Houston Texans: 3 players key to winning the interstate showdown vs. the Cowboys
By T.A. Mock
Martinas Rankin, LT
Let’s get this straight, I have not been a Martinas Rankin fan since the team drafted him back in April. I felt then that there were better options for the team and still feel that way. But, that doesn’t matter as he is on the team and the other guys were not.
Rankin then missed most of the offseason and preseason with an injury. However, week one saw right tackle Seantrel Henderson break his leg so Rankin was inserted into the lineup at left tackle when Julien Davenport was moved to right tackle.
Rankin struggled mightily in his 2+ quarters against the Patriots in week one. However, that was pretty much to be expected after he had missed so much time and was thrust into action halfway through his first professional game.
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Unfortunately, Rankin hasn’t improved much since then. He has graded out extremely below average across the board including a 48.8 overall according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence currently leads the league in sacks with 5.5. He’s playing under the franchise tag and is striving to get that big payday. He’s been a force this year and is looking to feast against a young, struggling guy in Rankin.
So, if the offense is going to function on all cylinders this week they’ll need Rankin to take a step forward in his game that he hasn’t been done so far. If he can improve in the slightest bit, the Texans offense will be vastly improved and the team will be able to capture their second victory.