Within the first of two Week 2 “Monday Evening Soccer” matchups, the Houston Texans play host to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers,
The Texans are coming off a dispiriting loss to the Los Angeles Rams and seeking to even their report at 1-1 whereas protecting tempo with the shocking Indianapolis Colts within the AFC South. The Bucs captured a rollicking, come-from-behind win over the division rival Falcons of their opener and want to enhance to 2-0 and stay atop the NFC South.
We’re getting a matchup of former top-two draft picks underneath heart for this one. It isn’t fairly the No. 1 choose vs. No. 1 choose battles we noticed on Sunday, however Baker Mayfield did go No. 1 general whereas C.J. Stroud went No. 2. Each of their groups want to head again to the playoffs for the third consecutive season, and the winner of this recreation will probably be in significantly better place to just do that.
Which of those groups will come away with the victory? We’ll discover out quickly sufficient. Earlier than we break down the matchup, this is a take a look at how one can watch the sport.
The place to look at Buccaneers vs. Texans stay
- Date: Monday, Sept. 15 | Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Location: NRG Stadium (Houston)
- TV: ABC/ESPN | Stream: Fubo (Attempt free of charge)
- Comply with: CBS Sports activities App
- Odds: Texans -2.5; O/U 42.5 (through DraftKings Sportsbook)
Wager NFL Week 1 video games and NFL odds at DraftKings, the place new customers get $300 in bonus bets and over $200 off NFL Sunday Ticket.
When the Buccaneers have the ball
Tampa got here away with a come-from-behind victory final week towards the Falcons, however didn’t transfer the ball with the type of effectivity that it did in final 12 months’s spectacular offensive season. The Bucs averaged simply 4.6 yards per offensive play in a recreation, a mark that may have ranked useless final within the NFL final season. The move offense, specifically, was inefficient with Baker Mayfield going simply 17 of 32 for 167 yards. After all, Mayfield made up for the inefficiency with three landing passes, together with the game-winner. And you may take that almost each week.
However that is a type of weeks that is not each week. The Texans have arguably the very best protection in soccer, with their bookend edge rushers placing a preposterous quantity of strain on opposing quarterbacks and their shutdown secondary plastering receivers everywhere in the discipline. If the Bucs are going to maneuver the ball on Houston, they will need to carry out at a a lot larger stage than they did every week in the past towards a a lot weaker protection.
Making issues extra difficult for the Bucs are their offensive absences. They’re nonetheless with out star left sort out Tristan Wirfs and slot receiver Chris Godwin, whereas proper sort out Luke Goedeke is questionable after getting in just one restricted observe session this previous week. In the event that they need to play with out each of their tackles, Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter are going to be set as much as have a fully dominant efficiency. Even when Goedeke is wholesome, these guys are liable to take over the sport anyway.
They will additionally possible need to take care of Derek Stingley Jr. shadowing Mike Evans wherever he goes on the sphere. Stingley is likely one of the greatest cornerbacks within the NFL, and he is one of many uncommon gamers with the scale and physicality to take care of the Evans matchup. That would result in a tricky evening for Mayfield’s main receiver if he cannot shake free from among the finest within the recreation. Mayfield must flip extra to rookie Emeka Egbuka, who will possible see plenty of Kamari Lassiter, who isn’t any slouch. Egbuka went off for 2 touchdowns final week towards the Falcons, however once more, this can be a a lot totally different caliber of problem.
Tampa did not run the ball successfully towards the Falcons, both. Bucky Irving carried 14 occasions for simply 37 yards, and Rachaad White added 14 yards together with his two totes. And that was towards a suspect Falcons run protection. The Texans’ run protection unit could be very a lot not suspect, and Tampa might want to get significantly extra push this week with a purpose to flip issues round — and achieve this with a depleted (and probably very depleted) offensive line.
When the Texans have the ball
Houston’s offense equally didn’t have a lot success final week, albeit towards a way more stringent opponent. The Texans have been with out Christian Kirk and Joe Mixon (each of whom are out once more this week) of their loss to the Rams, throughout which additionally they averaged 4.6 yards per play and, in contrast to the Bucs, totaled simply 9 factors. They went solely 2 of 9 on third downs and did not rating a landing on their solely journey to the crimson zone.
The Texans did get the bottom recreation going a bit with Nick Chubb (13 carries for 60 yards), however weren’t capable of do a lot by way of the air, as C.J. Stroud was restricted to 188 yards on 19 of 27 passing, and he was additionally intercepted. He was underneath strain from the Rams’ line of defense all through the sport and took three sacks for a lack of 33 yards. He additionally failed to determine a reference to No. 1 wideout Nico Collins, who had simply 3 catches for 25 yards.
The Bucs haven’t got the identical caliber of move rush as do the Rams, and so Stroud might conceivably have extra time to throw — if the offensive line in entrance of him can truly maintain up. And that is no assure contemplating the extent of expertise on stated line. Haason Reddick and Yaya Diaby are succesful move rushers. They’re simply not, ya know, Jared Verse-quality. And Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey can get after it from the within as effectively. Tampa might positively nonetheless trigger some points right here if the road is not working at the next stage than it was final week.
On the perimeter, we noticed the Falcons pepper Drake London with an unbelievable quantity of targets working towards this Tampa secondary final week, and the Texans ought to equally attempt to funnel issues to Collins working towards Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum. The opposite receivers will probably be in a heavy rotation, and are not a lot to talk of except the rookies take a step ahead on the depth chart from the place they have been in Week 1. Dalton Schultz seems to be like the one man left within the tight finish room within the wake of accidents to each Brevin Jordan and Cade Stover, however he is largely a check-down-over-the-middle man when Stroud will get underneath strain.
It is in all probability anticipating an excessive amount of to count on Houston to run the ball with a lot success once more, given the state of the offensive line and what Chubb has seemed like since getting back from his devastating damage. He ran laborious final week however nonetheless did not appear like he had regained the explosiveness that made him among the finest pure runners within the NFL for a number of seasons.
Prediction
Tampa comes into this recreation banged up, with Tristan Wirfs and Chris Godwin each nonetheless absent. The offense did not appear like it was at full power final week, and when going up towards a protection nearly as good as Houston’s, that is not ultimate. Now we have to roll with the Texans at house.
Decide: Texans 20, Buccaneers 17
