The Houston Texans are without wide receiver Will Fuller (hamstring) for Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders. Instead, DeAndre Hopkins and Kenny Stills will be their one-two punch.
Raiders coach Jon Gruden won’t discount the impact that Hopkins and Stills can have. Though Houston is down a receiver, Gruden is all too aware that the Texans’ receivers can make a difference on Sunday.
“I haven’t seen as much of Stills. He’s been hurt a little bit, but we all know him from Miami. He hurt us last year. He can really run,” said Gruden in a conference call on Wednesday.
For the year, Stills has 15 receptions for 293 yards and a touchdown. He has done so in five games and no starts, as he missed two with a hamstring/ankle injury. A deep-threat with speed to burn, Stills averages an exceptionally high 19.5 yars per reception.
Stills will command attention of the Raiders’ secondary. That is, if they have any left to give. Oakland will their hands full containing two-time All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins, aka, Mr. 99 overall in Madden.
“You’ve got to know where number 10 [Hopkins] is at all times,” Gruden continued. “He’s the main vein of the pass offense. He can line up in the slot, he can line up outside. He’s got tremendous ball skills and hang time, and he’s an every down competitor so we’re going to have our hands full no doubt.”
On the year, Hopkins has 49 receptions for 508 yards and three touchdowns. Though pedestrian numbers for the superstar, his impact on the game is profound; teams are double-teaming him at a high-rate, which, in turn, takes away attention from Stills, Keke Coutee and others.
The Raiders will figure out how to defend the duo with a young secondary when the Texans host them at NRG Stadium at 3:25 p.m. CT.
