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[Houston Texans]

Battle Red Roundtable: Time to Panic?

The Texans have yet to win a game and have the most anemic offense in professional football. The high aspirations to start this season are out the window. It would be a statistical miracle for Houston to make the playoffs… especially with their schedule. Two losses to the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, playoff teams with equal aspirations is understandable, but coming out flat against the Jacksonville Jaguars is never acceptable.

This leads us to the question of the week…

Texans are 0-3. Is it time to panic?​

Clayton Anderson​

Panic? No. Come to terms with who you might be? Absolutely. Objectively, they are playing like a team that will be picking top 10 in the ’26 draft. The Colts are the class of the division, while you look like you couldn’t beat a college team right now.I’m so disappinted with the trio of Demeco, Caley, and CJ. They had all offseason to know this was coming. And yet this is what they field. Terrible.

VBallRetired: ​

Well, now we get into philosophical ground. What exactly does panicking look like? If it looks like the entire offense looking seriously at what they’re doing then you absolutely panic. If it’s changing coaches, quarterbacks, and receivers, then yes it is too soon. Only one recent team has advanced to the postseason after going 0-3 and it was your 2018 Texans. I think this version is capable of doing that again, but we need to see something from the offense first. If I hear DeMeco Ryans or QB C.J. Stroud say ‘we are close’ again, I won’t be responsible for my actions. So, as a fan that has no control I’m panicking and panicking big time.

L4Blitzer ​

Panic, maybe not yet. Worry…ABSOLUTELY!!! What is the expression… “luck is with those who don’t need it.” For Houston, back in 2023 and to an extent 2024, they didn’t need the luck per se, but they got it. However, now, when maybe one play or two could turn the tide, luck is not with them. Houston could use it. I know it is coach-speak from Ryans about “we are close”, but Houston is but a few plays from being 3-0.

HOWEVER, there is the other truism that “you are what your record says you are.” For Houston, they are 0-3, with an offense that has more turnovers in the red zone (4) than possessions that resulted in points (2), and only field goals at that. That is the biggest difference.

Best case, Houston enters their early bye at 1-4, presuming that they beat the Titans at home (not a given). I suppose they could upend Baltimore, but…HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH….nah, I couldn’t complete that line without breaking out in maniacal laughter. If you are getting 2005 vibes (when the offense was beyond awful) or 2020 vibes (when the Texans only had half a team), then you might not be wrong. It is early, and yes, the Texans have overcome an 0-3 start to get into the playoffs, but the batting average…well, it ain’t good.

Panic? No. Come to terms with who you might be? Absolutely. What I’m most disappointed by is that we were sold all offseason on the “collaboration” and potention innovation of a McVay/New England hybrid attack. At the moment, this offense couldn’t beat a college defense. They have yet to crack 20 points and they are currently ranked 26th in the NFL with a -3 turnover margin. C.J. looks defeated, Caley looks in over his head, and DeMeco’s sound bites are more grating than encouraging. They are capable of so much more than what we’re seeing, but the lack of effective game planning and execution is threatening to crater their season before it even starts. Starting 0-5 is definitely on the board now.

Mike Bullock ​

Not sure “panic” is how I would describe it right now. More like confirmation of negative expectations. Every off-season we get fired up and want to hope this will be the year. Apparently, 2025 is not it. I wasn’t fully convinced Slowik was the problem last year, although he was certainly culpable. But, by that same measurement, Caley is fully NFL (not for long) at this juncture. There’s no excuse for this offense to look this incompetent. And if Demeco Ryans doesn’t want this aimed at him, he’s going to have to take the reins and do something immediately. If Caley is still on the staff by week 5 I’ll be fake-shocked. But the reality is, I no longer expect this franchise to do things winning franchises do…

Kenneth Levy​

I’m in full panic mode… and have zero idea how these other writer’s aren’t. The team is 0-3 and still has to play the Ravens, Bills, Chiefs, Chargers, and undefeated Colts. The offense could not literally be less productive or look less lost in the red zone. Football Insight on Twitter/X illustrated it best.

Texans offense has the fewest red zone trips and zero touchdowns on those trips pic.twitter.com/1KuP4sn17H

— Football Insights (@fball_insights) September 23, 2025

The reason for panic is that this was supposed to be the Texans peak season based on the roster and salaries. Both C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. will warrant massive contracts. After that, Houston will become one of the most top-heavy teams in the league.

Not to mention this offensive coordinator may be the most inept of all of them. Why do we entrust our offense to coordinators who have NEVER CALLED A PLAY BEFORE AT ANY LEVEL? It’s asinine and frankly offensive for it to have gone on this long.

I declare a state of panic.

Joe Critz​

Hm, now that I’ve slept on the shock that was yesterday, I’ll say no. I know it’s hard not to panic after how bad this offense has looked in three games, but I’m trying to give Caserio & Caley some grace with their decision making on that side of the ball. But, DJ Bien-Aime had a quote from the Texans Cookout show hosted by Chancellor Johnson that I saw on Twitter last night that I think strikes the nail on the head: “What I’ve seen from Nick Caley is so alarming…[the offense] is basically…uncooked chicken without seasoning…When you watch the all-22…where is the creativity of getting guys wide open?”

Texans Cookout Week 3:

It’s safe to say, @Djbienaime is not letting Nick Caley anywhere near the grill.

Over 45 minutes of discussion on what’s wrong with the Texans offense

https://t.co/uSObC32moW pic.twitter.com/HwSj3sn9Am

— Chancellor Johnson (@ChancellorTV) September 22, 2025

I think there are problems with the blocking and penalties, but I don’t think either are a disaster. I think there’s problems with CJ Stroud’s processing, but it’s not a disaster either. I think the rushing attack is mediocre, but again, not a disaster. But, when you throw all of these rough edges into a stew of abhorrently bland offensive scheming, you get a disastrous result. I don’t know if it’s Caley keeping things bland in order to “give Stroud more audible control” and the blame actually rests on Stroud for not changing the offense on the field more, or if Caley is giving Stroud a horrible game plan every week, or if it’s somewhere in the middle. Either way, it’s not working and I don’t know if there’s an easy fix to the myriad of paper cut problems Houston is currently mired in. I also strongly agree with l4blitzer’s point about the quote, “luck is with those who don’t need it.” The Texans were an almost repulsively lucky team in 2023 and 2024, but now that they really need it in 2025, it’s going the other way. Four red zone turnovers can kill even the best teams, so when you’re unlucky like that AND a sloppy team, you’re asking for a losing record.

Despite that, I still don’t want to panic because I can see this offense progressing to league-average provided fewer penalties and better designs for Christian Kirk and Nico Collins, but I don’t know if it’ll be enough to make the playoffs. I don’t want to say that a conclusion like that is panic worthy, though, because I expect the team to finish in a better place this year than they did last year. I’ll try to use an older team as an example: the 2017 Chargers. This team started 0-4 with new head coach Anthony Lynn, but went 9-3 the rest of the year and barely missed the playoffs. In 2018, they kept the ball rolling, went 12-4 and beat rookie Lamar Jackson in the wildcard. Right now, I’m replacing panic with the hope that something like this will happen.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/group...s-analysis-opinion-tennesee-titans-nfl-week-4

 

[Houston Texans]

Houston Texans vs. Tennessee Titans: Cornerback Returns to Practice

The Houston Texans have dropped their first three games of the 2025 NFL season and will be looking to bounce back at home against the also-winless Tennessee Titans.

So far, the Texans have been in each game until the very end, mostly thanks to their defense, but there’s only so much the defense can do when the offense isn’t helping. Offensive coordinator Nick Caley has been taking a lot of heat for questionable play-calling and the overall look of the offense.

With that being said, there’s only so much Caley can do with the struggling offensive line assembled by General Manager Nick Caserio. Quarterback C.J. Stroud hasn’t looked like his former self, and a lot of that comes down to constant pressure. He’s uncomfortable in the pocket, which explains the passes he is now missing, that would normally be automatic.

The rushing attack hasn’t helped either. Nick Chubb is still a solid player, but there’s nowhere for him to run behind the offensive line. It might make sense to get rookie Woody Marks more involved, given his ability to break tackles and make plays in space.

There’s still time to turn things around, but the offense needs to get it together fast if the Texans want to salvage their season.

Here’s a look at Friday’s injury report:

LIMITED PARTICIPATION​

-CB Derek Stingley Jr. (Oblique)

FULL PARTICIPATION​

-C Jake Andrews (Ankle)

-OT Tytus Howard (Illness)

-WR Nico Collins (Knee)

Star cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. returned to practice today, on a limited basis, and will officially be listed as questionable. That is great news, considering he missed practice entirely on Wednesday and Thursday. His status is still in doubt, despite getting that practice in, but his chances of playing have increased. Veteran Tremon Smith would step in and start, if he were to miss the game.

Everyone else is good to go, and Houston needs to win this game.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...nnessee-titans-cornerback-returns-to-practice

 

[Houston Texans]

Titan sized beatdown; Texans, Woody Marks dominate Tennessee for first win

Texans fans! Welcome to week 4, as our Houston Texans (0-3) faced off against a fellow bottom dweller in the Tennessee Titans (0-3). It isn’t breaking news to say that the home team is in desperate need of a win. Through three weeks, they’ve suffered heartbreaking losses against the Rams, Buccaneers, and most recently the Jacksonville Jaguars.

While the losses have only been by a combined 12 points, Bill Parcells would say “you are what your record says you are!”. Thus, the Texans are staring up at the Colts in the division and are looking for any way to break through today against another winless unit in the Titans.

We at BRB are officially on “Stages of Suck” watch, so there was a major point of emphasis on all the key figures who would be most impacted by the outcome today. That would be Stroud, DeMeco, Caserio, and Caley.

But, we’ll get into that later. Right now, let’s recap!

First Quarter:

(Texans take the lead 3-0 thanks to Fairbairn’s boot)

After a 12 plays and 35 yards, the Texans got on the board via a 47 yard field goal by Ka’imi Fairbairn from the Tennessee 29. 3-0 Texans

Second Quarter:

(Texans extend the lead to 6-0, thanks again to Ka’imi’s kicking proficiency.)

After virtually the same scoring drive (11 plays, 60 yards, 4:37 minutes) as in the 1st Quarter, Ka’imi again delivers the goods with a 43 yard field goal from the Tennessee 25.

Halftime: Texans: 6, Titans: 0

Analysis: At the half, the teams have combined for 249 yards, three sacks, zero red-zone trips, two missed field goals (Titans, Slye) and five punts. Truly, a toilet bowl affair on the part of both squads.

The defensive performance was outstanding, limited the Titans to 123 yards and 0 red zone trips. Cam Ward went 7-17 for only 83 yards.

However, Nick Caley’s offense responded with 6 points and only 3 more yards total (126). That’s not going to cut it, even against a team like the Titans. Hopefully, they pick things up in the second half.

Third Quarter:

(Texans miss 54 yard field goal, score still 6-0)

After getting the ball first to start the second half, the Texans went 9 plays and 33 yards to set up Fairbairn for a 54 yard field goal attempt. Unfortunately, hs missed wide right to keep the score 6-0.

Fourth Quarter:

(Houston, we have a touchdown! Texans make it 12-0 on a Woody Marks reception)

After a drive in which the Texans went 102 yards (!) on 17 total plays, Cj Stroud capped things off by hitting rookie RB Woody Marks on a 12-yard pass to finally break the scoring seal and increase the lead to 12-0. They went for a 2-point conversion but it was no good.

It’s the first TD in the very young career of the 4th round pick out of USC. Great find by Caserio.

(INT! The Texans’ get their second pick of the season)

With roughly 12:49 on the clock, Titans QB Cam Ward was intercepted by Texans All-Pro Derek Stingley on a tipped pass intended for WR Elic Ayomanor. It was their second INT of the season and first for Sting.

(Another touchdown! Texans extend the lead to 19-0 on deep reception to Higgins)

CJ Stroud finally secured his first game of multiple touchdown passes at the 9 minute mark in the 4th quarter. This happened when rookie receiver Jayden Higgins beat his man and caught a 24 yard long ball to make it 19-0 Houston!

It was the first touchdown reception of Jayden’s career and the 4th on the season for CJ.

(A third touchdown in the fourth! Woody gets into the endzone a second time for a commanding 26-0 lead)

Woody Marks couldn’t be stopped today! Capping off a drive of 6 plays and 41 yards, the rookie took it to the house on a phenomenal run to the left side to push the lead to 26-0. He also took a few ankles along the way.

It was his second of the day and his first on the ground. That gave him both a rushing and passing score for the game. (It might be safe to assume that the Texans have found their RB1 until Joe Mixon makes it back. Again, great job by Caserio)

The Texans defense completed the shutout of Cam Ward and the Titans in the 4th quarter, first victory secured.

Final Score: Texans (1-3): 26, Titans (0-4): 0

Looking ahead:

The Texans have to follow up their best overall game of the season by visiting Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium next week at 12pm.

Maybe they have some juice after all?.. Let’s see how their encore performance goes.

Here is the game by the numbers: (below)

BOX SCORE

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...s-final-score-results-player-statistics-recap

 

[Houston Texans]

Value of Things: By the Numbers

There was very little drama to Sunday’s game between the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans. In the grand scheme of things, it feels good to know that you aren’t a complete dumpster fire. That would be the team on the opposing sideline today. So, looking at the numbers doesn’t really tell us anything earth shattering. It was a 26-0 football game. There isn’t a ton that needs to be revealed.

We still look at the numbers anyway because it is another data point. When the season is over and we are looking back at the total team numbers, this one will be one of the ones we look at. We also want to study the relevant numbers to see which ones correlate most strongly with winning and losing. I’m guessing we will see the usual suspects.

The Numbers​

• Total Yards: Texans 65/353, Titans 46/175
• Rushing Yards: Texans 35/129, Titans 18/82
• Passing Yards: Texans 30/224, Titans 28/93
• Sacks: Texans 2, Titans 2
• Third Downs: Texans 6/15, Titans 2/11
• Turnovers: Texans 0, Titans 1
• Penalties: Texans 6/50, Titans 4/35
• Time of Possession: Texans 38:21, Titans 21:39

I don’t want to overstate this. We will see the Titans again and there is always the risk of giving people proverbial bulletin board material. So, any statement that follows should be interpreted as what we have seen through week four. Things could change. Cam Ward will get better and the Titans offense should get better. However, through week four the Titans are visually and statistically the worst team in football. It isn’t even particularly close.

There are other winless teams. However, only the Saints have surrendered more points as I write this and no one has scored fewer points. By the way, the Jets and Dolphins have yet to play as I write this. So, that separation will be even more stark once all of the games are in books. They sit at nearly -70 on the season. For the math impaired, that is an average of nearly 18 points a game. They aren’t just losing. They are getting their doors blown off. Absolutely give credit to the Texans for doing what they should do. That’s where these things get started. Just don’t delude yourself into thinking they are back yet.

The Great​

No matter the quality of opponent, you have to show up and play. The defense showed up and played again. They have surrendered the fewest points of any team in the AFC. Yes, this was a terrible football team today, but they have also played three other teams with three wins on the season. If the season ended today, three of their four opponents would be in the playoffs. This is a championship level defense and that might be even more so once C.J. Gardner-Johnson was released.

Presumably, there are reinforcements on their way in the secondary. As long as the defense is playing this well, this team has a heartbeat. Jacksonville and Indianapolis sit at 3-1 and have a two game lead, but there is still time left to make that up and they see the Colts two times towards the end of the season. If you can imagine, there are things the defense could do better. They could have gotten more pressure on Ward. They could have done a better job against the run. Yet, this one was a shutout. Whatever we may say about the offense, this was an absolutely spectacular performance by the defense.

The Good​

Let’s not mince words, this was not a great offensive performance. Heck, considering the opponent it was probably not even a good one. However, there were some very encouraging signs. The biggest of those was Woody Marks. Marks scored the first two touchdowns of his NFL career. One of them came through the air and one on the ground. It is hopefully a perfect microcosm of the kind of threat that he can be every Sunday.

Nick Chubb had a solid day as he has in every game this season. He hasn’t dominated, but he has been the kind of back the Texans hoped he would be. Naturally, they hoped that would have been a complement to Joe Mixon. Mixon is eligible to come back, but the team is mum about his status. They desperately need someone to be the primary offensive weapon and Marks showed he could be up for the job. Hopefully, he doesn’t have to hold down that job for long.

Jayden Higgins also had his first touchdown reception of the season. The offense has three rookies that have shown they can help in limited action. It is high time that this action not be so limited. It was nice to see at least two of them get in on the action. Nico Collins also had some big catches, so he is at least on pace to have another 1000+ yard season.

The Bad​

There really is no bad in a 26-0 victory. However, that was a crappy football team on the other side. Yes, they will get better and for their sake I hope they aren’t this bad all season, but they were bad on this day. So, this does not mean that the offense is back. If anything, the calls for Nick Caley’s head get to be put on hold for another week. Still, there were some things that we saw that are causes for concern.

For one, it is obvious to anyone watching that Woody Marks, Jayden Higgins, and Jaylen Noel are more talented than some of the players playing in front of them. Smart offensive coordinators figure out how to get their most talented players involved in the offense. If those players are struggling with the whole playbook then you condense it and come up with packages where they can show off their athleticism. Caley did some of that today, but we still haven’t seen nearly enough of Noel on the offensive end.

More than anything, this offense looked like a golf cart with a governor restricting it. This was reminiscent of the Joe Pendry days when the Texans went into max protect but still couldn’t protect the quarterback. They played not to lose. It worked today, but that was due primarily because of the opponent. They see the Ravens next week. He will have to do more to beat a team like that.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...s-statistics-matchup-results-tennessee-titans

 

[Houston Texans]

Sunday Night Football Open Thread – Green Bay Packers at “Dallas” Cowboys

American Hero Case Keenum. | Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

Tonight, SNF has an NFC clash featu—aw man, not another Cowboys game. Hasn’t America suffered enough? Fine, fine.

Here’s what you need to know to watch tonight’s game:

Who: Green Bay Packers (2-1) at “Dallas” Cowboys (1-2)

What: Sunday Night Football

Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX* (*disputed)

When: Sunday, September 28, 7:20 p.m. CDT

Why: Because apparently Jerry Jones made a deal with Bud Adams to make sure the Cowboys get prime time games no matter how irrelevant they are.

TV: NBC, Universo

Radio: Westwood One

Streaming: Fubo*, Hulu + Live TV*, NBC Sports, NFL+*, Peacock*, SlingTV*, YouTubeTV* (*subscription required)

Enjoy the game, y’all.

Go, Texans!

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/gener...en-thread-green-bay-packers-at-dallas-cowboys

 

[Houston Texans]

The Day After the Day After: Reliving the Houston Texans’ shutout of the Tennessee Titans

The Day After the Day After…when the raw, immediate emotions from the aftermath of a game diminish into the realm of clarity and the proverbial (or literal) hangover no longer haunts the mind. With that, a review of Week 4:

The kids are alright. The narrative of the season for Houston has been the offense, or appalling lack thereof. Averaging 12.7 points/game coming into the matchup doesn’t inspire confidence, and for nearly 3 quarters, that pessimism was well-founded, as Houston only had 6 points on the board. Then after a key conversion (more later), the Texans offense found another gear. On three straight possessions, the Texans scored three straight touchdowns, to include two TDs in the red zone! The first TD came via the air from CJ Stroud to Woody Marks. The next was also off the arm of CJ Stroud, this time to top draft picks Jayden Higgins. The last TD came on Marks’ legs. Three TDs, two rookies. Throw in another solid day in punt returning from Jaylen Noel and some improvement from Tackle Aireontae Ersery, and yeah, for this game, the rookies are doing just fine.

Where the game turned: 2 and 33 at the HOU 18, 4:06 3rd quarter: What is it about the Texans needing to convert ridiculous down and distances to get their offense going? Prior to this point, this game was on pace to be a non-chemical replacement for anesthesia, with Houston holding on to a 6-0 lead. Houston suffered back-to-back significant penalties that took a 1st and 10 (holding, offensive pass interference) to 1st and 30. The subsequent run play resulted in a 3-yard loss. Not a lot of play-calls for converting 2nd and 33. Yet, Stroud takes the snap in shotgun, steps back a couple of paces, and then throws a long pass to a streaking Nico Collins, who is running a simple go route along the sideline against L’Jarius Sneed, who either misread the coverage, thinking there would be safety help, or just got plain beat. 37 yards later, Houston converts, setting the stage for a 20-point 4th quarter. This has shades of the Wild Card game when a Texans’ offense couldn’t get going, but after a bonkers 3rd and 19 conversion late in the 1st half of that game (this after nearly botching a shotgun snap), it seemed to settle Stroud and the offense towards a more productive game. This is a fascinating development, but not a formula for long-term success.

Run.The.Ball: One thing that can help a struggling team, especially a QB under mad duress, is to leverage the running game. That success has been a bit limited. Yet, even in Houston’s losses to Jacksonville and Tampa Bay, you wonder if the team just didn’t try to run the ball enough. Sure, Tampa Bay’s interior defensive line gave the squad some problems, but even on that infamous goal-line stand, Houston only ran the ball once in three plays at the 1. Against the Jags, Houston’s two main backs, Chubb and Marks, averaged over 4 yards a carry (4.2 and 4.5 yards respectively). Yet, they only got 15 combined carries in a game that Houston never trailed by more than one score. Sometimes Slowik might have been too reliant on running the ball, but Houston could do well to try to run it a bit more. In this game, Houston’s primary backs got 30 rushes (17 for 69 yards for Marks, 13 for 47 for Chubb). That isn’t quite over 4 yards a carry for those two, but 30 rushes for the running backs can really help out a QB, keeping some pressure off Stroud. A less harried Stroud is a more effective Stroud (22 of 28, 233 yards, 2 TDs, only 2 sacks). Helps when there is a healthy Ed Ingram at guard (quite a few runs followed his blocking) as well.

Was it the Texans finally getting right or are the Titans that bad? This was a much needed win for Houston on so many levels. That the offense put up 20 points in the 4th quarter was really, really important. Getting a shutout from the defense had to feel good after close loses the last three weeks. But you must account for the Titans. They were competitive for three quarters, and the Titans D’ kept them in it. However, by the 4th quarter, the Titans just seem to shut down. Second year coach Brian Callahan gave up play-calling this week, but it clearly didn’t make his life any easier. Then you have Cam Ward providing the mantra for their 2025 season (“We [KITTEN]”). Usually teams breaking in rookie QBs get some degree of grace period, but the Titans are in the midst of a 10-game losing streak across two seasons. Another bad performance or two, and Callahan is the 1st coach sacked, upsetting the betting markets that had Dolphins’ coach Mike McDaniel as the favorite for that “honor”.

FUN WITH NUMBERS:

3: Number of shutouts in team history. With the 26-0 win, Houston logged its third shutout in franchise history. The first came in 2004, when the Texans blanked the Jacksonville Jaguars 21-0. The next shutout came in 2010, when the vaunted Frank Bush defense (heavy on the sarcasm here folks) busted out a 20-0 shutout over…the Tennessee Titans. Given some of the personnel and coordinators that Houston had over the past 15 years, it is remarkable that Houston hadn’t pitched another shutout until now. Of course, the last team shutout is somewhat overshadowed by an event that typified the day for both teams…and was arguably the greatest highlight in this player’s history (which is really saying something).

View Link

2.09: Time it took Jeffery Simmons to sack CJ Stroud in one play. If you though his sack of Stroud was a lighting quick play, you weren’t wrong. The fastest jump of snap most will ever see without being offsides (.32 seconds) and the stopwatch proved it. It was fortunate that Stroud didn’t fumble on that play.

GAME BALLS

RB Woody Marks: 119 total yards and 2 TDs on this offense will move you to the top of the TDATDA Game Ball rankings

Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke: Calling your first game as DC and pitch the 1st shutout in 15 years for Houston? The Most Interesting Defensive Coordinator in the World gets a game ball.

Titans DT Jeffery Simmons: A Titan with a game ball? Well, they are well represented in another list, so it would only be fair to acknowledge a Titan that did actually try. His 4 TFLs and 1 Sack highlight just how much of a terror he was to the Texans Oline.

SHOULD BE FORCED TO CLEAN UP AFTER JOHN MCCLAIN FINISHED UP AN ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT RIBS SPECIAL AT ONE OF THE NRG CONCESSION STANDS WHILE LISTENING TO HIM GO ON ABOUT HOW HOUSTON SHOULD’VE DRAFTED ALL BAYLOR PLAYERS:

Titans PK Joey Slye: Perhaps a bit uncharitable to go after someone on the opposing team in a beatdown, but the Titans were very much in this game, especially in the 1st half. Honestly, the game should have been a 6-6 tie at halftime. Both FG attempts were inside of 50 yards and were kicked indoors. Can’t miss those.

CB L’Jarius Sneed: Yeah, you owned your trash-talking about Collins from earlier in the week, but to get burned on the game-changing route the way that you did? Gotta call that one out, especially if you are paid to be the #1 CB.

GM Nick Caserio: Sign Cam Robinson to a $14M one-year deal, only to watch him get beat out by a 2nd round rookie who is still kind of a raw prospect, then decide to flip him to Cleveland for minimal cap savings and throwing in a members’ reward 7th rounder for but a mere 6th? Yes, we all know what 6th round picks mean to Patriots’ alum, but still…not the best look here.

The good news is that Houston snaps its 3-game losing streak. The bad news is that Houston has to go to Baltimore, to play a wounded Ravens team at a place where the Texans have never won, and most of the games have been certified nightmares for Houston. Kickoff slated for this coming Sunday at noon CDT on CBS/Paramount+

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/analy...ouston-texans-shutout-of-the-tennessee-titans

 

[Houston Texans]

Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens: Opening Odds

The Houston Texans just won their first game of the season against the Tennessee Titans, and will be looking to bring that momentum into Baltimore, against the Ravens, who are facing a wide range of injuries heading into this matchup.

Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, and linebacker Roquan Smith have all been ruled out for this weekend, and their star quarterback Lamar Jackson is not guaranteed to play, after suffering a hamstring injury against the Kansas City Chiefs.

If Houston wants to seriously turn their season around, they have to take advantage of a beat up Ravens team, that has looked off, regardless of the injuries sustained recently.

OPENING ODDS​

As you can see, the Texans will be entering Baltimore as slight underdogs, and that will change even more if Jackson is ruled out, but it will take a lot for him to miss this game. Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook to get in on the action.

Houston’s defense has been good all season, and will show up when it matters, but the offense has been what has held the team back, but this past game may be the confidence boost that has been needed to get things on the right track.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...uston-texans-vs-baltimore-ravens-opening-odds

 

[Houston Texans]

NFL Power Rankings Week 5: Where do the Texans Rise?

They did it, they finally did it! The Houston Texans have finally won a regular season NFL game in the 2025 season! WOOOOOO!

And not only did they win, but did so in fashionable grace! Big passes here, big runs there, and an interception from Derek Stingley to boot, this big 29-0 victory over the Tennessee Titans had a little bit of everything. It was the first time Houston scored over 25 points in a regular season game since week 12 of the 2024 season, and it’s the first time the Texans shut out an opponent since…yes, the Andre Johnson vs. Courtland Finnegan game:

November 28, 2010: That Andre Johnson/Courtland Finnegan fight during the 4Q of a Texans 20-0 win over the Titans. pic.twitter.com/OkJHgLW8eW

— This Day In Sports Clips (@TDISportsClips) November 28, 2021

A game like this is exactly what Houston needed to stunt their precipitous drop down the power rankings. The Texans’ ugliest arm to their team – the offense – found it’s footing in the second half of this game and put the hammer down on Tennessee, primarily thanks to the efforts of rookie running back Woody Marks.

Marks was the star of the show on Sunday, garnering 119 total yards and two of Houston’s three touchdowns. His blistering speed and strength were hinted at in weeks two and three, but he wouldn’t fully reveal the depths of which his talent is rooted until week four. Marks sped past some would-be defenders, plowed through others, and hit a juke move so nasty that Texans fans far and wide immediately demanded he take the starting role.

Woody Marks. RB1.pic.twitter.com/H6kMK8kG8N

— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) September 29, 2025

He looked so good, in fact, that he has me believing that his skillset might be exactly what the Texans need to get their offense back on track…but do the pundits think that? Are they as bullish as me on Woody Marks? Well, let’s take a look at where the Houston Texans are ranked entering Week 5 of the 2025 NFL Season:

NFL.COM:​

21. Houston Texans (1-3) (Last Week: 23)

A win is a win, and the Texans played some pretty fantastic defense against the Titans on Sunday, but it sure did take them a bit to wake up offensively. Rookie RB Woody Markshelped give the attack a spark, and some of his better runs came when turning potential losses into short gains. His TD catch was nifty, too, and it’s clear they had a plan to get him touches in key spots. The fourth-quarter execution didn’t cure all of Houston’s offensive sins to this point, but it represented some daylight. The Texans still need to create more scoring chances going forward, but at least they did that later in the game — one they had to have to save the season.

– Eric Edholm

ESPN:​

22. Houston Texans (1-3)

Week 4 result: Beat the Titans 26-0
Week 4 ranking: 21

Biggest issue on offense: Third-down efficiency

The Texans have converted 29.2% of third-down opportunities, which ranks 30th. One of the biggest reasons for the low rate is the 24 third-and-7 or longer situations that C.J. Stroud has faced, which is eighth most per NFL Next Gen Stats. Third-and-longs are hard to consistently overcome, as Stroud has only five first downs in those scenarios. That’s part of why Houston is averaging 16 points per game. Even against the Titans, the Texans went 6-of-15 on third down.

– DJ Bien-Aime

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED:​

23. Houston Texans (1–3)

Last week’s ranking: No. 24
Last week’s result: beat Titans, 26–0
This week: at Ravens

The NFL immediately ejecting Jalen Carter for spitting on someone’s uniform but being generally O.K. with Azeez Al-Shaair punching a rookie quarterback in the face amid an otherwise sleepy Texans-Titans game shows the ultimate power of the Prime Time stage. That said, I would guess Tuesday won’t be the best day for Houston’s defensive captain.

If this happened to Patrick Mahomes there would be a congressional inquiry and at least nine arrests. pic.twitter.com/0L3s6wzA2Q

— Conor Orr (@ConorOrr) September 28, 2025

– Conor Orr

BLEACHER REPORT:​

24. Houston Texans (1-3)

Last Week: 24

Week 5 Result: Won vs. Tennessee 26-0

The Texans finally found a rhythm, particularly in the fourth quarter Sunday with three touchdowns. The biggest difference in Houston’s performance late in the contest was built around the ability to stretch the field for the first time this season. Quarterback C.J. Stroud was able to test the Titans’ defense vertically.

If Stroud is given the time and he can connect on some chunk plays, the entire team will look different in the coming weeks after a disastrous start to the campaign. Then again, Houston handled business against a bad team.

The Texans’ ability to carry Sunday’s momentum into upcoming games will say far more about which direction the franchise is heading.

– Brent Sobleski

CBS SPORTS:​

21. Texans (1-3) (Last Week: 26)

The offense showed some life against the Titans, but it’s the defense that continues to be the strong part of this team. Getting the first victory could get this team going now.

– Pete Prisco

USA TODAY:​

21. Houston Texans (21): They’ve allowed 16 fewer points than any other team, their losses coming to squads with an aggregate 9-3 record. Don’t bury Houston yet.

– Nate Davis

YAHOO! SPORTS:​

22 (24): Houston Texans (1-3)

The Texans caught a miserable Titans team at the right time. They can feel good about themselves after an easy win. The best thing to happen Sunday was the emergence of rookie Woody Marks, who had 119 total yards and two touchdowns. He adds some much needed juice to Houston’s offense.

– Frank Schwab

THE ATHLETIC:​

24. Houston Texans (1-3)

Last week: 27

Sunday: Beat Titans 26-0

Rookie spotlight: Woody Marks

The fourth-round running back had a breakout game Sunday, carrying the ball 17 times for 69 yards and a touchdown and catching four passes for 50 yards and another touchdown. He’ll take over the starting job until Joe Mixon comes back. Second-round wide receiver Jayden Higgins also scored his first NFL touchdown. Second-round offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery has started every game but has struggled.

Up next: at Ravens, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

– Chad Graff and Josh Kendall

PRO FOOTBALL TALK:​

21. Texans (No. 20; 1-3): Yes, they admitted their mistake with Cam Robinson. It still cost them $12 million.

– Mike Florio

Average Ranking: 22.11 (Last Week: 23.33)

---

It appears that most of the power rankings cognoscenti are sticking to their guns on their placement of the Texans in the 20s, but some of those that really sank the Texans seem to be going back on those hard feelings. Woody Marks did his job to keep the Texans’ reputation intact, but there is still plenty of work to do before Houston can consider itself a big-and-scary playoff team, again. The Titans are, and I take a lot of joy in saying this, one of the very worst teams in football, so the Texans’ domination of them should be taken with a grain of salt. Woody Marks had a good game against Tennessee, but next week, he’ll get the chance to prove that he’s the real deal: at Baltimore.

How do you think Woody Marks will do? Is he really the key to this offense reestablishing itself, or is Marks just another cog in the machine controlled by the great CJ Stroud? Is this new offense keeping you interested, or have you given up on the Texans this year? Let us know down in the comments below!

GO TEXANS!!!

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...ower-rankings-week-5-where-do-the-texans-rise

 

[Houston Texans]

Value of Things: Stages of Suck Week 4

Last week I introduced the stages of suck. I’m not going to reiterate all of the stages again. Suffice it to say, we are in the questioning stage. We have open questions on a number of people in the organization. Each week is a referendum on those questions. In order to simplify this process, I am going to look at four figures within the organization and simply update their status from week to week. We start with week four.

Nick Caserio​

As usual, we start with the top of the totem pole. The Texans came through with a 26-0 victory on Sunday, so the reflexive reaction would be to assume that everyone looks better in the questioning phase. That is not necessarily the case. In fact, for Caserio there are a couple of major news stories that make him look worse. We should start with the biggest news first.

We know two things about Joe Mixon. First, he missed the first four games of the season. Secondly, he will not be back until at least mid October based on the Texans own statements. From there, it is wildly speculated that he will not play in 2025 at all. This rant has nothing to do with whether they tell us that or not. Organizations have rules they have to follow and as long as they are following the rules on injury reporting, they don’t have to provide the public with any additional information.

They knew what was going on with him. They knew and did absolutely nothing. They did absolutely nothing while watching Dameon Pierce not perform all preseason. They did nothing while watching Dare Ogunbowale fumble late in week one and get blown up in pass protection in week two. They are continuing to do nothing now. Criticism should always be based on process and not results. They may have lucked into Woody Marks being ready to do more than they thought, but there is no way they could have known that in August. What they did know in August is that Mixon might not be available all season. So, their lead back is gone in a season where you had conference championship aspirations. That’s not a good look.

Then, earlier this week, the Texans traded Cam Robinson to the Cleveland Browns. At first blush, it would seem to be a positive move. You get a pick swap and cut some payroll. However, most of his 2025 salary was actually signing bonus. So, you have now traded Robinson and cut C.J. Gardner-Johnson and are on the hook for a good portion of their contracts. Robinson played all of one game and played it poorly. Also not a good look.

DeMeco Ryans​

The stock is way up on Ryans and it has little to do with the 26-0 win. Quite frankly, you are supposed to beat teams like the Titans. What I wanted to know was what he planned to do when things went sideways. The offense was going sideways again. Reportedly, he did not know a lot of the negative things were going on last year. We can debate as to whether Nick Caley was his hire or not, but he stopped doing the same thing he has always done and chose a different road.

Reportedly, he gave play calling duties to Matt Burke so he could pay more attention to the entire operation. Presumably, that means overseeing what is going on with the offense. At the very least, if things continue to go wrong then he will have a better idea of where the process is breaking down. If he can’t fix it immediately at least he can figure out who is to blame for it.

Nick Caley​

I feel better about the offense overall, but that goes with the huge caveat that they were playing the Titans. The offense is still very vanilla. The analogy I would give is a golf cart with a governor. That is the mechanism that restricts the speed of the cart. The Texans are like a golf cart with a governor. Things look so easy for other teams. Other teams seem to have guys wide open or opportunities for big plays. There seems to be a little of that in the Texans offense.

This past Sunday hopefully saw one major issue start to fix itself. It is clear that Woody Marks. Jaylin Noel, and Jayden Higgins are more talented than the guys that were playing in the first three weeks. Smart offensive coordinators find ways to get talented football players on the field and involved in the offense. For instance, Matthew Golden has 11 catches for 126 yards and Higgins has only five catches for the Texans. Is Golden really twice as good as Higgins? The same could be said for Marks as compared to other rookie running backs or Noel and other similar receivers.

C.J. Stroud​

There are two separate questions involving Stroud. The first one is whether he is the long-term quarterback for the Texans. Sunday didn’t definitively answer that question because it was the Titans, but it did suggest that he more likely is the guy. However, is he one of THOSE guys? Everyone seems to be asking the 60 million dollar question. Is he a 60 million dollar quarterback?

As counterintuitive as this might sound, while this past Sunday may have been the best game of the season, it actually cemented for me that is not one of THOSE guys. He is not a Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, or Patrick Mahomes. He isn’t even Justin Herbert or Dak Prescott. He is at best in that next tier of quarterbacks that might include Jared Goff, Baker Mayfield, and Jalen Hurts. Those guys don’t make absolute top end money. Stroud at 40 million per year seems reasonable. At his best, he is a good quarterback that can help a team win if he has a good system and players around him. At 60 million, you need to be one of those guys that can overcome problems. He doesn’t appear to be THAT guy.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/the-value-of-things/71610/value-of-things-stages-of-suck-week-4

 

[Houston Texans]

Thursday Night Football Open Thread – San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams

American Hero Case Keenum. | Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

Hello, good evening and welcome to week five of the NFL season. Last week we had an NFC West showdown that went right down to the wire. Tonight, it’s another NFC West bout, but with the other two teams. Kinda weird how that worked out in the schedule, right?

At any rate, let’s watch some football here!

Here’s what you need to know to watch tonight’s game:

Who: San Francisco 49ers (3-1) at Los Angeles Rams (3-1)

What: Thursday Night Football

Where: SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, CA

When: Thursday, October 2, 7:15 p.m. CDT

Why: Because Al Michaels is gonna earn that contract if it’s the last thing he does.

How: Amazon Prime Video*, NFL+* (*subscriptions required)

Enjoy the game, y’all.

Go, Texans!

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/gener...hread-san-francisco-49ers-at-los-angeles-rams

 

[Houston Texans]

Value of Things: Roses and Thorns

There are always a few teams that seem to be an impossible matchup on your docket. For the Houston Texans, that happens to be the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens are 11-2 lifetime against the Texans. In the 24 year history of the franchise, I am not sure if there is any opponent for which the Texans have a worse winning percentage. I’m sure the crack researchers out there reading our stuff could come back with a response. I think it is pretty safe to say there can’t be many that we have faced that many times.

The battle with the Ravens seems like an annual affair these days. Add in the specter of Derrick Henry and you have what seems like a whole stadium full of Kryptonite for the Texans to overcome. When you combine their success with his personal success against the Texans it would seem like an impossible situation. Yet, the injury report brings a glimmer of hope. Lamar Jackson will not be suiting up on Sunday, so maybe this is one that can defy the odds.

Baltimore Ravens​

• S Kyle Hamilton— 81.7
• C Tyler Linderbaum— 78.6
• WR Zay Flowers— 77.0
• LB Trenton Simpson— 75.8
• DE Odafe Oweh— 75.1

From this list, Kyle Hamilton is currently questionable with an injury. He is a player that haunts the Texans for a different reason. Nick Caserio could have selected him instead of Kenyon Green in the 2022 draft. Of course, now Green is back into the fold. The Ravens are fairly stout on offense in spite of not having Jackson. Cooper Rush is one of the more experienced and accomplished backups in the league. Still, he is not Lamar Jackson. The Ravens could be human without him, but they still have their vaunted running attack. Henry may look his age, but something about the Texans acts like the fountain of youth for him.

Houston Texans​

• DE Daniele Hunter— 89.3
• DE Will Anderson— 87.8
• G Ed Ingram— 85.6
• DT Tim Settle— 83.0
• DT Sheldon Rankins— 75.8

The strength of the Texans is staring us right in the face. They are the only team in the NFL to have four defensive linemen (qualifying in snaps) to be above 75.0 according to PFF, Tommy Togiai also has over a 70 rating, but he did not qualify in snaps. Just imagine that Denico Autry had his practice window opened. He likely will be coming back after the bye. This is going to be a dangerous defense beyond what it is right now.

Ed Ingram has to be the story of the season. He is the highest rated guard in the NFL according to PFF. Unfortunately, once you get past Ingram and Tytus Howard, the rest just goes downhill from there. The rest of the guards and Airontae Ersery all rate below 50 in the rating. So essentially, the right hand of your offensive line is solid. The left side has been trash.

What will the Ravens offense do?​

This seems pretty easy. Believe it or not, the Texans saw Cooper Rush last season. He threw the ball 70 times as the Dallas Cowboys backup quarterback. They were all dumps and dinks as the Texans coasted easily to victory. The Ravens still have a vaunted rushing attack without Lamar Jackson. Derrick Henry is still on pace to surpass 1000 yards and Justice Hill has been effective with fewer carries. Hill will be taking on more of the load in this one as the Ravens will probably need to run it a combined 30 or more times in order to win this game.

What will the Texans offense do?​

The Ravens defense just might be a mirror image of the Texans offense so far this year. I don’t make it a habit to listen to a whole lot of Baltimore talk radio, but I can imagine that their defense is coming under the same scrutiny that our offense is here. This game will be a battle to see which unit comes out with a little more bloom on the rose. The running game is the key. If Woody Marks and Nick Chubb can get some chunk plays and keep the offense ahead of the sticks then this will be the second encouraging game in a row. If they can’t then Nick Caley will be back in the stages of suck.

What will the Ravens defense do?​

If the Ravens are missing key defensive linemen and Kyle Hamilton it could end up being a very long day. The key for them will be to control the running game and shut down Nico Collins. Outside of that, the Texans have not been able to do much all season. So, the easy answer is to make sure someone other than Collins beats you in the passing game. Force C.J. Stroud to check it down repeatedly and make those decisions on a consistent basis throughout the game. History has shown that he has not been able to.

What will the Texans defense do?​

The strength of the Texans is in their defensive line. The end game here is to apply constant pressure on Cooper Rush and potentially get a strip sack or force him into some risky throws. You don’t have to spy Rush like you would Lamar Jackson. The Texans can just tee off on him as they would any other immobile quarterback. That starts with shutting down Henry and Justice and forcing the Ravens into obvious passing situations. If they are able to do that it will be a long day for Rush.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/the-value-of-things/71621/value-of-things-roses-and-thorns

 

[Houston Texans]

Five good Texans questions with

The NFL is always an interesting story that evolves over time. Coming into the season, this was one of those matchups where the Texans could measure themselves against an elite NFL team. Now, there are two 1-3 football teams desperate to keep their playoff hopes alive. A 1-4 record doesn’t completely eliminate either team from playoff contention, but you would be hard pressed to feel good about their chances. So, it becomes a must win for both teams. Nikhil Mehta of Baltimore Beatdown joins Battle Red Blog for five questions about the home team this Sunday.

Battle Red Blog: Expectations for the Ravens (like the Texans) were high coming into the season. What are the biggest reasons for the Ravens coming up short so far?
Nikhil Mehta: Injuries seem like the obvious answer for Baltimore’s disastrous start to the season, but the truth is that the team had clear cracks from the first game against the Bills before the injury list grew to such a preposterous length.

The defense has been by far the biggest issue for the Ravens, as the unit has allowed the most points in the NFL and second-most yards through four games. Losing Nnamdi Madubuike just two games into the season was a massive blow, but Baltimore has invested too much into that side of the ball for the defense to unravel at this degree. Key players such as cornerback Marlon Humphrey and inside linebacker Roquan Smith have struggled heavily this season. The pass rush appears non existent, even when sending blitzes and having the numbers advantage. Now that injuries have completely ravaged the defense, I am not sure how the unit can turn things around quickly enough to avoid a lost season.

Offensively, untimely turnovers and a failure to extend drives and grind out the clock have been an issue to this point. Derrick Henry inexplicably fumbled three times in the first three games, with two coming at the worst possible moments in close contests. Lamar Jackson had two costly turnovers against the Chiefs that helped Kansas City begin to pull away early on. The boom or bust nature of the offense has in turn hurt the defense by putting them back on the field on a quick turnaround. The team has simply failed to play complimentary football so far this season.

BRB: The Ravens came out of the Chiefs game pretty beat up? Who are some of the key players that could be out Sunday?

NM: The Ravens could be without several key players on Sunday against the Texans. The most notable name is Lamar Jackson, obviously, but Baltimore will also likely be without inside linebacker Roquan Smith and cornerback Marlon Humphrey as both seem to be dealing with multi-week injuries suffered against the Chiefs. The entire starting defensive line was absent in Kansas City and that could be the case again this week if defensive tackle Travis Jones is unable to go with a knee injury while Nnamdi Madubuike and Broderick Washington are both on injured reserve.

I would also imagine the Ravens will be without left tackle Ronnie Stanley as he exited the game early against the Chiefs with a preexisting ankle injury that he attempted to play through. Cornerback Nate Wiggins is another potential absence for Baltimore as he left last week’s game with an elbow injury. The Ravens have been without fullback Patrick Ricard to this point in the season, and I find it hard to imagine that will change this week unless he begins practicing for the first time since early August. I do predict that outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy will return to action this week, however, as he appeared close to doing so last week.

BRB: The Ravens have a long history of taking the Texans to the woodshed. What is it about this matchup that has been so favorable for the Ravens?

NM: The easy answer here would be Lamar Jackson. He’s undefeated in four matchups with the Texans in his career, with three coming against a DeMeco Ryans-led squad. In those games, he averaged more than 250 combined rushing and passing yards with eight total touchdowns and two turnovers. The Ravens may very well be without Jackson on Sunday, so Cooper Rush will likely struggle to move the ball against Houston’s defense.

Instead, the Ravens will have to rely on their defense, which has only given up 44 points to the Texans in their last five matchups (8.8 points per game). That drops to 7.0 points per game in C.J. Stroud’s three games against Baltimore, largely due to a defensive front that stifled the run and consistently got pressure on Stroud. As with their offense, the Ravens’ injuries on defense may not be able to dominate in the same way. This will likely be a very different game from previous meetings.

BRB: The Ravens have owned the AFC North over the years. Who do you see as the primary competition for another division crown? Which divisional opponent do Ravens fans enjoy beating the most?

NM: It has quickly become clear that the Pittsburgh Steelers are the Ravens’ biggest competition for the AFC North crown. Jake Browning has struggled in relief of Joe Burrow in Cincinnati, and the Browns’ quarterback switch to Dillon Gabriel feels unlikely to turn their offense around. However, the Steelers’ record doesn’t seem to match their league rankings – 16th in points scored, 29th in yards; 21st in points allowed, 28th in total defense – but the Ravens will have a tough time catching up anytime soon. It will take a combination of a post-bye surge by the Ravens and a late-season collapse from Pittsburgh for the Ravens to secure the division.

The Steelers have always been the Ravens’ biggest rival, so that mattered most to fans in Baltimore for a long time. But ever since the Bengals dropped 82 points on the Ravens in their two 2021 matchups on their way to a Super Bowl appearance, it feels like the in-division focus has shifted to Cincinnati. This can vary in specific years – this year, for example, fans may be less excited about beating the Joe Burrow-less Bengals than they are about a potential tiebreaking win against the Steelers.

BRB: As of right now, Fanduel has the Ravens as 1.5 point underdogs on Sunday. How do you see the game going? Are there any prop bets you feel comfortable recommending?

NM: With Lamar Jackson trending towards an absence on Sunday, the Ravens are now 1.5-point underdogs at home. That has rarely happened in the Lamar Jackson era, and almost never when the QB was healthy. The Ravens were not playing up to their potential before the injury bug hit, so it’s hard to imagine them suddenly reversing course with a reshuffled lineup on defense and Cooper Rush under center. That also makes it extremely tough to bet on the Baltimore.

Assuming that Jackson doesn’t play, I believe that the Texans will cover the spread. The Ravens have allowed 265.5 passing yards per game this year; C.J. Stroud’s over/under is currently sitting at 210.5. Derrick Henry is also under 90.5 rushing yards line in his last three games, and both the game script and the lack of Lamar Jackson’s gravity could lead to another rough game.

---

We want to thank Nikhil for joining us for our five questions. I would note that he had some help from the whole staff over at Baltimore Beatdown to answer our questions. If you want the latest on Ravens news and commentary you can find no better played than Baltimore Beatdown. We want to thank Nikhil for his generous time and tireless efforts and we want to wish him and the Ravens the best of luck for the remainder of the season. As per usual, we hope that luck begins on Monday morning.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/analysis/71651/five-good-texans-questions-with

 

[Houston Texans]

Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens: Injury Report

The Houston Texans are coming off a blowout win over the Tennessee Titans, while the Baltimore Ravens are fresh off a blowout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Houston goes into this matchup with momentum and plenty to build on, while Baltimore is trending in the opposite direction—especially with the number of starters expected to miss this weekend’s game.

Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson is set to be out, along with multiple defensive starters. What could have been a game Baltimore might’ve handled with ease, has now turned into a serious uphill battle.

Here’s a look at Thursday’s injury report:

DID NOT PARTICIPATE​

-DT Folorunso Fatukasi (Shoulder)

LIMITED PARTICIPATION​

-S Jaylen Reed (Knee)

-CB Derek Stingley Jr. (Oblique)

-DT Denico Autry (Knee)

FULL PARTICIPATION​

-WR Nico Collins (Knee)

-TE Harrison Bryant (Shoulder)

Houston is starting to get healthier with the return of rookie safety Jaylen Reed and veteran defensive tackle Denico Autry. Both could be valuable depth pieces the rest of the way, and it’s a big boost to see them working back into the lineup—even if their status for this weekend is still uncertain.

Outside of that, everyone else is good to go, and the Texans need this win to start clawing their way back toward a winning record.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...ston-texans-vs-baltimore-ravens-injury-report

 

[Houston Texans]

BESFs at Texans: How to watch, TV schedule, and more

If you thought the Houston Texans were banged up, wait until you see the Baltimore Ravens’ injury report.

View Link

You might have noticed among the casualties that Lamar Jackson is expected to miss Sunday’s game. So if the Texans are ever going to get a win against Baltimore, this might be the best chance they’ll get in a while. It’s not a must-win, it’s a “they better win” situation.

But where will the game be playing? I don’t know off the top of my head but the folks at 506 Sports know. Let’s check out their big board.

View Link

CBS Single Games

Red: Denver Broncos at Philadelphia Eagles (Announcers: Jim Nantz, Tony Romo; Referee: Adrian Hill)
Blue: Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens (Announcers: Ian Eagle, J.J. Watt; Referee: Land Clark)
Yellow: New York Giants at New Orleans Saints (Announcers: Andrew Catalon, Charles Davis, Jason McCourty; Referee: Alan Eck)
Green: LATE GAME
Orange: LATE GAME

Here’s what you need to know to watch the game today:

Who: Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens

Where: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD

When: Sunday, October 4, 12:00 pm CDT

Why: Because J.J. Watt is calling the game and we like J.J., remember?

TV: CBS (Ian Eagle, J.J. Watt)

Radio: KILT Sports Radio 610 AM

Streaming: Hulu + Live TV*, NFL+*, Paramount+*, YouTubeTV* (via Sunday Ticket) (*subscriptions required)

Current Game Odds: ​

Point Spread:​

Houston Texans (-1.5) (opened at +3.5)
Baltimore Ravens (+1.5) (opened at -3.5)

Over/Under: 40.5 (opened at 43.5)​

Money Line Odds:​

Houston Texans (-124) (opened at +140)
Baltimore Ravens (+106) (opened at -166)
(per FanDuel Sportsbook)

Go Texans!

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...s-at-texans-how-to-watch-tv-schedule-and-more

 

[Houston Texans]

Texans blow out the Ravens

There are things that seem obvious before the fact. The Ravens were seemingly missing half of the starting defense, their left tackle, and star quarterback Lamar Jackson. However, if we know anything about sports, we know that the obvious thing rarely ever happens. So, when the Houston Texans blew out the Baltimore Ravens 44-10 on Sunday you could be forgiven if you yawned your way through another victory over a decimated opponent.

However, sometimes the hardest thing to do in sports are the things you are supposed to do easily. How many times do we see teams play down to their opponents? We saw the other Houston team (the Houston Astros) do it all season. Two weeks in a row the Texans have taken bad teams to the woodshed. This proves they are not a bad team themselves.

The Texans got started by scoring a touchdown on the opening drive. Xavier Hutchinson had his best game as a pro with two touchdown catches. In fact, the offense did not punt until the game was well out of hand in the fourth quarter. C.J. Stroud had four touchdown passes on the day and even added a 30 yard scamper in the first half that preceded their second touchdown.

On defense, the game plan was easy and they executed it to perfection. They did not allow Derrick Henry to get going and made Cooper Rush beat them. Rush is a nice backup quarterback, but like most backup quarterbacks, he is not capable of winning shootouts when you take away his running game. It was another dominant performance for the number one scoring defense in football.

There is a ton to feel good about going into the bye week. Jalen Pitre had his second and third interceptions of the season. All of the rookie skill position players contributed plenty on this day. Even Christian Kirk showed up and made a big play. What was your favorite play from the game? There are too many for me to choose. Let’s hear from you in the comments.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houston-texans-game-information/71684/texans-blow-out-the-ravens