Houston kept in step with Indianapolis in the AFC South title race with a hard-fought 24-17 win over the New York Jets on Sunday. The Texans will look to tighten their grip on the top spot of the division when they take on the New Orleans Saints in a critical clash at NRG Stadium this coming Sunday.
Who will grab the edge in this Week 12 matchup? Read on below for a preview of this pivotal showdown and while you’re at it, you can check out our previews of Tampa Bay vs. Indianapolis and Carolina vs. Dallas.
New Orleans’ bye week couldn’t have come at a much opportune time after the Saints absorbed a humiliating 47-14 setback at the hands of the Washington Redskins in Week 10 for their second defeat in a row. That loss proved to be costly for the Saints, as they are now languishing at the bottom of the NFC South standings with a woeful 4-6 slate.
[sc:NFL240banner ]For the Saints to snap their losing skid this coming weekend, they will need to start addressing their failings on the defensive end. The Saints are the worst team in the NFL when it comes to total defense, allowing 424.3 yards per game this season. That inept defense reared its ugly head in the loss to Washington, with New Orleans surrendering a whopping 510 total yards in that game.
That abysmal performance proved to be the final straw for defensive coordinator Rob Ryan as he was fired by the Saints top brass the following night. Having allowed 130 points over the last three games, the Saints have now given up a whopping 315 points this season. Former NFL head coach Dennis Allen is now the team’s new DC, and he will look to fix a Saints defense that has already committed 42 penalties this season, the highest in the NFL this year.
Apart from their defense, the Saints also need to get a much better showing from Drew Brees. He struggled mightily in that game against the Redskins, completing just 19 of 28 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns with a pair of picks in the fourth quarter. That performance was a huge letdown for Brees, who was coming off a pair of games in which he accounted for 10 touchdowns and nearly 900 yards. He will look to get his mojo back against a Houston side that is seventh in the NFL in total defense, conceding just 333.0 yards per game this season.
The Saints are 1-4 SU and 2-3 ATS on the road this season.
Houston stretched its unbeaten run to three games with a solid 24-17 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday. T.J. Yates impressed in his first NFL start since January of 2012, throwing for 229 yards and a pair of touchdowns. It was a crucial victory for the Texans, who have won three games in a row for the first time in three years.
Starring for the Texans in their latest triumph was DeAndre Hopkins. He caught five passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns as he tormented Darrelle Revis all game long. Revis Island was toasted by one of the top receivers in the league, allowing four receptions for 97 yards to Hopkins when he was on man-to-man coverage. With Arian Foster out for the season due to an Achilles injury, the Texans need Hopkins now more than ever to produce on the offensive end.
Apart from Hopkins, the Texans’ defense also stepped up big time against the Jets. They held New York to just 17 points in this contest and just 267 total offensive yards. Their defense continued its dominance in this contest, extending a streak of no touchdowns allowed to 12 quarters. J.J. Watt was a beast for Houston, sacking Ryan Fitzpatrick twice for his fourth multi-sack game of the season.
The Texans will need to bring that same defensive intensity this coming Sunday if they are to beat the New Orleans Saints. In particular, they need their secondary to man up against New Orleans’ lethal aerial attack that’s averaging 313.2 passing yards per game, third-best in the NFL this season. Houston is fifth in passing defense this season, allowing just 219.8 yards per game through the air this campaign.
The Texans are 3-2 SU and ATS at home this season.
Writer’s Prediction
Houston extends its winning streak to four games with a commanding 31-21 victory.
