The Houston Texans’ offense is built around the running game.
However, the running game wasn’t too much of a factor in the team’s 20-20 tie with the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1 at NRG Stadium. The Texans mustered 77 yards on 28 carries, a 2.8 yards per carry. Rex Burkhead was the leading rusher with 14 carries for 40 yards while fourth-rounder Dameon Pierce, who was expected to give the run game a significant boost, had 11 carries for 33 yards.
Even though the Texans’ run game was lacking and wanting on Opening Day, center Justin Britt believes they still have the ability to establish their will in the ground game.
“We feel like we can run in any scenario,” Britt told reporters Sept. 13. “At the end of the day whatever play call is called, we try to execute it. However we get to the win, we get there. We have goals of hitting a certain amount of rushing yards or yards per rush. That matters to us. So whenever we don’t hit those, we’ll evaluate and see what we need to do better.”
With the Texans getting a tie rather than a win, especially after leading 20-3 in the fourth quarter, there is an invitation to feel pessimistic. Nevertheless Britt sees the tie as an opportunity for the Texans to carry the momentum of avoiding a loss into their Week 2 encounter with the Denver Broncos.
“In the first half, we were moving the ball down the field,” said Britt. “I thought until late in the game our protection was doing pretty well. We’ll pick at it and see. But I think for me personally and maybe as the group it’s just consistency and continuing it for the whole 60 minutes.”
The Texans are tied with the Colts for first place in the AFC South with both clubs sporting an 0-0-1 record. Houston kicks off at Denver at 3:25 p.m. Central Time from Empower Field at Mile High.