Offensive line faces a bigger challenge
Team hopes to build on Colts success vs. Miller, Broncos
Brock Osweiler’s success or failure in the Texans’ Monday night game at Denver will depend heavily on the performance of his offensive line.
To provide Osweiler with the kind of protection he needs, the pass blockers will have to build a wall that can’t be penetrated by a Broncos defense that leads the NFL with 21 sacks.
Outside linebacker Von Miller, the Super Bowl 50 Most Valuable Player, terrorizes quarterbacks, and he would like nothing more than to make life miserable for Osweiler in his return to Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
Miller has a team-high 7½ sacks for a defense that is tied for fourth in the NFL rankings, including 22nd against the run and first against the pass.
“We have to play our best
game of the season to be successful,” Texans left tackle Duane Brown said after practice Wednesday.
The offensive line is coming off its best game of the season in Sunday’s 26-23 come-from-behind overtime victory over Indianapolis. More than just Miller
Osweiler was sacked once by the Colts. He’s been sacked 12 times this season, and the Texans rank 13th in sacks per pass play. Wade Phillips’ defense is first in sacks per pass play.
“They have one of, if not the, most talented front sevens in the league,” Brown said. “We’ve got to take it upon ourselves to step our game up.
“They have a great player in (Miller) that we have to account for, but he’s not the only one. (They have) a lot of talented players. We know it’s a big challenge for us, (and) we’re ready for it.”
The question is will Osweiler be ready for his homecoming game after spending four seasons with the Broncos before signing with the Texans as an unrestricted free agent?
“We have to protect him,” Brown said. “We have to do our job up front to keep him calm and poised and able to operate back there upright.
“We can run the ball well, so it’s not a onedimensional game.”
Against the Colts, the offensive line cleared paths for the running game to generate 158 yards, including 149 by Lamar Miller, who scored his first two touchdowns of the season.
Must of the damage Miller inflicted was around the left side, where Brown, left guard Xavier Su’a-Filo and tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz steamrolled Colts defenders.
Even though it was only his second game of the season, Brown played like a three-time Pro Bowl selection.
“I’m still working to shore up my technique, footwork, hand placement, things like that,” he said. “Considering I’ve had 2½ weeks of practice, and in my second game I played 100 percent of the snaps, I think I played pretty well.” Room to run
If not for two penalties that wiped out impressive gains against Indianapolis, the Texans would have finished with 10 runs of at least 10 yards, including nine by Miller.
As it stood, Miller had seven runs of 10 or more yards and averaged 6.2 yards a carry.
“The offensive line did a great job of giving me the opportunity,” Miller said. “I was going off those guys and trying to make a play. I give a lot of credit to them. They made my job easier.”
Miller appreciated Brown’s exceptional performance.
“He’s been doing a great job for years now,” Miller said. “Just having him back, a veteran guy, it’s always good to have somebody like him.”
The offensive line will be in better shape physically against Denver than it was against Indianapolis.
Coach Bill O’Brien said he expects right tackle Derek Newton (ankle) and right guard Jeff Allen (concussion) to return against the Broncos. Allen has to clear the concussion protocol.
Newton’s assignment will be to block the catquick Miller. Obviously, Newton will have help.
Against the Colts, right tackle Chris Clark and right guard Oday Aboushi did a nice job of filling in for Newton and Allen.
“I thought Aboushi and Clark played well,” O’Brien said. “They played tough. They protected pretty well.
“I thought those guys (linemen) had solid games.”
The offensive line better be solid as concrete if the Texans are going to have a chance to upset the defending Super Bowl champions and avoid a third consecutive embarrassment on the road.