Houston Texans at Denver Broncos: Week 8 Preview
By Erik Lambert
Not only will the Houston Texans have a lot on the line in the AFC playoff picture against the Denver Broncos, but personal stakes as well.
These are two teams sitting in two of the most even divisions in the league. For Houston they’re trying to maintain the momentum of their huge comeback win over the Colts in week 7. For Denver they’re trying to halt a two-game losing streak before it gets out of control. This game could potentially have a major effect on how the postseason structure regarding home field.
Background:
The central focus of this game is easy enough to target. Brock Osweiler spurned the Broncos during the off-season to take a big contract from the Texans. There was a disconnect after Denver benched him in 2015 following seven starts. This despite him going 5-2. He is almost certainly anxious to show his former team they should’ve been willing to pay a little more money to keep him. On the flip side the Broncos likely want to show he’s nothing more than an average quarterback who got overpaid.
Injury Report:
Demarcus Ware (forearm) – The Broncos defense hasn’t quite been itself the past few weeks. A big part of why is because they’ve been without key pass rusher Demarcus Ware. He’s battling a forearm injury that has kept him out. Given the fact he didn’t practice all week, odds are he will miss another game. This puts added pressure on Von Miller and the other rushers to pick up the slack.
Kevin Johnson (foot) – Losing J.J. Watt was bad enough for the Texans defense. They can ill-afford more losses at any position. So watching Kevin Johnson go down with a bad foot injury for the rest of the season is a tough pill to swallow. Houston is running out of healthy bodies and their once formidable unit is beginning to show signs of vulnerability.
Key Matchup:
DeAndre Hopkins vs. Aqib Talib
The Texans offense is more diverse than it used to be, but its success still orbits around star receiver DeAndre Hopkins. When he has a good game, they tend to win more often. That is why the Broncos will be leaning on Pro Bowl corner Aqib Talib to slow him down. This will mark the first time the two have met since 2013. Hopkins had two catches for 77 yards in that game.
Prediction: Broncos win 21-14
Gary Kubiak will be back on the sidelines for this one. His team needs a jolt. The good news is they’ll be at home where the Broncos are just hard to beat. Add in the mounting injuries on the Texans defense and this game is shaping up for a Denver rebound. Osweiler won’t be able to handle that pass rush in such hostile conditions.