(SportsRadio 610) - Turning the page after losing a 21-19 heartbreaker in Atlanta last weekend on a last second 33-yard field goal, the Texans are hoping to regain momentum heading into their bye week.
There are plenty of questions yet to be answered about both of these teams heading into their week six clash.
Whether the 34-0 beat down New Orleans Saints put on Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots last weekend was fool's gold or a sign of things to come is to be determined.
It's a fair question given their struggles on the offensive side of the ball prior to their dominating win over the Patriots.
Offensively, the Saints are averaging just 19.2 points per game and have a bottom-third offense across the board through five games.
Did the Falcons create a study guide for the rest of the league on how to slow down C.J. Stroud and the Texans offense?
While the Texans rookie quarterback continued to take care of the football, setting the all-time mark for most passes attempted without throwing an interception (186), it seems like this Sunday could be Stroud's toughest challenge yet.
If the Saints steal a page from the Falcons, disguise coverages, change looks post-snap and bait Stroud into taking some shots down the field, it could be a recipe for disaster against one of the most dangerous secondaries in the league.
We'll have a better answer regarding those questions and more at the close of business Sunday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik said that while the Saints do some comparable things defensively to the Falcons, their head coach and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen can dial up some exotic looks to really challenge opposing offenses.
"Structurally, they're similar," Slowik said. "So that part helps when you have back-to-back weeks like that. But at the end of the day, Dennis Allen is a different play caller, and he's a really good play caller.
"Whether it's three-man rush, six-man rush, he does a great job of making it tough in the pass game. Then, in the run game, they're really hard to move up front and they've got linebackers that are great run game players. So, we've got a challenge all the way across the board regardless of the scheme similarity."
While the Texans struggled on third-downs last weekend, going just 4-for-13 in those situations, they've been among the best in the NFL otherwise, converting on 45% of their chances, which ranks seventh in the league.
The Saints enter week six as one of the league's best defenses against the pass, ranking fourth in both fewest yards allowed and interceptions.
With the return of starting free safety Marcus Maye this week, the Saints will have their full complement of defensive backs in the secondary, which is already tied for second in the NFL with seven interceptions.
Criticism in the early going has been few and far between for Slowik, but the first-year coordinator frustrated some for not taking more shots down the field against the Falcons.
Stroud attempted one pass for more than 20 yards. That one just so happened to be the biggest completion of the day, the touchdown strike to tight end Dalton Schultz on their final offensive possession to give them a brief 19-18 lead in the waning minutes.
The Texans say they'll continue to be stubborn with the run game, but one way to get it going might be by taking more chances down the field.
However, an opportunistic Saints secondary with former Texans safety Tyrann Matthieu and cornerback Lonnie Johnson playing good ball for them so far, along with Marshon Lattimore, pose quite a threat to Stroud and the Texans offense.
The Texans defense can't wait to get back on the field after allowing Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder to carve them up in the second half last week, particularly on the final drive of the game. They face a tough test this Sunday.
"They do a very good job of utilizing personnel groups," Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke said. "Obviously, putting Taysom [Hill] in at quarterback, and then you have to prepare for those sorts of things. They make you prepare for a lot because of how they utilize their personnel, the groups they have. They kind of shuffle them in and out during the game, so you're trying to match as it goes along."
Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael hasn't yet figured out how to best utilize running back Alvin Kamara in the pass game. He's coming off his best performance on the ground against the Patriots, but so is seemingly every other Saints player.
Saints receiver Chris Olave, a former teammate of Stroud at Ohio State, is dangerous. He's one of the most targeted receivers in the league and has been a bright spot for the struggling Saints offense.
The Falcons offense was a sputtering unit as well, until they faced the Texans inconsistent defense last weekend.
Between receivers Olave, Michael Thomas and Kamara in the backfield, the Texans will have their hands full.
However, the Texans could have as close to a full arsenal as they've had defensively in recent weeks to help combat those playmakers with cornerback Shaq Griffin (calf) and nickel cornerback Tavierre Thomas (hand) on the mend.
