Jets vs Texans Game Thread

Week 15 of the NFL season has the 4-9 New York Jets coming off their first win in almost two months last week against the Buffalo Bills. Having been eliminated from the 2018 NFL playoffs, the rest of the season is interesting for the fans mostly for the development of Sam Darnold. Darnold faces a stiff test this week against the Houston Texans, one of the better defenses in the NFL. The 9-4 Houston Texans are a team with an outstanding rush defense and pass rush but a poor secondary that can be exploited if the quarterback is given time.

The Jets come into this game hurting, with starting wide receiver Quincy Enunwa out for the game and starting running back Isaiah Crowell out for the season with injuries. In addition the Jets previously lost starting tight end Neal Sterling, starting safety Marcus Maye, starting guard James Carpenter and starting running back Bilal Powell for the season to injuries, making this Jets team a depleted group going into the last few games of the 2018 season. With Sam Darnold and the Jets offense missing so many pieces and with the Texans very good at shutting down the running game this will be a difficult test for Darnold. It will likely require Darnold taking on most of the heavy lifting against a ferocious Texans pass rush if the Jets are to have a chance in this game.

The Texans began the 2018 season with three straight losses before ripping off nine straight wins in a Jekyll and Hyde performance. The Texans offense consists largely of three players: superb second year quarterback Deshaun Watson, All Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and running back Lamar Miller. Limit those three players and the Texans have little else to hurt you with. Of course, limiting them is a lot easier said than done.

On defense the Texans strength lies in their front four, with J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney leading an outstanding group that puts major pressure on opposing quarterbacks and shuts down the run on a consistent basis. The key for the Jets offense in this game will lie in the daunting task of limiting the pressure the Texans’ pass rush brings against Sam Darnold.

It’s the Jets and the Texans in a Saturday afternoon AFC match. Leave your comments in the section cleverly marked “comments” below. Enjoy the game everybody.