Official Texans @ Redskins Game Thread, 11/18/2018

[Arky]

The 6-3 Texans head off to Washington DC this Sunday to take on the 6-3 Redskins in an early game on CBS. The Texans are coming off their bye week while the Redskins are coming off a 16-3 road win over Tampa Bay. The Redskins have some nice wins (GB, Car) however they come across statistically as mediocre. Their best team stat is that they hold the opposition to 19.4 pts/game (tie 4th). Still, 6-3 is 6-3 (just ask the Texans). The Redskins offense is led by Alex Smith at QB and Adrian Peterson at RB. Smith uses an assortment of receivers in the passing game notably, Jordan Reed, Maurice Harris, Paul Richardson, Josh Doctson and Vernon Davis.

Texans are 2-2 all time vs. the Redskins, 1-1 in DC.

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TV = CBS (channel 11 local), noon CST, Sunday, 11/18/2018

Announcers = Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, Bruce Arians

The line = Texans by 2½ to 3

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Other Sunday viewing in the Houston area:

FOX (early) = Dallas @ Atlanta, Kevin Burkhardt, Charles Davis

FOX (late) = Philadelphia @ New Orleans, Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

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Prime time:

TNF = Green Bay @ Seattle (FOX/NFLN)

SNF = Minnesota @ Chicago (NBC)

MNF = Kansas City @ LA Rams (ESPN)

(note: Pit @ Jax was flexed out of SNF to show Min @ Chi)

[barrett]

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/2...y-back-houston

This might be the first time I can remember a guy going off about his first team while playing for his 4th team. Swearinger is definitely playing well for a team he fits on, but he hasn't grown up a bit. He left Houston 4 years ago and still can't get over it.

[Keith]

I still can't get over how poorly Two Spoons was in pass defense. Here's hoping Watson throws his direction early and often.

[Arky]

Sean Pendergast - NFL, Week 11: Texans-Redskins — Four Things To Watch For:

3. Game flow
Here is one of the stranger facts I've seen this deep into an NFL season:


Nick Mensio
✔
@NickMensio
#Redskins have led the entire game in all 6 of their wins. They've trailed the entire game in all 3 of their losses. They have never experienced a lead change through 10 weeks.

1,380
2:55 PM - Nov 11, 2018

I like this for the Texans, who in five of their six wins, have had to respond to deficits. Don't get me wrong, I'd much rather every Texans game look like the win over Jacksonville, their lone wire to wire victory, since that is far less stressful, but I like knowing that my team has the gumption and weapons to come from behind, if necessary.

2. D.J. Swearinger, unhinged
In case you haven't been following his career since leaving the Texans, D.J. Swearinger, former O'Brien Era discard after the 2014 season, has turned himself into one of the better safeties in the NFL. It sounds weird to even type that, since my memories of Swearinger largely involve (a) his committing undisciplined penalties, (b) his shoveling imaginary food into his mouth with imaginary spoons after big hits, (c) his bailing on a large tab for a vehicle-sized Batman decal on his vehicle, and (d) his dog biting Jadeveon Clowney. Thankfully, for those of us thirsting content, Swearinger shared his thoughts on his time in Houston on Instagram this week....
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jungleboi_swaggg
Verified
•
jungleboi_swaggg#Houston I Appreciate Coach Gary Kubiak, Coach Wade Phillips, Coach Vance Joseph for Giving Me A Chance Of A Lifetime & Letting Me Be “Myself” My Rookie Year. When They Left My 2nd Year, the New Coaching Staff Would Always Worry About What I Was Doing Or Saying To Other Players ����Well, the Young Swagg Had A Hard Time Adjusting To The New System Nor Did I Want To Play Linebacker Every Play, and I Also Was Late A Few Times Too Many...All Apart Of Growing Up & Learning To Be A Pro. There Was A MisUnderstanding With My Db Coach That Lead To Unprofessional Actions By My Head Coach (o’brien) That I Could No Longer Respect! Which Lead To Me Being Cut. That Same Coach Told Me I Would Be Outta The League In 3Years. Unfortunately, My God & Grind Had A Plan And Knew That 6years Later....I Would Make Him Eat His Words! #LiveIn5 #2spoonzswagggu
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So we learned that, aside from a Strange Addiction To Capital Letters On Every Single Word, Swearinger was not an O'Brien guy. O'Brien apparently told him he'd be out of the league in three years. This means that it's now two straight games where O'Brien's honest, face-to-face assessment of a guy whom he was releasing became public in the week leading up to the game. (What up, Case Keenum?) I'm bracing myself for what Ben Jones has to say before next week's game against the Titans.

1. Redskins banged up offensive line
As far as actual X's and O's in this matchup, the biggest advantage appears to belong to the Texans' front seven, who will be going against a Redskins offensive line that is missing three of its five regular starters, including left tackle Trent Williams. Their right guard is former Texans castoff Tony Bergstrom, who was reportedly told by O'Brien that he was ugly and played guard like a sissy. (Just kidding, but anything's possible, at this point.) J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney should both feast in this game, and if they're able to force the normally mistake-averse Alex Smith into a couple turnovers, or, at the very least, force him into bad down and distance situations, the Texans should be in great shape here.

SPREAD: Texans -2.5
PREDICTION: Texans 24, Redskins 17
RECORD: 5-4 SU, 4-5 ATS

More at link.....

[Arky]

Texan inactives vs. Redskins:

Vyncint Smith, WR
Aaron Colvin, CB
Deante Burton, CB
Zach Cunningham, ILB
Duke Ejiofor, OLB
Carlos Watkins, DE
Joel Heath, DE

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This is the week of Thanksgiving so there will be the usual Thanksgiving day football games. Interestingly, the Redskins have to play the Cowboys on Thanksgiving...

[Arky]

Texans get on the board first. Fairbairn with the 23-yard FG.

Texans 3, Redskins 0

9:32 left in the 1st qtr.

[Arky]

Watson hits Dhop running along the sideline for the 16 yard TD.

Texans 10, Redskins 0

3:15 left in the 1st qtr.

[Keith]

Nice start. Hope they keep it up. Players seem motivated. Whatever 1Q issues O'Brien had with the team to start the year seem to be behind them.

[Arky]

Redskins answer as Peterson scoots in for the 3-yard rushing TD.

Texans 10, Redskins 7

14:14 left in the half.

[Arky]

OooWWWW! Justin Reid with 101 yard pick 6!!!

Texans 17, Redskins 7

2:23 left in the half.

[Arky]

Texans had an opportunity after the Scarlett INT but a Watson sack and a Fairbairn missed 44-yard FG led to nothing. At the half, the score remains:

Texans 17, Redskins 7

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Indy rolling 24-3 over the Titans....

[Arky]

Watson throws an INT, the Redskins takeover at the Texan 13, McCoy (substituting for an injured A Smith) throws a 9 yard TD pass to Reed.

Texans 17, Redskins 14

4:47 left in the 3rd qtr.

[barrett]

Defense is playing awesome.

Like many games this year the officials are embarrassing themselves. With replay you have a built in copout where you can just say "call stands" any time you feel like it. But somehow these morons confirm a call when there was clear evidence of no catch.

And as I type Watson does the only thing you can't do when your defense is playing like this...he turns it over. Both TOs today come on balls that never should have been thrown. The intercepted screen pass is brutal. Miller loses yards on that play even if he catches it. If any ball needs to be thrown at the guys' feet, it's that ball. Watson is looking better and better the last 7 games, but learning to let go of plays remains a work in progress.

[Arky]

Watson back to getting beat up. Fairbairn good on a 33-yard FG.

Texans 20, Redskins 14

1:19 left in the 3rd qtr.

[Arky]

Peterson runs it in from 7 yards.

Redskins 21, Texans 20

11:57 left in the game.

[chuck]

Originally Posted by barrett

And as I type Watson does the only thing you can't do when your defense is playing like this...he turns it over. Both TOs today come on balls that never should have been thrown. The intercepted screen pass is brutal. Miller loses yards on that play even if he catches it. If any ball needs to be thrown at the guys' feet, it's that ball. Watson is looking better and better the last 7 games, but learning to let go of plays remains a work in progress.

All true. But I hate that play design.

[Arky]

Fairbairn connects on 54-yarder with 7½ minutes left in the game.

Texans 23, Redskins 21

[Arky]

It's about time the pass rush started kicking ass. Watt and Clowney with sacks on the previous Redskin possession. Texans have the ball at their own 42 with 4:38 left in the game.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by chuck

All true. But I hate that play design.

True for sure. But in 50-75 plays there will always be some dogs. Great QB play is one part making great plays and one part recognizing those dogs and ending the play without physical or game damage. I think Watson is getting better, but he's so good he still thinks he can make every play a winner.

[barrett]

We got screwed earlier on the reviewed fumble, but the refs just did us a solid on the defensive holding call to give us a first down.