(SportsRadio 610) - On Oct. 6, 1999, in a downtown Atlanta hotel, Houston was awarded an expansion franchise that became the NFL's 32nd team. On Sunday, the Texans play the Falcons in downtown Atlanta, where they'll try to build their first three-game winning streak since 2018.
Both teams are 2-2. In DeMeco Ryans' first season as their head coach, the Texans are coming off 20- and 24-point victories over Jacksonville and Pittsburgh.
The Falcons are coming off back-to-back road losses to Detroit and Jacksonville, and they averaged only 6.5 points in those defeats. The Falcons started 2-0 with victories over Carolina and Green Bay at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Fans in Atlanta are restless for the Falcons to improve on offense. Fans in Houston are celebrating the lopsided victories over the Jaguars and Steelers and the four-way tie in the AFC South.
The Texans enter Sunday's game in their best physical condition of the season because they'll be getting back injured players in left tackle Laremy Tunsil, right tackle Tytus Howard, cornerback Tavierre Thomas, linebacker Denzel Perryman and punter Cam Johnston.
As the Texans conclude their preparation for Atlanta, here are five things to watch in Sunday's game.
McClain's pick: Texans 23, Falcons 20
C.J. Stroud is off to a tremendous start and getting a lot of well-deserved national recognition. He's thrown for 1,212 yards – second-most to Cam Newton (2011) for a rookie in his first four games – and has completed 62.3 percent. He has six touchdowns, no interceptions and a 100.6 rating. Stroud's 8.03 average per attempt is third in the NFL.
The Falcons have five sacks in four games. Stroud hasn't been sacked in his last two games.
Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik is coming off a tremendous game calling plays in the victory over the Steelers. He got the running game going for the first time by calling plays outside and inside, including two end-arounds with Tank Dell.
That kind of productive running game is the best thing for Stroud as he tries to operate a balanced offense and continue his amazing performance that includes throwing from the pocket as well as on the run.
Stroud is getting rid of the ball fast and accurately. He doesn't try to force his throws into tight coverage. Stroud has been at his best on third down. He ranks first in the NFL in yards (468) and completions (35). He's tied for first on completions of at least 20 yards (six). He's second in passer rating (126.1) and tied for second in touchdown passes (four). He's fifth in completion percentage (76.2). It'll be interesting to see what kind of plan the Falcons have for him and how much success they have trying to pull it off.
After his sterling performance against the Steelers, wide receiver Nico Collins should get a lot of attention from Atlanta's secondary. He caught seven passes from C.J. Stroud for 168 yards and two touchdowns. That's a 24-yard average on nine targets.
There's a good chance the Falcons will watch tape of the Jacksonville game and focus their attention on Collins. Against the Jaguars, he was covered so well he was targeted only three times, catching two passes for 34 yards. That kind of strategy to contain Collins opened up the field for rookie Tank Dell, who had five receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown against the Jaguars. He caught passes of 46 and 68 yards.
Atlanta should be well-aware of what Dell is capable of doing down the field, and both receivers can't draw consistent double coverage. Cover 2 or Cover 3 might be better, but that should provide room for the running game.
Collins is off to a tremendous start with 22 catches for 428 yards (19.5 average) and three touchdowns. His average per catch leads the league. He's also first with 197 yards after the catch and 209 yards on third down. The Stroud-to-Collins collaboration is one of the NFL's most dangerous.
The five starters in the 30-6 victory over Pittsburgh in which C.J. Stroud wasn't sacked for a second consecutive game deserve a lot of credit.
Left tackle Austin Deculus (rotating with Geron Christian), left guard Kendrick Green, center Jarrett Patterson, right guard Shaq Mason and right tackle George Fant did a terrific of helping Stroud stay upright.
Laremy Tunsil (knee) and Tytus Howard (hand) are back and playing together for the first time since last season. DeMeco Ryans wouldn't even discuss the possibility of playing Howard at left guard since Green (knee) is the most recent lineman to suffer a serious injury.
Ryans says he wants to get his five-best linemen on the field. If that's the case, Howard should play left guard, a position where he got a lot of playing time in 2021, and Fant should remain at right tackle.
When Juice Scruggs comes off injured reserve, he can return at center, and maybe Patterson can move to left guard. With the line healthier than any time this season, the run blocking should improve.
For the first time this season, the Texans ran the ball well against the Steelers, but they're still 26th in rushing with an average of 87.3 yards a game. They're 10th in offense (368.5) and fourth in passing (281.3).
Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik would like more balance. Dameon Pierce is coming off his best game with 81 yards on 24 carries but still averages only 2.8 yards. That average needs to be more than 4 and closer to 4.5, which will happen when he breaks a few long ones.
Like other opponents, the Falcons will target Pierce in the running game. Devin Singletary averages 3.5. The Texans' 3.1 average per carry is awful, and most of that can be attributed to injuries in the offensive line, which won't be an excuse at Atlanta.
The Falcons are seventh in defense (290.8), including 17th against the run (114.5) and fifth against the pass (176.3). They'll try to swarm Pierce whether he's running inside or outside.
Running C.J. Stroud on a few run-pass options might help open up things for Pierce and Singletary.
Falcons rookie running back Bijan Robinson is no stranger to Houston fans because he starred at the University of Texas before being drafted ninth overall. The Falcons have struggled on offense, ranking 24th (284.3), including 32nd in passing (156.3).
But they've been a force running the ball with 128 yards a game, putting them 11th. Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, who surpassed 1,000 yards as a rookie in 2022, are an awesome one-two punch for coach Arthur Smith. Robinson has 318 yards and a 6-yard average per carry. Allgeier has 151 yards, a 3.4 average and two touchdowns.
Quarterback Desmond Ridder is a terrific runner, but he's got only 14 rushes. Coordinator Matt Burke's defense has been working on containing Robinson, who's also an exceptional receiver.
When he's not in the backfield, he lines up in the slot and on the outside. He has 19 catches for 134 yards and a touchdown.
The Texans have linebackers who might be able to stick with Robinson on pass routes, but it might be better to have safety Jalen Pitre do it. Pitre, who played at Baylor, went against Robinson every season they were on opposite sidelines and knows him better than his teammates.
First and foremost, DeMeco Ryans and Burke will emphasize stopping the run and letting Ridder try to beat them with his arm. The Texans' run defense has been transformed under Ryans and Burke. They were 32nd in 2022, giving up 171 yards a game rushing.
Through four games, they're 19th (116.5), but that could change if they allow Robinson and Allgeier to break loose and allow the Falcons to control the ball.
John McClain can be heard Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday on SportsRadio 610 and Monday, Thursday and Sunday on Texans Radio, also on SportsRadio 610. He writes five columns a week and does three Houtopia Football Podcasts for SportsRadio610.com.
