A fumble modified all the pieces for the Houston Texans in final week’s wild-card playoff recreation in opposition to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Just earlier than the two-minute warning within the second quarter, quarterback C.J. Stroud let the breaking ball slip by means of his fingers on third-and-long. But he tracked the ball down and, rolling towards the sideline, with a number of Chargers defenders in sizzling pursuit, Stroud was capable of full a 34-yard move to Xavier Hutchinson in the midst of the sector.
The unlikely play arrange the Texans’ first landing of the sport, giving them a lead they by no means relinquished within the 32-12 victory.
“Those are the form of performs that change momentum,” Stroud stated after the sport, “and a group can rally round performs like that.”
When the Texans face the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs within the divisional spherical on Saturday, they may want most of these performs — and a lot extra. They will want their offense to rise to the event.
The expectation is that DeMeco Ryans’ protection meets the second. After all, Houston picked off Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert 4 instances (together with a pick-six) and pressured him on 50 % of his dropbacks within the wild-card spherical, in response to Next Gen Stats. It was a continuation of what the Texans confirmed on protection in the course of the common season, after they ranked third in defensive DVOA, in response to FTN Data.
But on the opposite facet of the coin, nobody actually is aware of what to anticipate from Houston’s inconsistent offense.
“He actually fueled us,” Stroud stated of the protection in opposition to the Chargers. “That’s one factor that is not good, when the protection retains stopping and we do all the pieces with the ball, not transfer it. … It was good for us to have that 99-yard drive (within the second quarter).”
Stroud did not dwell as much as the expectations in 2024 set by his good rookie season, although the forged round him performed a task in his regression. Wide receiver accidents, offensive line points, working woes and coordinator Bobby Slowik’s typically questionable calls all took their toll on an offense that ranked nineteenth in scoring (21.9 factors per recreation) and twenty sixth in offensive DVOA in the course of the common season, in response to FTN.
Last week, Houston’s 32 factors and 429 yards of offense overshadowed the truth that it had three giveaways. The Texans will not fare in opposition to the Chiefs, who beat Houston in Week 16. The Texans had two turnovers in that recreation.
In the rematch in opposition to Kansas City, Houston might want to get Stroud and the passing assault going instantly.
As nice because the Chiefs protection is, it’s exploitable within the passing recreation. Kansas City in the course of the common season ranked round league common in opposition to passing: 18th in whole move protection (218.8 passing yards allowed per recreation) and sixteenth in passing EPA per play allowed (minus -.02 ).
Kansas City had the third-worst passing protection within the first quarter in the course of the common season, permitting a median of 57.4 passing yards within the interval, in response to Next Gen Stats. The Chiefs gave up 7.7 yards per move try, tied for second-worst, and had the sixth-worst EPA passes allowed per play within the interval (plus-.09), per Next Gen Stats.
In quick, this presents a chance for the Texans, who ranked sixth in passing yards per recreation within the first quarter (56.4), and ranked eleventh in passing EPA per play (plus -. 01) and passing touchdowns within the interval (5 ), in response to NGS. If Houston can get an early lead, that would enable its dominant move rush to chase down Patrick Mahomes and a Chiefs offense that may be pressured to rely upon late air.
Despite the loss within the Week 16 matchup, the Texans pressured Mahomes on 35.6% of his dropbacks within the recreation, the sixth-highest fee he is confronted all season. According to NGS they ranked second in seasonal stress fee with 37.8%.
“I do know plenty of reward goes to our edge rushers with Will (Anderson Jr.) and Danielle (Hunter), however plenty of these issues that they are capable of do are arrange by performs on the within,” Ryans stated after the Chargers. “So how these guys proceed to work collectively and feed off one another goes to be essential to our success going ahead.”
Against the Chiefs, the Texans will attempt to punch their ticket to the AFC Championship Game for the primary time in franchise historical past.
“We perceive what we’re up in opposition to,” Ryans stated Monday. “We know they are a robust group, very troublesome to beat. It’s going to take all the pieces now we have. It’s going to take all 4 quarters. Similar to our final recreation, we simply have to remain the course, keep persistent all through the sport and discover a method to win in these important moments.”
And not simply in protection.
Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports. He beforehand labored for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, the place he was Titans beat the author for a yr and a half. It coated the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for 3 seasons (2018-20) earlier than shifting to Tennessee. You can comply with Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.
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