Houston Texans; Four things to watch on offense

The Houston Texans clash on the gridiron on Sunday afternoon in the first Sunday kick-off to the 2016 NFL season. Both teams come in with question marks and the answers to those questions will play a very long ways towards how their seasons play out. Here are four things Texans style to watch for on Sunday.

4) What is the state of Will Fuller’s hamstring? With limited availability this week due a tweaked hammy, Fuller’s game changing playmaking ability is questionable for Sunday. Houston will need a difference maker opposite superstar wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins if the offense is to be balanced and in sync.

3) Houston’s Offensive Line: right off the bat let’s start with the key to the patchwork offensive line and that would be center Greg Mancz. An undrafted free agent out of the University of Toledo, the center has stepped in for the injured Nick Martin. Impressive as he was in the preseason this when it counts and Mancz learning curve will have to be on line. Can he coordinate under fire with the rest of the line as he deciphers the defense in front of him. If he can, it will be a big step for the Houston Texans and their whole offensive scheme which brings us to the second item to be watching on Sunday and that’s Lamar Miller and the running game.

2) Will Lamar Miller provide the quickness to the running game to keep the Bears defense honest? Based strictly off the numbers in pre-season it’s hard to tell if Miller will bring the speed and elusiveness to the running attack. How quickly he hits the hole on Sunday will be the difference between three and out or a first down. Averaging 3.6 yards per carry in the pre-season is not going to get it done. With 163 fewer touches and 20 more games in his four seasons in the NFL than former Texans feature back Arian Foster, the question of durability has arisen for Miller and how the Texans use him on Sunday will speak to how they feel about his durability.

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1) The obvious thing to be watching is the Texans $72 million quarterback Brock Osweiler. At 6’8, 240lbs, he is smart, he is mobile and he can make all the throws. As a Peyton Manning understudy for the last three and a half seasons, it’s time for him to prove that his 5-2 record as the Denver starter last season was no fluke, after all the Super Bowl is in Houston this season. Fans will not tolerate well a repeat of Brian Hoyer’s opener last season. Osweiler doesn’t have to be spectacular, he just has to be a good manager and get the ball to his weapons.

So how do we judge if things are headed in the right direction come 3:00p.m. Sunday afternoon? Here are three more things to consider towards that end.

First, the scoreboard is irrelevant although a “W” by any measure is a “W.”

Second, did the offensive line pass protect and run block well enough to for Osweiler and company and show the promise of only getting better.

Third, was Osweiler the leader you expected when you agreed to give him a guaranteed $37 million dollars up front six months ago?

How you answer each of these will lead you to your own conclusion.

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Texans: Four things to watch on offense

By Louis Roesch | Sep 11, 2016

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