The Washington Commanders [5-5] face the Houston Texans [1-7-1] Sunday in a Week 11 clash that has suddenly become the most important game on Washington’s schedule.
Oddsmakers believe the Commanders should win this game. Washington is the better team. But, as the Commanders proved to the world in Week 10, anything can happen in the NFL. Houston is a competitive team and has won the past three meetings against Washington.
Past Washington teams would have a letdown in this situation. Have the Commanders turned a corner? Sunday will tell everyone a lot about this team. If Washington heads to Houston on a short week and takes care of business, fans can start to believe.
If the Commanders lose, well, they will be back in the same position they’ve been in over the past month, and everyone will say, “that’s the same old Washington.”
We name five Texans to watch in this week’s game against the Commanders.
QB Davis Mills
The second-year quarterback has shown flashes of brilliance in his young NFL career. However, like most young quarterbacks, the jury remains out on Davis Mills. Mills has completed 62% of his passes with 11 touchdowns against nine interceptions this season. While his rushing numbers don’t show it, Mills is a decent athlete. He is a big, strong-armed passer who, if given enough time, can create some big plays in the passing game.
RB Dameon Pierce
Dameon Pierce is on the shortlist for NFL offensive rookie of the year. Pierce, a fourth-round pick out of Florida, is fifth in the NFL with 772 rushing yards. He has scored three touchdowns and is averaging 4.7 yards per attempt and over 85 yards rushing per game. Pierce against Washington’s run defense is a fun matchup.
WR Brandin Cooks
Brandin Cooks has been in the news lately because he wanted a trade from Houston to a contender at the NFL trade deadline. One of the NFL’s premier deep threats since entering the league in 2014, Cooks is still going strong. He leads the Texans with 36 receptions and 391 receiving yards; however, he is averaging only10.9 yards per reception — the lowest since his rookie season.
DE Jerry Hughes
Veteran defensive end Jerry Hughes is still getting it done at 34 years old. Hughes leads the Texans with eight sacks on the season and can still cause problems for Washington’s offensive line. Hughes is in his first season with Houston after spending the past nine years with the Bills. Hughes is on pace for a career-high in sacks in 2022.
CB Derek Stingley Jr.
Derek Stingley Jr. was once considered to be a future NFL shutdown corner after his freshman season at LSU. However, Stingley battled injuries in the last years at LSU before becoming a top-five pick in the 2022 NFL draft. Stingley is on this week’s injury report but hasn’t missed a game this season. Stingley has had an up-and-down rookie season but has shown his vast potential at times. Look for plenty of Stingley on Terry McLaurin.
