The Houston Texans’ best receiver from the past decade may be in Arizona signing a hefty contract extension with the Cardinals, but Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu is not taking the Texans’ new receiving corps lightly.
Houston’s philosophy in 2020 is to surround quarterback Deshaun Watson with speedy talent in receivers Will Fuller, Kenny Stills, Randall Cobb, and Brandin Cooks and allow the two-time Pro Bowler to find the open man.
“They’re still a talented group,” Mathieu told Kansas City media on Sept. 7. “I think with or without DeAndre, I think they have the ability to wreck a football game. There’s still a lot of speed out there.”
As training camp neared, Mathieu said that Fuller was the toughest matchup he faced last year. But it is Cobb, who the Texans signed in free agency shortly after trading Hopkins, that has Mathieu’s attention.
Said Mathieu: “They removed Hop but they brought in Cobb, who is a veteran, who I’m sure is going to possess some of the same traits DeAndre possessed. Hop was able to come to the line and tell his receivers if it was Cover 2, man-to-man, or Cover 4, it kind of helped the other receivers play fast. They’re still a dominant group. I think it’s going to be a tough challenge for us.”
If the Texans’ new offense is able to create conflict, then the receivers should enjoy opportunities to wreck the Chiefs’ home opener.
