After losing 24-16 to the Giants, the Texans return to NRG Stadium with an NFL-worst 1-7-1 record and four-game losing streak.
They play the Commanders, who are coming off an upset victory at Philadelphia, handing the Eagles their first defeat. Sunday will be the Texans’ third game against a team from the NFC East, the league’s best division.
Here are the weekly observations looking at the Texans and their game against Washington.
MORE BAD NEWS FOR BELEAGUERED RUN DEFENSE
Everyone knows the Texans have the NFL’s worst run defense that’s also the worst in team history and should go down as one of the worst in league history. After surrendering 191 yards in their loss to the Giants, the Texans allow 181.8.
The Giants ran 47 times and averaged 4.1 yards a carry. Next up are the Commanders, who ran 49 times for 152 yards, a 3.1 average, in their victory at Philadelphia. That means the Texans will face another ground-and-pound running game and could allow a sixth back to surpass 100 yards.
Saquon Barkley carried a career-high 35 times for 152 yards against the Texans. He followed Indianapolis’ Jonathan Taylor (161), Chicago’s Khalil Herbert (157), Las Vegas’ Josh Jacobs (143) and Tennessee’s Derrick Henry (219) as backs who reached triple digits against the Texans.
The Commanders are using two backs – rookie Brian Robinson Jr. and veteran Antonio Gibson.
Robinson (6-1, 228) and Gibson (6-2, 220) are big backs who can run between the tackles or get around the corner. Incidentally, the Commanders are 20th in rushing with 112.4 yards a game. That statistic should increase substantially after Washington plays the Texans.
WOES CONTINUE FOR INTERIOR OFFENSIVE LINE
Superior defensive tackles have been giving the Texans fits in recent games. Left guard Kenyon Green and center Scott Quessenberry have been especially vulnerable, and right guard A.J. Cann has been victimized, too.
Jeffery Simmons (Titans), Javon Hargrave (Eagles) and Fletcher Cox (Eagles) and Dexter Lawrence (Giants) and Leonard Williams (Giants) have created chaos with their ability to stuff the run and pressure the quarterback.
Washington, coming off its conquest of Philadelphia, will have four former first-round picks in its defensive line when end Chase Young returns from a knee injury opposite Montez Sweat. The Texans can expect another miserable afternoon trying to block tackles Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen.
Payne and Allen were Alabama teammates before becoming first-round picks. They’ve combined for 10 sacks. Payne (6-3, 320) and Allen (6-3, 300) are quick, strong and powerful. Expect the Commanders to work hard to contain running back Dameon Pierce and apply pressure on Davis Mills up the middle.
PIERCE CONTINUES TO EXCEL
Despite the Texans’ four-game losing streak and league-worst record, rookie running back Dameon Pierce continues to pile up the yards. He has 772 yards rushing and three touchdowns. He averages 4.7 yards a carry and has runs of 75 and 44 yards.
Washington will build its game plan around Pierce, who’s become the Texans’ best offensive weapon. If offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton and quarterback Davis Mills are unable to execute a down-field passing game like they did in the second half against the Giants, Pierce is going to get pulverized. The Commanders are 12th against the run, allowing 111.3 yards rushing.
Pierce is fifth in the NFL in rushing. Three of the four backs in front of him – the Giants’ Saquon Barkley (931 yards), Titans’ Derrick Henry (923) and Raiders’ Josh Jacobs (821) – benefitted from playing against the Texans. The Browns’ Nick Chubb (904) gets his shot at the NFL’s worst run defense Dec. 4 when Deshaun Watson comes to NRG Stadium to play his first game for the Browns after his suspension.
Pierce is now on a pace to finish with 1,458 yards, which would break Steve Slaton’s rookie record of 1,282 set in 2008. If the league still played 16 games, Pierce would be on a pace to pass up Slaton with 1,372 yards.
After his 94-yard rushing performance against the Giants, Pierce is first in the NFL in broken tackles (26), second in broken tackle percentage (13.9), second in elusive rating (117.4), third in attempts (165), fourth in yards after contact (421), fourth in first down percentage (27.9) and sixth in yards per game (85.8).
HEINICKE’S CUP OF COFFEE WITH TEXANS
Washington quarterback Taylor Heinicke, who’s 3-1 as a starter since replacing the injured Carson Wentz, is no stranger to NRG Stadium. Sunday will be his first appearance since December of 2017 when he was active for three games.
The Texans were Heinicke’s third team. They’d lost rookie Deshaun Watson for the season. Heinicke was signed to the practice squad. Tom Savage and T.J. Yates were the quarterbacks. When Savage was injured, Heinicke was promoted to the roster. Coming off the bench to replace the injured Yates in a 34-6 loss at Pittsburgh, he ran once for 2 yards and completed a pass for 10 yards but left with a concussion. Yates had to finish the game.
After the Texans waived Heinicke, he bounced around the league until he found a home with the Commanders. He’s a mobile quarterback who does a good job of managing the game. If Washington wins, as expected, Heinicke will be 4-1 as a starter at a time when Wentz is ready to return from an injury. It’s going to be interesting to see what coach Ron Rivera does with his starting quarterback when Wentz is healthy.
MILLS DOUBLES HIS PLEASURE
Speaking of quarterbacks, Davis Mills threw for 319 yards in the loss to the Giants. That gives him six 300-yard games in his 20 starts over two seasons.
Of the quarterbacks drafted in 2021, including five in the first round, Mills has twice as many 300-yard games as the Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence and the Patriots’ Mac Jones. Lawrence has three in 27 starts and Jones three in 23 starts.
The Jets’ Zach Wilson has one 300-yard game. The Bears’ Justin Fields and the 49ers’ Trey Lance, the other quarterbacks who were first-round picks, don’t have a 300-yard performance.
If Mills can play well for four quarters, which he’s been unable to do this season, the Texans might have a chance to upset the Commanders, but don’t count on it.
John McClain can be heard Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday on Sports Radio 610 and Monday and Thursday on Texans Radio. He does three weekly Houtopia Podcasts for SportsRadio610.com. He also can be read four times a week on GallerySports.com.