Houston Texans: The surefire formula to beat the Colts in round one

What needs to be done to win on the defensive side of the ball

Helpful Tip #1: Winning the Turnover Battle

Same tip on the others side of the ball. 27% of total Texan points come from turnovers forced by the defense, so the more the better. Plus, it can help mask any mistakes made by the offense, as games aren’t perfect.

Justin Reid, Andre Hal, Kareem Jackson, and J.J. Watt have been incredible at forcing turnovers this year, especially these final few weeks. Luck does a good job of protecting the ball but a good defense can force him into some mistakes. Marlon Mack also isn’t the most secure ball handler.

Helpful Tip #2: Limiting Penalties

Again, the same scenario on the other side of the ball. In my mind, Aaron Rodgers and Luck are the best QBs in the league at drawing penalties from defenses, they do it often and nearly always take advantage of those penalties. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen Luck turn a 2nd and 25 into a first down off of defensive penalties or how many times I have seen Rodgers fire a deep ball shot after a neutral zone infraction.

Unfortunately, Jadeveon Clowney is their perfect bait. He is 2nd in the league in penalties, right ahead of Davenport. He always tries to time those snap counts to perfection in order to get a head start, and offenses catch him for it frequently, here is a prime example.

Some say that Clowney was the reason that the Texans lost their most recent game against the Colts, but I think that a lot of people forget that he also kept them in the game in the first place.

But the Houston Texans aren’t just trying to stay in a game, they’re trying to win it. Clowney must be cautious to avoid penalties, as they can extend drives for the opponent and help them gain the advantage in regards to time of possession. Remember, winning the time of possession isn’t only the job of the offense.

CLOWNEY, WATT, AND WHITNEY MERCILUS I LOVE HOW YOU GUYS LOVE TO GET AFTER THE QUARTERBACK, BUT PLEASE NO ROUGHING THE PASSER PENALTIES. THEY WILL COST YOU THE GAME!!!

Main Ingredient: Limiting Luck and Hilton

Sounds hefty, doesn’t it? But their domination against the Houston Texans is just astronomical, and doing as much as attempting to limit them can make a huge impact. Allow me to show you some Hilton threats against the Houston Texans: example A, B, and C. Clearly easier said than done is all I can tell ya. I get pissed when I hear his name.

Here’s another stat for ya. Out of any wide receiver that has played in the NRG/Reliant Stadium, T.Y. Hilton has the most receiving yards per game. That’s right. He’s topped even the best Houston Texan receivers like Andre Johnson and Hopkins at the Texans home stadium.

That’s embarrassing as hell. No divisional opponent should be holding that kind of a record in our own stadium, and it makes me upset just thinking about it.

The Houston Texans likely won’t be able to completely stop him, but the least they could do is try and limit his impact. It would be fantastic if they could limit him to 2 digits in reception yards. If they can limit Luck’s number one option along with continuing with our dominant run defense, it can trouble Luck greatly and maybe even force some turnovers. But there’s another thing the Texans have to worry about:

Keeping Luck in the pocket. Allow me to be a bit more specific with these examples (A, B, and C). This is the kinda stuff our QB should be doing out there, not their QB. You better believe this will show up on game day. The Texans must contain him on these type of runs, especially third downs, or they will find a way to pull momentum on their side. Simple as that. Again, easier said than done.

Limiting penalties and causing turnovers does technically limit the chance of this kinda stuff happening right? Limiting their time of possession will be key, and the best way is to avoid stuff like that.