Game Overview ::
By hilow >>
- The Texans are locked into the No. 4 seed out of the AFC and have nothing to play for in Week 18.
- Texans HC DeMeco Ryans told reporters, “everybody has to be ready, we’ll see how the game goes,” in response to questions surrounding whether the starters will play.
- Texans DE Denico Autry, DT Folorunso Fatukasi, OG Shaq Mason, and CB Jeff Okudah did not practice Thursday with various injuries.
- Titans WR Tyler Boyd (foot), RB Tyjae Spears (concussion), S Amani Hooker (shoulder), LB Arden Key (hand), and LB Otis Reese (ankle) did not practice Wednesday.
- Titans RB Tony Pollard (ankle) returned to a limited session Thursday after missing the team’s Week 17 loss.
How Houston Will Try To Win ::
The Texans are locked into the No. 4 seed out of the AFC and will likely be hosting the Steelers or Chargers in the wild card round in a week’s time. This would seem the perfect time to get healthy as the postseason looms, except the Texans have had two rather pitiful performances in a row in losses to the Chiefs and Ravens and reportedly have a “sour taste in their mouth.” When asked how he would manage starters playing in Week 18, head coach DeMeco Ryans told reporters, “everybody has to be to go, we’ll see how the game goes.” While that likely means that some starters will be tasked with playing, I still would think it is highly unlikely we see them play deep into the game. I don’t buy this “wash the taste out of our mouth” hullabaloo, nor do I buy playing starters in a meaningless game at the end of a 17-game regular season before the playoffs as “the right move because they had a late bye week.” It’s simply utter nonsense and a risk that is not worth taking. I expect the primary starters to get pulled, in short order, particularly considering the sheer number of injuries this team has battled through this year.
Again, a lot of this is speculation and conjecture, but I would expect this to largely be a Dare Ogunbowale and Dameon Pierce game for the Texans, and I would also expect multiple veteran offensive linemen to sit for most, if not all, of the game. And while the Titans are a middling matchup on the ground, we shouldn’t expect immense volume or efficiency from either of these two backs. The Titans have allowed 2.00 yards before contact per attempt (18th), 4.4 yards per carry (13th), and 22.0 fantasy points per game to opposing backfields (10th most).
I wouldn’t expect Nico Collins to play much, if at all, considering the injuries sustained by this team to their wide receiver corps, but we should see Xavier Hutchinson, John Metchie, and Jared Wayne forced to play the bulk of the game. Reason would lead us to believe Robert Woods is likely to see his involvement nerfed considering his veteran status, but that is pure speculation. I would also expect to see Dalton Schultz on the sidelines for most of the game, which is likely to leave Cade Stover and Irv Smith to handle the tight end duties for the Texans. There’s nothing here that points to any of these guys being worthy of fantasy consideration with Davis Mills likely under center for most of the game.
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