Catching the cold
With a chill in the air, play low to the ground
Lambeau Field is not expected to be the frozen tundra Sunday when the Texans play Green Bay at the most legendary stadium in the NFL, but it might be close. The forecast is for a temperature in the high 30s and a 70 percent chance of snow with possible rain — weather conducive to running and stopping the run, which is what the Texans do best.
This is that time of the year when coaches talk about the importance of having a productive running game and the significance of shutting down the run. The Texans are fifth in rushing (121 yards a game) and 19th against the run (107.5). Recently, they’ve been better in both areas.
Over their last six games, the Texans have averaged 137 yards rushing. Over their last four games, they’ve surrendered 58.8 — best in the league during that period.
“That has to do with the overall toughness of your team,”
coach Bill O’Brien said. “We have a tough team, (and that’s) one of the reasons we’re able to run the ball and stop the run.
“You’ve got to be able to run (and) possess the ball, get in manageable third downs by running the ball on first and second down, sometimes running on third down.
“Everything you do on defense on first and second down has to start with stopping the run. If you don’t stop the run, you’re in trouble.”
The weather is changing, the playoffs are coming, and the running game becomes more important for teams that play outdoors in treacherous conditions. Like Lambeau Field. “The stadiums that are outside and you have to deal with (bad weather), then you want to be able to run it and not turn it over,” Texans defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel said about strategy at this time of the year. “It’s usually cold and wet, (and there’s the) possibility of fumbling the ball (so you) don’t want to throw it as much.
“If you can run it, then you eliminate some of the mistakes (in the passing game) that could happen, so that’s where that mentality comes in.
“Now, if you have a stadium with a roof on it, you don’t have to deal with the weather, so if you want to throw the ball, you can.”
Run and stuff the run
The Texans won’t want to throw any more than they have to. It would be futile for them to get into a shootout between Aaron Rodgers and Brock Osweiler.
Rodgers is one of the NFL’s premier quarterbacks. He threw six touchdowns the last time he played against the Texans, a 42-24 victory in 2012 at NRG Stadium.
Osweiler is, well, struggling, to say the least. He has experienced the cold and snow after spending the last four years with Denver, but he has battled inconsistency indoors and outdoors in his first season with the Texans.
Coming off losing back-to-back games for the first time this season, it’s no big secret as to what the Texans’ strategy will be, no matter what the conditions at kickoff.
They will try to run effectively to control the clock and stuff the run. Don’t throw interceptions or lose fumbles, and perhaps they’ll pull out a victory with a field goal like the last time the Texans played at Lambeau Field.
In 2008, it was 3 degrees at kickoff. Rodgers was in his first season as the starter in place of Brett Favre. Kris Brown kicked the game-winning field goal in the Texans’ 24-21 victory.
To keep the game close enough for the Texans to have a chance to win, Osweiler has to play a lot better than he did Sunday in the 21-13 loss to San Diego. He ran for the only touchdown and failed to throw a TD pass.
Osweiler’s troubles have been well-chronicled, and the passing game is important, of course, but at this time of year coaches playing outdoors seem to emphasize the run and stopping the run even more.
That should be good news for the Texans.
Lamar Miller is fifth in the NFL in rushing with 881 yards, including 4.2 a carry.
In his four seasons with the Miami Dolphins, Miller played in a lot of cold-weather games in the AFC East.
‘A rallying point’
Miller will run against a Packers defense that has been terrific against the run, ranking seventh (90.2).
Green Bay has struggled to run the ball, ranking 22nd in rushing (98.2 yards).
That should be good news for the Texans, too, considering how dominating their run defense has been over the last four games.
“Our guys have focused on gap control and responsibility, and they’re able to win the one-on-ones,” Crennel said. “When they get doubleteamed, they’re able to stay at the line of scrimmage rather than getting knocked back 5 yards.
“That’s a big item in being able to stop the run. They’ve kind of bought into it, and it’s kind of a rallying point for them.”
And Texans fans will buy into their team again and rally around them if they can escape Lambeau Field with a victory.