(SportsRadio 610) - After defeating the Jaguars for their first victory, the Texans take a 1-3-1 record into their bye week. Here are the weekly Texans observations after their first five games:
MILLS MUST IMPROVE ON THIRD DOWN
After the bye week, something Davis Mills needs to improve in a hurry is his performance on third down.
Of the 31 quarterbacks who qualify for the NFL’s weekly statistical rankings, Mills is the worst on third down. His 51.7 rating is the lowest in the league. Carolina’s Baker Mayfield is next with 59.5. Mills has no touchdown passes and has completed only 53.1 percent.
Compare Mills’ performance under offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton this season to Tim Kelly, his coordinator and play caller as a rookie. On third down last season, Mills had six touchdown passes, five interceptions, completed 63.6 percent and had an 82.7 rating.
Mills’ rating this season is 80.6 compared to 88.8 as a rookie when he threw 16 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions.
PIERCE LEADING ROOKIE RUSHER
Only two rookie running backs are among the top-41 rushers – Dameon Pierce and Breece Hall (Jets). Pierce is fourth with 412 yards rushing. Hall is 23rd with 275. Pierce averages 4.8 yards a carry and Hall 4.9.
Pierce is on a pace for 1,167 yards rushing. He has 86 carries, placing him sixth among the league’s rushers. Imagine if the coaches had used Pierce more than Rex Burkhead in the opening tie with the Colts. Would Pierce have been one-point better and helped them win that game?
ANOTHER RUNNER TO SPELL PIERCE IS ESSENTIAL
The Texans need a second running back behind Dameon Pierce to get about five or six carries a game. Rex Burkhead is a third-down back who’s a better receiver than runner. At some point, Pep Hamilton should give Dare Ogunbowale a chance to carry the ball and see if he can be more productive than Burkhead while Pierce is getting a breather.
For a team that claims to be a run-first offense, it’s ridiculous to not have a second runner who can relieve Pierce and provide a few productive carries.
COLLINS NEEDS MORE RECEPTIONS
For the second consecutive game, wide receiver Nico Collins made big plays in the passing game and showed that Pep Hamilton should make sure Davis Mills gets him the ball more. Coach Lovie Smith said Monday to expects that to be the case when the Texans return from their bye and play at Las Vegas.
“He’s a big target (6-4),” Smith said. “He can catch the ball. He can jump. We tried to get him more involved each week. He’s a tough matchup against defensive backs, so we need to continue to do that.”
Collins averages 18.1 yards on 15 catches. Leading receiver Brandin Cooks averages 9.8 on 24 receptions. It shouldn’t be difficult to figure out who should be getting more passes thrown to him.
STINGLEY COMING OFF BEST GAME
Rookie Derek Stingley Jr. had his first interception in the victory at Jacksonville. He did a terrific job in coverage, especially at the end of the game when the Jaguars were trying to pull out a victory and he was knocking down Trevor Lawrence passes.
Lovie Smith likes the way Stingley can play zone or man coverage.
“I know coming into the draft it was thought that he’s a man-cover guy,” he said. “What does that mean, he’s a man cover guy? He can only do that? I saw a guy that could become a complete cornerback, being able to play man, of course, but being able to play zone. You get more interceptions when you have your eyes on the ball playing zone coverage.
“We also saw him as a player that would tackle. We don’t bring anybody in unless they want to tackle (and) they want to be physical. When you start playing roll-up corners, cover-2 or whatever, they need to be able to be physical on the receivers.”
STINGLEY NOT THE ONLY CORNERBACK PLAYING WELL
Like Derek Stingley Jr., veteran cornerbacks Steven Nelson and Desmond King III are coming off their best performances, too. Like Stingley, they were all over the field at Jacksonville, knocking down Trevor Lawrence passes.
Nelson, who’s playing in his eighth season, was a good addition to the defense. He helps Stingley’s development. King is playing better this season than last season when he lined up inside and outside.
General manager Nick Caserio adding Nelson, Stingley and rookie safety Jalen Pitre to the secondary has helped improve the defense.
SACK TOTALS DIMINISHING
The Texans had 10 sacks in their first three games, including five at Chicago, but they’ve had one in the last two games. That came against the Chargers when quarterback Justin Herbert slid and was touched down by Rasheem Green and Thomas Brooker.
With Jonathan Greenard missing the Jacksonville game because of an injury, the Texans had no sacks for the first time. Maliek Collins was the only player to even hit Trevor Lawrence.
If the defense is going to improve and the secondary is going to get better with four new starters, the Texans have to get more pressure up front, beginning with Greenard (1.5 sacks), Green (2.5) and Jerry Hughes (four).
RUN DEFENSE SHOWING IMPROVEMENT
Through three games, the Texans surrendered 202 yards rushing a game, by far the most in the league. In their last two games against the Chargers and Jaguars, they’ve allowed 108.5 yards and 4.1 a carry.
Other areas of improvement? The Texans are fourth in the NFL with a plus-3 turnover differential. They’re tied for 11th in red zone offense, scoring touchdowns at a 60-percent rate. They’re fifth in red zone defense (38.9 percent).
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.