The Houston Texans and the New Orleans Saints square off on Monday Night Football in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome to kickoff the regular season. Houston has a tall order going into a venue that last saw its home team lose in part because of a flagrant missed called in the NFC championship game. Aside from that, quarterback Drew Brees and the Saints were 6-2 at home. If the Texans want to steal one and get 2019 off to a positive start, here are four areas they have to attack.
1. Take away drew brees’ first read
Safety Justin Reid, who grew up watching Brees, says one of the ways to stop the Super Bowl-winning field general is to take away his first read. Of course, that means the Texans’ defensive backs have to be on point. There is some ambiguity as to how well the secondary actually is because of the loss of safety Tyrann Mathieu and cornerback Kareem Jackson. Throw in cornerback Johnathan Joseph being 35 years old, and the team needing to rely on rookie cornerback Lonnie Johnson. But Reid knows that if they can find a way to move Brees off his first read, it will buy enough time for the pass rush to get home.
2. execute in the red zone
The Texans were tied with the New York Giants for the fifth-worst red zone conversion rate in the NFL at 50% last season. Houston and the Dallas Cowboys, who were fourth at 48%, were the only playoff teams in the bottom 10. If Dallas could go 2-of-2 in the red area Sunday, certainly the Texans can show some improvement inside the 20-yard line and go above 50%. If Houston is kicking field goals while the Saints are scoring touchdowns, the Texans will get nowhere fast on the road to 0-1.
3. utilize keke coutee, deandre carter
While the second-year receiver from Texas Tech is questionable against the Saints, coach Bill O’Brien has made it seem there’s uncertainty as to whether Coutee even plays. If he can’t go, then Carter steps up. Either way, Houston has to find ways to get their slot receivers the ball to help out quarterback Deshaun Watson. One of the best ways to keep a passer upright when the protection isn’t ideal — and it won’t be given this is the first time this combination of five on the offensive line will play — is to have quick releases.
4. unleash olb whitney mercilus the pass-rusher
The former 2012 first-round pick from Illinois has been caged up for the past couple of seasons due to injury and scheme requirements. With Jadeveon Clowney now in Seattle, defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel needs to ask the 29-year-old to rush the passer more in this game than to attempt to cover running back Alvin Kamara. Mercilus produced 19.5 sacks from 2015-16 when he was turned loose against quarterbacks, and he is at the perfect age to have a career high in sacks. Let Mercilus loose.
