Battle Red Blog
The Day After the Day After…when the raw, immediate emotions from the aftermath of a game diminish into the realm of clarity and the proverbial (or literal) hangover no longer haunts the mind. With that, a review of Week 17:
Attrition hitting the Defensive Line. Houston still possesses the top-ranked defense for scoring and total yards allowed. However, there were signs that some of the injury losses along the defensive interior are having their impacts. With Tim Settle and Mario Edwards out for the season, the Texans are moving further down the depth chart to man the interior of the line. Certainly, it does help to have DEs like Anderson and Hunter, but the Raiders and their limited offensive line were able to have success moving the ball up the middle of the Texans’ defense. Ashton Jeanty, who has not had the desired rookie season, looked like the dominant back he was at Boise State, especially on runs up the middle. Didn’t help that the Texans’ LBs had a less-than-stellar game (more later). However, with teams like the Chargers and Colts next up, who both lean heavily on the run game, Houston will need to shore up that interior defense.
The Most Interesting Defense in the World, continues its trend of allowing one opposing player to go off: For all of the defense firepower that Houston brings to this season, teams will usually have that one player that drives the offense against them. From Puka Nacua, Baker Mayfield, James Cook to Trey McBride, it can be one guy. Sometimes it does not make all that much difference (Trey McBride). Others, it can decide the game against Houston (Nacua). This past Sunday, Jeanty went off for over 180 combined yards and two TDs. After his 50-yard TD scamper, it appeared that the Raiders could ride him to victory. However, for Las Vegas, Jeanty’s touchdown was their last offensive snap. Still, allowing one player to go off like that could also be a potential Achilles Heel for what is normally a stout defense. Ladd McConkey and Jonathan Taylor await, to say nothing of what Houston might see in the playoffs.
TE Cade Stover’s Best Play: TE Cade Stover has had a ying-yang sort of season. Injured early in the year, he’s returned to be a sort-of-offensive knock-off Swiss Army knife. He was the primary “Tush-Push” weapon for Houston, but that has yielded mixed results. Whether he catches a ball or not can vary, as he had some big drops against Buffalo. This game, he managed two receptions for 5 yards, including a key 3rd down reception in the 4th Quarter that lead to the game-sealing TD. However, it was his stone hands that may have helped Houston out at the end of the 1st half. On a 2nd and 5 at the LV 32, Stroud attempted to hit Stover on a short pass. The Raiders’ defender was right on Stover and as Stover tried to bring the ball in, he bobbled the...
