The bye week is behind the Houston Texans. With a week of rest in the books, Harris County’s finest now have their eyes set on the playoffs, and potentially more. However, getting there won’t be easy.
With the Texans’ defense a shell of what it used to be, Houston has reverted to becoming an offensive team. While Deshaun Watson and Co. can put up points in bunches, the defense must have some sort of reliability to backup the dynamic offense. Therefore, there are four Texans who have to step-up after the bye, with an emphasis on defense.
1. CB Gareon Conley
With the offensive line no longer acting as Houston’s kryptonite, the cornerback room becomes a prime position group in-position. The Texans, before the trade deadline, addressed the issue by bringing in 24-year-old and former Raider Gareon Conley in via trade.
The Texans have seen better cornerback play in Conley in the mix. In his two weeks of defending opposers’ No. 1 wide-outs, he has allowed a 50% completion rate, 136 yards, a touchdown and a 93.7 passer rating, per Pro Football Reference — stark improvements from his days in Oakland.
Houston needs a true lock-down cornerback. That only gets emphasized considering their lack of pass-rush with J.J. Watt out for the year. Conley is their top-option to do so. Though they don’t need Darrelle Revis, he can’t be Kevin Johnson either.
2. DE Charles Omenihu
In a post-J.J. Watt world, defensive end Charles Omenihu has seen an uptick in snaps, going from 18 in Week 7 to 22 in Week 8 to 38 in the next. A rookie out of Texas, he must turn an opportunity to place increased snaps into production. The Texans need it.
With Watt out, the Texans will continue to struggle to create consistent pressure. Omenihu can change that. A 6-5, 280-pound rookie with inside and outside versatility, “Big O,” as his teammates call him, is capable of getting to the passer. In 191 defensive snaps, he has tallied two strip-sacks, four hurries and six pressures.
Omenihu can be a play-maker for the Texans defensive line. The problem: he, like most of the unit, is hardly consistent. Houston will need to see him turn a new leaf in the department. If not, getting to quarterbacks will not be easy down the stretch with D.J. Reader and Whitney Mercilus receiving the bulk of the attention.
3. WR Keke Coutee
The Texans offense is better with Keke Coutee. An electric playmaker with a knack for dicing up defenses with his refined route-runner and speed, Coutee can be a dynamic force out of the slot in the NFL. However, he hasn’t been, particularly as of late.
While injuries have been a nagging issue for Coutee, they aren’t the catalyst for his inactive status in the last two weeks. Instead, his mistakes are. He dropped a game-changing first-down pass late in the team’s Week 7 loss to Indianapolis and caused an interception the week before on a route miscommunication.
The Texans’ coaching staff has alluded to Coutee needing to get more detailed in practice. Before the bye week, they did mention he will be in the game-plan going forward. The second-year wide receiver must prove that he can avoid costly mistakes, or else the end could be near.
4. OLB Jacob Martin
Houston has struggled to bring the heat on the edge in 2019. While Whitney Mercilus can find the passer and Brennan Scarlett has enjoyed the best season of his career, the Texans have an edge rush problem. Second-year outside linebacker Jacob Martin may be an answer.
A heat-seeking missile out of his stance, Martin brings energy to the Texans’ front-seven. He can reel around the edge in a flash. However, his electric play as a pass-rusher hasn’t brought production, as he has no sacks and two quarterback hits on the year.
Houston needs to see Martin become that tertiary pass-rusher they desired when they acquired him in the Jadeveon Clowney trade. If he can be that, the pass-rush may be just fine with Mercilus and Scarlett receiving the bulk of the snaps on the edges.
