of the passing game. The receiving corps features speed in Will Fuller and Brandin Cooks, while Randall Cobb is a proven threat in the slot. In the red zone, tight ends Darren Fells and Jordan Akins are big targets that complement Watson’s ability to extend plays.

Kelly’s job in his second season as offensive coordinator, first as play-caller, is to take advantage of those matchups.

“I think any time you take the field with multiple weapons, multiple guys who can hurt a defense at a variety of different levels not just necessarily deep, short or intermediate but be able to threaten every aspect of the field is a good thing,” Kelly told reporters on Wednesday. “So as far as being able to attack the defenses and really as each opponent presents its own issue, being able to take advantage of different matchups throughout the entire field and not necessarily one player, it’s an encouraging thing.”

Watson’s role in the 2020 offense will be one of a distributor to the favorable talent scattered throughout the offensive meeting room.

“Obviously those are guys that have produced and that are coming in with a great mindset and with a chip on their shoulder and are working hard every day to make sure they’re on the same page with the coaching staff and making sure they’re on the same page with Deshaun,” said Kelly.

Currently, there is outside negativity surrounding the Texans’ offense because of the trade of three-time All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins. However, if coach Bill O’Brien’s vision of a team with layers can manifest, especially with the offense having diverse weapons, then it should help Houston defend its AFC South title and not finish in the bottom half of the division standings.

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Texans OC Tim Kelly says he is encouraged by the virtual offseason communication with players

Houston Texans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly says he is encouraged by the level of communication with players during the virtual offseason.

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Houston Texans offensive coordinator isn’t alone in his desire to get his hands on the players and build the foundation for the 2020 offense on the practice fields at NRG Stadium.

Every coach would relish that opportunity. However, the NFL has had to make adjustments in their preparations league wide as the COVID-19 pandemic hangs over the country like an interminable fog.

The Texans and the rest of the NFL have had to adapt with a virtual offseason consisting of video conferencing (through Zoom) and interactive video sharing services to watch game film together.

“As far as what we’re able to do throughout these Zoom meetings, it’s really kind of a unique deal because everybody seems to be more comfortable in front of the screen, whether it’s in front of their phone or their tablet or their computer, so the communication that’s going on right now between our players, between one another, between coach to player and player to coach, has really been encouraging,” Kelly told reporters on Wednesday.

Kelly, who enters his second season as offensive coordinator and first as the play-caller, will be sailing into uncharted waters with three-time All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins traded to the Arizona Cardinals. The new Texans offense is built on having diverse threats with running back David Johnson able to carry the ball and catch out of the backfield. Houston also seeks to take the top off defenses with speedy wideouts such as Brandin Cooks and Will Fuller.

Even though Kelly can’t get his hands on his new offensive pieces on the practice field, he is optimistic about the 2020 season because of the high level of participation in the virtual offseason.

“For our guys to be able to come in here and approach this offseason the way that they have in such an uncertain time, it’s really been encouraging,” Kelly said.

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Texans OC Tim Kelly says he tries to see the game through the eyes of Deshaun Watson

Houston Texans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly says that he tries to see the game through the eyes of franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson.

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The Houston Texans have a new play-caller in second-year offensive coordinator Tim Kelly.

Kelly revealed to reporters on Wednesday the key of what it takes to call the most timely play for the offense.

“If you’re calling plays or you’re a part of the play calling process, you want to make sure that you’re seeing the game through same set of eyes as the quarterback, that you’re all on the same page, that you all have the same vision of the play when the play gets called,” Kelly said.

Watson has started in 31 consecutive games for the Texans since 2018, save for Week 17’s meaningless rematch with the Tennessee Titans at NRG Stadium. Since Week 2 of 2017, the offense has irrevocably been centered around how Watson sees the game, even when Kelly was nothing more than a tight ends coach until his promotion in 2019.

“That’s something where as we continue to grow, that’s going to be important,” said Kelly.

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How will Texans coach Bill O’Brien’s game day role change now that he isn’t play-caller?

Coach Bill O’Brien won’t be calling plays for the Houston Texans in 2020. How will his game day role change?

INDIANAPOLIS Coach Bill O’Brien announced Feb. 25 at the NFL Scouting Combine that he will turn over play-calling to offensive coordinator Tim Kelly.

With O’Brien no longer calling the plays for the first time since 2016 when offensive coordinator George Godsey was the play-caller, how will his game day role change?

“I don’t think it changes it too much,” O’Brien told reporters. “I think that one of the bigger changes would be between series.”

Previously, O’Brien would spend time in between offensive series with quarterback Deshaun Watson, offensive coordinator Tim Kelly, visit with the offensive line, running backs, tight ends, and receivers.

“I think I’m not going to do probably as much of that,” said O’Brien.

Instead, the 50-year-old, who took the Texans’ job in 2014, will be able to be more of a “walk around coach.”

Said O’Brien: “I think I’ll do more about being able to focus on the whole game, how the game is being played and things like that, but I don’t think it changes it too much.”

Giving up the play-calling is a welcome sight for fans who have been critics of O’Brien’s game plans, but realistically the move probably was influenced by the other day-to-day operations O’Brien took on as general manager of the team. Nonetheless, the move allows Kelly the opportunity to grow as a coach in the NFL. Working with a two-time Pro Bowl quarterback, with three-time All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins as a receiving target, should help Kelly’s transition into calling plays full-time.

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