JACKSONVILLE – Senior writer John Oehser each week during the 2024 regular season will speak with a writer or media member covering the Jaguars' opponent.
Up this week:
John McClain – longtime Houston Chronicle NFL writer now with HoustonTexans.com – about the Houston Texans’ matchup with the Jaguars at EverBank Stadium Sunday at 1 p.m.
Q: The Texans are 7-5, losing four of their last six games – including a 32-27 loss to the Tennessee Titans at home Sunday. They still lead the AFC South by two games over the Indianapolis Colts. What's the state of the Texans entering Sunday?
A: After a 5-1 start, they're 2-4. They've lost at Green Bay 24-22 on a 45-yard field goal with no time left. They lost here to Detroit 26-24 on a 52-yard field goal with no time left. They got embarrassed, 21-13, at the New York Jets. It's the only good game the Jets have played. Then, of course, the Tennessee game Sunday was the low point of Head Coach Demeco Ryans' first two seasons. They have committed 20 penalties the last two weeks. The Texans' problem is their interior offensive line is awful and overall, the offensive line has been mostly awful. They're not happy with the way they have played.
Q: Second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud, after throwing 23 touchdowns with five interceptions as a rookie, has thrown 14 touchdowns with nine interceptions this season. Assess Stroud.
A: During that 2-4 stretch he has had five passer ratings of less than 80. He had a 100 rating overall last year; this year, he hasn't had a 100 rating since they beat the New England Patriots 41-21 on October 13. When they won that game, they were 5-1. Then all of a sudden, Green Bay came in with some really good stunts and the interior line could not pick them up. The Texans were dazed and confused, and now other teams are doing it. He hasn't played very well. I think he has lost confidence. I think he feels pressure when it's not coming. He's just a little bit off. He still has made some great throws, but he'll take off running even though receivers are open down the field. I think it's all about being hit. In their last six games, they have scored one second-half touchdown and that was mop-up duty against the Cowboys. In the last two games, the defense has more second-half touchdowns than the offense, two to one. They go in the halftime Superman and come out like Clark Kent.
Q: You've mentioned the offensive line. Is that the issue offensively?
A: Absolutely. Bobby Slowik, the second-year play-caller that we all loved last year, is getting ripped like crazy. Teams go in at halftime and come out with different strategy in the third quarter, and the Texans can't counteract. Everybody's blasting him. He just doesn't know how to counter adjustments. This year, everything's different on the offensive line. They've been healthy except for the left guard. They have just been abused up front. They have pre-snap penalties. Left tackle Laremy Tunsil leads the league in false starts. The Texans are second in the NFL in penalties, and they are first in pre-snap penalties. Their offensive line every once in a while will have a good stretch. Then Stroud's comfortable and has great throws. But most of the time, they get crushed, and it always comes up to middle.
Q: The Texans had some significant injuries this season, losing wide receiver Nico Collins for five games and wide receiver Stefon Diggs for the season. They also were without defensive end Will Anderson for two games. How much of a factor were injuries this season?
A: Of course that has an effect, but it's no excuse for Stroud being a little off target – and the miscommunications. In the last six games, he has four touchdowns and five interceptions. He's averaging 216 yards per game and his completion percentage is 56 percent with 23 sacks in those six games. Yes, the injuries to the receivers have hurt, but that still is not the reason he has had interceptions. He has just been off target and inaccurate because most of the time he's running for his life.
Q: The pass rush has been a strength. Talk me through the defense.
A: They changed their defensive tackles from last year, Sheldon Rankins and Malik Collins. They combined for 11 sacks and the guys they have in there now have been even better. Defensive end Denico Autry missed the first six games of the season with a suspension and he has three sacks since he has been back. Defensive tackle Tim Settle Jr., who signed as a free agent from Buffalo, has already tied his career-high with five sacks. Defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. has played better than at any time in his career. Anderson has missed two games and he has nine-and-a-half sacks. Defensive end Danielle Hunter has been unbelievable. In the last two games, he has had five sacks, 10 tackles for loss and nine quarterback knockdowns. The ends have been great and the interior guys have been good. And that's why it's so weird. You can get pressure. You can have tackles for loss. You can have all those sacks, and yet you're still giving up more touchdowns than any team in the league. Their safety play has been terrible.
Q: Assess the Texans moving forward. What's the future look like?
A: They spent a lot of money in the offseason. They had a really good haul. They signed a bunch of free agents, specifically on defense, and they have so much more talent than they had last year. But the schedule is difficult. If they lose to the Jaguars in Jacksonville for the first time since 2017, they may not win another game. They have a bye week next week, then come out at home against Miami – and the Dolphins have been incredible lately with three consecutive victories. Then they go to Kansas City (10-1). Then they play Baltimore here on Christmas Day, and then they finish at Tennessee – who just humiliated them. The Texans might win this division at 8-9 the way they're going. They'll probably end up winning nine games, one less than last year, and win the division.
