Bye week chance to rest before key stretch
The bye week couldn’t come at a better time for the Texans.
On their way home from Sunday’s 26-3 victory over Jacksonville in London, the Texans found out they were back in first place in the AFC South.
Indianapolis’ loss at Pittsburgh left it at 5-3 and one-half game behind the Texans, who upped their record to 6-3.
“Going into the bye 6-3 is huge,” defensive lineman D.J. Reader said. “I feel like as a team we’re where we want to be. We’ve got to keep playing good ball and start the rest of the season right.”
Coach Bill O’Brien is giving his players some well-deserved and much-needed time off. When they return to practice next week, it will be shocking if they’re not in a first-place tie with the Colts, who shouldn’t have time much trouble in their
home game against Miami.
“Having our bye week now is great, especially coming off a win,” said receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who caught a touchdown pass from Deshaun Watson against the Jaguars. “Guys that are banged up can heal. It’ll be the final stretch, and everyone has to prepare and be ready to come back ready to go against Baltimore.”
The game at Baltimore is crucial. The Ravens are coming off a tremendous performance in handing New England its first loss. They have a 6-2 record sure to be 7-2 when they host the Texans because Baltimore’s next game is against winless Cincinnati.
The Ravens’ game is critical for the Texans. Baltimore is an AFC team they need to beat because of possible tiebreakers that establish playoff matchups.
Of the AFC teams with the best records, Buffalo (6-2) is the only team the Texans don’t play. They won at Kansas City and lost at Indianapolis. They still have home games left with the Colts and Patriots.
“I think we’re in a good place,” inside linebacker Benardrick McKinney said.
O’Brien is giving his players five consecutive days off. They return and face their most treacherous stretch of the season. After playing at Baltimore, they host Indianapolis in a Thursday night game and New England in a Sunday night game.
Those back-to-back, nationally televised games should be the best indication this season of just how good the Texans can be.
Of the teams the Texans play in their last four games — Denver, at Tennessee, at Tampa Bay and Tennessee — none has a winning record, and all could be out of the playoff race by then.
“We can’t look ahead,” Hopkins said.
They’re not supposed to, but it doesn’t keep the rest of us from doing it. That’s what happens when a team wins. The Texans have earned back-to-back victories over Oakland and Jacksonville.
“The bye week’s at the right time,” safety Justin Reid said. “We have to get our bodies right and get some of the guys that are hurt healthier and be prepared for the long haul of the last six games.”
Of the players who have been injured, the Texans will get back left tackle Laremy Tunsil and could have back cornerback Bradley Roby, safety Tashaun Gipson Sr., cornerback Lonnie Johnson Jr. and receiver Will Fuller.
No position has been more devastated by injuries than the secondary. The Texans played without Gipson, Johnson and Roby, and their replacements joined Reid and Johnathan Joseph in stepping up to hammer the Jaguars.
So far, the trade with Oakland for cornerback Gareon Conley looks good. He’s made two key breakups late in the last two victories over the Raiders and Jaguars.
O’Brien, the coach, can thank O’Brien, the general manager, for making that deal. Conley didn’t fit with what the Raiders were doing, so Jon Gruden was happy to unload him for a thirdround pick O’Brien got from Seattle in the Jadeveon Clowney trade.
When all the cornerbacks are healthy, defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel is going to have Joseph, Conley, Roby and Johnson as his top four corners. And Gipson will return at safety, where Reid and Jahleel Addae had fourth-quarter interceptions that helped seal the victory in London.
“Guys were prepared to play, and we played on all cylinders,”
Reid said about the defense allowing a season-low three points and forcing four turnovers. “That’s two divisional wins against Jacksonville. We’ve got another chance to play Indy, and we’ve got two games left with the Titans.
“Going into the bye week 6-3 and handling business — first time playing in London and playing in such a unique atmosphere (at Wembley Stadium) — I’ve got to give credit to the coaching staff and everyone involved with the operations staff. They made it a smooth transition.”
The Texans looked like the team playing in London for a seventh consecutive year, and Jacksonville looked like the novice making its first appearance.
Watson was asked what the Texans need to do to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender?
“Just continue to do what we do,” he said. “We feel like we’re a real contender every week. Everyone’s going to get our best.”
And Baltimore fans will get one of the best matchups of the year — Watson vs. Lamar Jackson, two of the NFL’s best and most exciting quarterbacks, legitimate MVP candidates who have their teams on impressive rolls at just the right time of the season.