Can the Houston Texans make it six straight?
They’ll try to while also looking to secure a third-winning season under DeMeco Ryans when they face the Arizona Cardinals in Week 15. With a victory, Houston will inch one step closer to securing a playoff bid while also competing for the AFC South title.
The Texans are coming off a promising 20-10 win over the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, extending their winning streak to five games. Even with the offense scoring just two touchdowns, the defense forced three turnovers on Patrick Mahomes, including two in the second half from Kamari Lassiter and Azeez Al-Shaair.
C.J. Stroud connected with Woody Marks for a 7-yard touchdown while Nico Collins became the franchise’s fourth all-time leading receiver in yards after totaling 121 on four catches. Stroud, who threw for 203 yards and a touchdown, also surpassed the 10,000-yard passing marker in his career while securing his second straight victory since coming back from the concussion protocol.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals’ woeful season continued to spiral out of control on Sunday with perhaps the worst loss of the season. A three-touchdown afternoon from Los Angeles Rams MVP quarterback Matthew Stafford set the tone for a 45-17 win at State Farm Stadium for the visiting franchise.
Arizona has now lost five straight and will be without starting offensive tackle Paris Johnson, who’s expected to miss Sunday’s matchup with a knee injury.
The Texans, who currently remain a half-game back in the AFC South standings, could gain ground with a win on Sunday. If anything, Houston should still be in control of a playoff spot, even if it means being left out of the division race for another week.
To get a better gauge on the lows and future of the franchise out west, Texans Wire reached out to Jess Root, managing editor of Cardinals Wire, to help preview Sunday’s contest.
Texans Wire: Can you give an update on Marvin Harrison Jr.? He once again appeared on the injury report and after missing the last several games, could he be shut down for the remainder of the season, given the team’s record?
Jess Root: “Harrison has a heel issue and hasn’t practiced yet this week, so it would appear he is less likely to play than yes. But I don’t think it is an injury that would warrant shutting him down for the year. They are already down Zay Jones and Greg Dortch at receiver, so losing Harrison would make things even worse.”
TW: “Surprisingly, Jacoby Brissett has been somewhat of a Texans menace in the past, especially during his tenure in Indy. What have been some of the strengths to his game this past year in place of Kyler Murray?”
Root: “Brissett is steady. He is tough. He gets the ball to his ‘X’ receiver and Trey McBride. The passing numbers have been impressive, albeit in almost all losses.”
TW: “What can you say about the current status of Arizona’s offensive line? They seem like it’s being held together by luck and the will to gain another contract, which doesn’t seem to be a winning formula against a defensive front like Houston.”
Root: “The line is bad. Left tackle Paris Johnson has been ruled out. Left guard Evan Brown has not been with the team this week. Right guard Will Hernandez and right tackle Jonah Williams are on injured reserve. That means 36-year-old veteran Kelvin Beachum and undrafted rookie Josh Fryar will start at tackle this week. Scary stuff against Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter.”
TW: Over the last two years, the Texans have lost a game to an opponent who ended up picking in the top five. If there’s a formula for Arizona to fit the criteria, what needs to happen at NRG Stadium?
Root: Well, the Cardinals right now only would have the eighth overall pick, so you don’t have to worry about that, but it would be a miracle for the Cardinals to pull off an upset win. They are not efficient offensively, scoring only 17 points as a unit in each of the last three games. They would have to not allow sacks, not turn the ball over and then play well defensively, which they have not done in weeks. It would take the flukiest of fluke games.
TW: How dangerous is Trey McBride? At this point, he looks like the NFL’s top tight end and the only weapon that could create problems for Houston’s secondary.
Root: “McBride is a monster. As a pass catcher, no one is better. He is one of the very few bright spots about watching the Cardinals these days. He isn’t enough to carry the offense, though.”
TW: Prediction and final score
Root: “This is going to be ugly. The Texans will shut the Cardinals down. Brissett gets hit and sacked a ton. The Arizona defense can’t stop the run and will give up big numbers. I will be surprised if the Cardinals score more than one touchdown, and a defensive touchdown for the Texans is inevitable.”
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Behind Enemy Lines: An inside look at Arizona with Cardinals Wire
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