Week 2 in the NFL presents a big opportunity for teams that dropped their season opener — and that’s exactly what the Houston Texans will be looking to capitalize on. However, the visit from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to NRG Stadium won’t be an easy one, especially with Baker Mayfield under center. With Joe Mixon already ruled out, DeMeco Ryans will need to explore every option available to secure the win.
If the Texans want to establish themselves as serious contenders in the AFC South, securing a home victory will be absolutely crucial. Of course, that’s easier said than done.
That’s something Ryans fully understands. In fact, he considers Mayfield one of the top quarterbacks in the league for a variety of reasons, and knows he’ll need to be fully prepared for what the Bucs’ signal-caller can bring to the field.
“Baker’s doing a really nice job. The thing that sets him apart, where I’ve seen him grow as a quarterback, [is] how he escapes the pocket. Whether that’s keeping his eyes downfield to find open receivers or just scrambling to get the first down. He does a really great job. He’s gutsy, he has everything you want. Quarterback, tough guy, he scrambles to make plays; running and pass.”
Over the course of his NFL career, the former Browns quarterback has recorded two wins and two losses against Houston. On Monday, he’ll look to tip that record in his favor.
The game plan to stop Mayfield
Throughout his NFL career, Mayfield has established himself as one of the most solid quarterbacks of his generation. Ryans knows he can’t leave anything to chance — even if stopping the former Oklahoma standout will be anything but easy.
“He scrambles to make plays, run and pass. So, you just have to play together,” Ryans said. “That’s what we preach all the time is the rush, staying after it, playing together, and our guys in coverage, we have to make sure we’re plastering and staying in coverage, covering the guys twice because we know he can escape from anywhere.”
CJ Stroud will be without one of his key weapons
The Houston Texans’ offense is facing a significant challenge with the prolonged absence of Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon. The team has placed Mixon on the Non-Football Injury list, sidelining him for at least the first four games of the season.
This is a major blow to a unit that was expected to lean on the RB’s ground game to complement quarterback C.J. Stroud’s passing attack. Following their opening-day struggles, concerns are mounting, especially after head coach DeMeco Ryans offered a cryptic update, with a major admission about Joe Mixon’s future with the team.
While the Texans have a solid depth chart, the void left by Mixon’s production and on-field presence will be difficult to fill.