After a disappointing loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night, the Houston Texans have dropped to 3-3 on the season, and are currently in second place in the AFC South. Although they have improved a lot this season so far, there are some areas that they need to work on. In order to win the division, what exactly do they have to do?
Offense
With Ryan Fitzpatrick as the new quarterback, things haven't gone so well. The 31-year old quarterback was acquired in the offseason, and he was looking to provide some veteran leadership along with having success at the quarterback position. So far, the success has been limited. The offensive line has been dreadful to look. Ryan Fitzpatrick has barely had any time to find a receiver open down the field, due to multiple defenders coming at him. The few times that he does have time to find an open man down field, he either connects with a receiver for a decent gain, or he gets intercepted.
Arian Foster has been a huge part of the offense. After dealing with injuries, he is starting to look healthy again. When Fitzpatrick isn't having a great game, Foster is able to take off some of the pressure by rushing for several yards. If Foster doesn't have success, the whole offense is in trouble. So, how can they manage to fix their offense?
The first step, would be to find who their actual quarterback will be. Ryan Fitzpatrick has done everything he could, but doesn't seem to be the quarterback the Texans need. Although their O-Line is inconsistent, Fitzpatrick looks completely lost when the pocket collapses. Ryan Mallett is the quarterback the Texans should turn to. Although he has had minimal playing time, he seems much more promising than Fitzpatrick. Based on the few highlight reels of Mallett, he shows off an incredible arm, and has great size. He worked with Bill O'Brien while they were both a part of the New England Patriots organization. Ryan Fitzpatrick can't take this team very far as their starter. If Mallett doesn't get an opportunity soon, this team could be headed back in the wrong direction.
Defense
Romeo Crennel was hired as the defensive coordinator, and he knows how to put together a successful defense. So far, the defense has been inconsistent. J.J. Watt has put on a clinic this season, but other than that, the defense has been quiet. The secondary has been put to the test this season, and haven't found a way to cover their man. Throughout the season so far, blown coverage has been unacceptable. There is nothing more frustrating than seeing the secondary leave their man open down the field. In the times that they aren't open, they somehow manage to make spectacular catches, and march down the field with ease. This writer doesn't know how they will fix this issue, but believes that Romeo Crennel will find a way to fix most of the mistakes on defense.
Sometimes, the rushing defense is a problem as well. Multiple times this season, the Texans have allowed a lot of rushing yards. Sooner or later, they will have to find a way to not let them get easy yards through the running game. The last thing you want to do is allow the other team to take the pressure off of their quarterback. With the "ground game" taken away, the quarterback is now forced to make plays through the air, which doesn't always work out.
If the Houston Texans can solve these issues, they could win the AFC South. They have a ton of potential, and are able to compete in the league just like every other team. The Texans have made a lot of progress since last season, and yours truly is looking forward to seeing them keep improving.