1. With each the Texans and Chiefs in must-win conditions, what is going to Houston must do to depart Kansas Metropolis with a victory?
The important thing level of demarcation is 20 factors. The Texans have held all however three of their opponents underneath 20 factors, so if they’ll get to 21 factors on offense they’ve a fairly good probability of successful the sport. The important thing shall be attending to quarterback Patrick Mahomes and forcing him to make a few errors. If Houston can get a brief discipline or two, then they’ll get to these 21 factors and sneak out of Kansas Metropolis with a victory.
2. The Texans’ protection ranks first in EPA per play, yards per recreation and factors per recreation (16.5). What makes it so dominant?
Briefly, the Texans make life for opposing quarterbacks very troublesome. For the second 12 months in a row, they’ve led the NFL in opponent completion share. They do that with fixed stress and elite corners who can cowl receivers one-on-one. The linebackers additionally do a fairly good job of plugging the holes, making it exhausting to run the ball. The mix is fairly deadly. The celebrities of the present are Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter on the sides, as each have already handed 10 sacks on the season. Nonetheless, their inside defensive position might be essentially the most improved a part of their protection. A lot of the gamers are recognized to Chiefs followers from final 12 months, so the addition of Sheldon Rankins and Tommy Togiai would be the largest variations from final 12 months’s protection.
3. The Texans’ offense has been extra middle-of-the-pack. What must occur for the workforce to make a powerful push towards the postseason?
Thanks for saying the offense has been middle-of-the-pack. That could be a little bit of a confidence increase. In reality, the Houston offense is within the backside third in nearly each significant class. That is spilling over into your subsequent query, however the issue has been an identification disaster. Stroud and the passing recreation is the power of the offense, however head coach DeMeco Ryans desires to be a smash-mouth soccer workforce. That canine gained’t hunt, as we prefer to say within the South. The road hasn’t been horrible — it’s a lazy narrative to only pile on the offensive line — however they aren’t the form of line that strikes folks. The Texans are terrible situationally. They suck in short-yardage conditions on third and fourth down — and within the purple zone, too. In the event that they may very well be common in these classes they’d probably be a median offense general — and with their protection, they’d win just about all of their video games.
4. C.J. Stroud’s rookie season was magical, however he hasn’t matched that manufacturing since. What has modified for Stroud — and may he return to his rookie-year type?
Stroud struggling statistically is akin to the previous speaking level about Dean Smith being the one coach who may maintain Michael Jordan underneath 30 factors a recreation. The Texans have shifted to a shorter passing recreation this season to maintain Stroud from getting hit. By and enormous, that has labored. He isn’t getting sacked as typically and he’s finishing a better share of his throws. The numbers general gained’t look pretty much as good as a result of Ryans is set to attain 20-24 factors, which is simply sufficient to win. On a sure stage, I get it. The final two video games proved that if you happen to merely don’t flip the ball over, that protection permits you to win most of your video games. In 12 months 1, Stroud led the league in passing yards per recreation. The coach that has carried out the perfect job of protecting Stroud down is Ryans.
5. Outdoors of Patrick Mahomes, which Chiefs participant considerations you essentially the most? Why?
I at all times fear about Travis Kelce. Clearly, he’s a Corridor of Fame participant and whereas he isn’t what he was throughout his prime, he’s nonetheless harmful. What makes him significantly harmful is that the Texans have by no means been nice at protecting tight ends. The power of their secondary is of their corners Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter. Each are probably Professional Bowl individuals that may lock down outdoors broad receivers for many of the recreation. The linebackers and safeties will not be fairly pretty much as good in protection. Thoughts you, this can be a spot of common enchancment from years previous, so I don’t know if Kelce goes off for 100-plus yards like he did within the playoffs final season, however he’s one man the Texans could not have a solution for.
Make sure you take a look at the solutions I gave to their questions by clicking right here.
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