Texans’ Watson, Raiders’ Carr look to get teams back on track
They both put up impressive passing numbers on Sunday. Both also committed two crushing turnovers at the worst possible moments. And neither got much help from their defensive teammates in disappointing defeats.
This Sunday, they’ll be alongside each other where the road to redemption forks in Houston.
Yes, Deshaun Watson and Derek Carr have more in common right now than you might imagine.
Watson threw for 308 yards and a touchdown but also was picked off twice in the fourth quarter, including a tipped pass that was intercepted by the Colts’ Darius Leonard with 26 seconds left in Houston’s 3023 loss.
Carr had a 119.2 passer rating after completing 22-of-28 passes for 293 yards and a TD, but he also threw an end zone interception and fumbled the ball out of the end zone — giving the Raiders two red zone turnovers for the first time since 2003, according to the AP’s Josh Dubow, on their way to a 42-24 loss.
Whichever quarterback can help their team rebound with a victory this week can not only avenge what happened Sunday, but give their team a boost in the tough AFC playoff chase.
Here’s a closer look at what may to look for when the teams meet:
GAME ESSENTIALS >> Raiders (3-3) vs. Texans (4-3) at Houston, Sunday at 1:25 p.m. (PT) on CBS-TV. ODDS: Texas -6.5.
THREE REASONS FOR RAIDERS’ OPTIMISM
HOUSTON HAS A PROBLEM IN SECONDARY >> The Texans made the Colts’ Jacoby Brissett look like a Hall of Famer as he torched the Houston defense for 326 passing yards and four touchdown passes to finish with a whopping 126.7 passer rating. No team has given up more passing yards than the Texans this season (1,929 yards or 275.5 per game). Although Raiders fans may be dubious that he can help matters, the Texans brought in Gareon Conley in a deal with the Raiders Monday.
A BIG WEAPON LOST >> There will be one less threat for Oakland to worry about with the news that speedy wide receiver Will Fuller, a favorite long-distance target of Watson’s, will miss “multiple games” with a serious hamstring injury. He’s already missed 17 games during his four-year career. Three weeks ago, Fuller grabbed a career-best three touchdown passes against Atlanta. He’ll be replaced by Kenny Stills, who is a solid option. Stills caught four passes for 105 yards against the Colts.
A PATH TO THE QUARTERBACK? >> With the Raiders in town, cynics would argue it may not matter that Houston’s offensive line is statistically worse than all but seven NFL teams in protecting the quarterback. Watson has been sacked 21 times this season after being taken down 63 times last year — Derek Carr’s older brother, David, is the only Texans quarterback in history to be sacked more. Carr was sacked a record 76 times in 2002. The Raiders, though, are 27th in the NFL with just 10 sacks.
THREE REASONS FOR RAIDERS’ PESSIMISM
JACOBS’ TOUGHEST TEST? >> Spectacular Raiders rookie Josh Jacobs gashed Green Bay’s defense for 124 rushing yards, giving Oakland more than 150 rushing yards in three straight games for the first time since 1985. Houston is the third-stingiest defense against the run this season, permitting just 84.3 yards per game. The Texans only seem to be getting better as they’ve given up an average of just 57 yards per game rushing the past three games, including limiting Indianapolis’ Marlon Mack to just 44 yards on 18 carries (2.4 yards per carry).
J.J. WATT STILL LOOMS LARGE >> J.J. Watt, the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and only player in NFL history with two seasons with 20-plus sacks, has just four sacks this season while being a constant double-team target by opponents. However, as evidenced by Watt knocking the Colts’ Brissett to the turf six times on Sunday, he’s still a menace to quarterbacks. CONLEY’S REVENGE GAME? >> Gareon Conley only has to wait six days to try to prove to Jon Gruden and the Raiders that they misjudged him. The former No. 1 pick has struggled this season — his Pro Football Focus grade of 55.6, worse than Houston’s Jonathan Joseph (58.9) and Bradley Roby (67.1), cornerbacks whose play has also been criticized this season. However, the thought is that Conley will benefit from an improved pass rush as well as a scheme change. With the Raiders, Conley played mostly zone while the Texans run mostly man-to-man, which is what he’s most comfortable playing.
PROBABLE DIFFERENCE-MAKER
DESHAUN WATSON >> The Raiders couldn’t come close enough to Aaron Rodgers to prevent the former Cal star from tearing them apart (25-of-31 for 429 yards, five TDs and a perfect passer rating of 158.3), so what happens when Oakland’s defense faces a true mobile quarterback like Watson? The elusive 24-year-old is one of the biggest two-way threats among quarterbacks as he’s thrown for 1,952 yards and 13 touchdowns and run for nearly 200 yards and five scores. Watson also has perhaps the most dangerous receiver the Raiders have faced this season at his disposal — DeAndre Hopkins.