While the Tennessee Titans have quarterback issues and the Jacksonville Jaguars are busy imploding, the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts will fight a battle for superiority in the AFC South this weekend.
The Texans are coming off an upset victory against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Colts are two weeks removed from beating Kansas City and are coming off their bye week. Both teams also feature star players, such as T.Y. Hilton, DeAndre Hopkins, Quenton Nelson, and J.J. Watt. By all means, this should be a fairly even game and it will be one of the best clashes in Week 7.
No. 4: Indianapolis' offensive line will crack
So far, Indianapolis' offensive line has been an impeccable pass blocking force. Jacoby Brissett has only been sacked six times this season and hasn't been brought down in either of the team's last two games. To put that in perspective, Brissett has been sacked as many times as Colt McCoy, who has only played in one game this season. Cam Newton has also been sacked six times, despite appearing in just two games.
However, the Texans have a chance to pierce Brissett's protective bubble and apply the most pressure he's faced in 2019. Houston's pass rush isn't terrific this year. The team has 16 sacks, which is tied for the 12th-most in the NFL. Whitney Mercilus and Watt have been looking for a quarterback to tee off on though, and Brissett offers the perfect opportunity.
Big players show up in big games. Week 7 will serve as a measuring stick to compare the aging Watt to up and coming pass rushers. It will also offer Mercilus a chance to prove he can be just as effective as Jadeveon Clowney was. Houston's defense will be ready to go on Sunday.
No. 3: Who will guard Hopkins?
Take a minute to look up Indianapolis' depth chart. Scroll down and look at the cornerbacks. If you're a casual football fan, you've probably never even heard of Pierre Desir and Kenny Moore II. Desir actually is a solid cornerback, but he's not at the level where he can neutralize Hopkins.
Indianapolis' toughest coverage challenge came against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3. Julio Jones burned Indy for eight receptions, 128 yards, and a touchdown on nine targets. Even back in Week 1, Keenan Allen caught eight passes for 123 yards and a touchdown on ten targets. See the trend? The Colts can't defend the NFL's most elite receivers.
While both teams endured changes this offseason, it's worth noting how Hopkins performed against the Colts last season. In total, he made 14 receptions for 205 yards and two touchdowns. Those numbers are a little deceptive since ten catches and 169 of those yards came in one game. However, there's no reason why Hopkins won't have another monster game against the Colts in Week 7.
No. 2: Neutralizing the run
Indianapolis should be commended for the job they did against the Chiefs. The Colts controlled the game and kept Patrick Mahomes on the sideline by pounding the ball with Marlon Mack. Mack recorded 29 carries for 132 yards. On the season as a whole, the Colts are rushing for 142 yards per game. That's the fourth-most in the league. Indianapolis sure looks like a force to be reckoned with on the ground.
The Texans have the pieces to shut down Mack and Indy's run game though. Houston's defense is allowing a stingy 88 rushing yards per game this season. That ranks eighth in the league. The team has also only allowed three rushing touchdowns, which is tied for the fifth-fewest with, would you believe it, the Colts and Titans.
Besides Mercilus and Watt, the Texans have D.J. Reader manning the middle of the defensive line. Inside linebackers, Zach Cunningham and Benardrick McKinney strengthen a stout defensive front.
No. 1: Deshaun Watson's MVP campaign
While Mahomes got his first MVP last season, Watson may be making a run at the title this year. The third-year pro is on pace to set personal bests in completion percentage, passing yards, passing touchdowns, and passer rating. When he's not being sacked six times a game, Watson is one of the game's most lethal generals.
While Brissett isn't a bad quarterback, he doesn't measure up in stature to Watson, and that could decide the game. One team has an elite quarterback, the other has a solid starter. Indy only has 13 sacks this season, which is tied for 18th in the NFL. That means Watson will have plenty of time to sit back and dice up that questionable secondary.
Follow Us
Subscribe