When evaluating the Houston Texans’ personnel moves on offense, the immediate focus is the passing game. After all, that is where the biggest changes occurred with DeAndre Hopkins shipped to the Arizona Cardinals and Brandin Cooks acquired from the Los Angeles Rams and Randall Cobb signed in free agency.
However, second-year offensive coordinator Tim Kelly isn’t just looking at the mismatches and one-on-ones his schemes can create in the passing game. Kelly hopes to utilize running backs David Johnson and Duke Johnson in exploitable situations in the run game.
“Schematically, obviously being able to try and take advantage of multiple people that can win one-on-one matchups, not just in the passing game but in the running game,” Kelly told reporters on Aug. 5. “So, being able to take advantage of the unique skillsets that these guys are going to present.”
David Johnson tallied over 2,000 scrimmage yards in 2016, earning him his lone All-Pro year of his career. Last season, Duke Johnson had a career high in rushing yards, indicating the Texans saw the former Cleveland Brown as more than a pass-catching back.
Kelly likes the enthusiasm he sees daily from the offensive personnel.
Said Kelly: “Coming in every day, I think we have great guys. Being able to work with them and now being able to see them in person, getting to learn their body language and the different interactions — that’s exciting. That’s just because they’re great people and they’re great football players and, again, they come here with a great attitude.”
If the Texans can find a way to make the run game as effective as the passing game, especially in its ability to create one-on-one situations for their dynamic, versatile running backs, then it should enable quarterback Deshaun Watson to carry less of the load as Houston seeks to repeat as AFC South champions for the third time since 2018.
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