Early Thoughts (Week 11): All Eyes on the Houston Texans

While we are 11 weeks into the season and there is still no team in the AFC South with a record above .500, there is one club that looks like it is very much on the upswing as of late.

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Truth be told, the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars have each won their last two games. But it is Bill O’Brien’s improving Houston Texans that have started to look like a team that could not only win a division title but perhaps make a little noise around the conference.

Eight days after stifling the Tennessee Titans at home, the Texans made a statement by going into Cincinnati and handing the previously-undefeated Bengals their first loss of 2015. Houston’s 10-6 victory was the result of a defense that kept Marvin Lewis’ squad out of the end zone (no easy feat) and some heroics from backup quarterback T.J. Yates and big-play wideout DeAndre Hopkins.

On Sunday against the visiting New York Jets, Yates got the start in place of veteran Brian Hoyer, still dealing with the effects of the concussion suffered six days ago at Cincinnati. While the young quarterback, in his second stint with the Texans, completed less than 50 percent of his throws (16-of-34), he found Hopkins five times for 118 yards and a pair of scores in the team’s 24-17 victory.

But as has been the case as of late, it is Houston’ defense that has been the problem for opponents. And the turnaround dates back to Romeo Crennel’s club got the ultimate wake-up call in South Florida. In a Week 7 clash with the Miami Dolphins, O’Brien’s team fell behind 41-0 in the first half on its way to a stunning 44-26 setback. Crennel’s defensive unit allowed 503 yards in that contest, 392 of those coming in the first half.

For what it’s worth, the Texans did not allow a touchdown in the game’s final 30 minutes, surrendering only three points. But it was the beginning of a 12-quarter streak in which Houston did not allow a touchdown, holding the Titans and Bengals to a pair of field goals apiece while limiting the Jets on Sunday to three points in the first half.

So a team that surrendered 41 points and five offensive touchdowns in 30 minutes to the Dolphins has allowed a total of 32 points and a pair of offensive touchdowns in its last 14 quarters of action. Of course, the Texans are led on this side of the ball by defensive end J.J. Watt, who on Sunday versus the Jets totaled a team-high eight tackles and sacked former teammate Ryan Fitzpatrick twice. Watt’s teammates also stole two of his passes and suddenly Houston is back to .500 after a 2-5 start.

Still, let’s not downplay the Yates/Hopkins connections and it’s safe to say that the latter wasn’t surprised that he and the quarterback have meshed pretty quickly.