After a late loss in Minnesota, the Jaguars returned home in a bid to try and upset the AFC South Champion Houston Texans in their home opener.
For the Texans it marked an opportunity to set down an early marker in the division and further their credentials as Super Bowl contenders after last week’s win at home to the Miami Dolphins.
There was no late game heartache for the Jaguars this time however, as the Texans jumped out to a 17-0 lead before easing their way to a 2-0 start. The game featured some poor offensive play from the home team and a second straight dominant performance from a certain Texans defensive lineman. So with that in mind, let’s take a look at the standout performers, both good and bad, in this one.
Houston – Three Performances of Note
Best in the League?
It’s only Week 2, and we’ve got an awful lot of football left to see, but you’ll struggle to find a better defensive player in the NFL right now than J.J. Watt (+8.8). Following up last week’s impressive performance against the Miami Dolphins, Watt was absolutely devastating on the rare occasions the Jags had possession of the ball. Registering two sacks, two hits, a hurry and two batted passes, he was too much for Guy Whimper (-3.7) and Uche Nwaneri (-1.6) to handle. To put those numbers into context, the Jaguars ran 26 pass plays in the game and Watt made an impact on seven of them. Against the run he was just as relentless, finishing the game with three defensive stops, and he topped the day off with a fumble recovery on the Jaguars' final offensive play on 1st-and-10 with 5:15 left in the fourth quarter. A fitting end to a truly spectacular day.
How to Run the Ball
If you’re looking to find the best way to run the football in the NFL, the Texans put on an absolute clinic on Sunday afternoon, racking up 216 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. They did this through a combination of strong play from running backs Arian Foster (+2.7) and Ben Tate (+3.2) and an offensive line that moved the Jaguars' defensive line at will all game long. Every Houston offensive lineman finished the game with a positive grade as a run blocker with Wade Smith (+2.2 in the run game) and Chris Myers (+1.8) standing out. That certainly made life easier for the running backs, but they made the most out of it as well, finishing runs and forcing missed tackles like Arian Foster’s on 3rd-and-1 with 4:36 left in the second quarter. After already gaining the first down, he ran through the tackle of safety Dawan Landry to gain another seven yards. It was running like this that propelled the Texans to their first playoff berth a year ago and, if they can continue, it looks likely to push them toward a quick return to the postseason.
Texans Defensive Backs
While they may have not been up against an elite quarterback and receiver combo, the Texans' defensive backs had a solid outing in pass coverage. Allowing just nine receptions for 76 yards through the air as a group, they were always close to the Jaguars receivers. The team's 2010 first-round draft pick Kareem Jackson (+1.3) was the most impressive of the bunch and while he never got his hands on a pass, he was still able to stay close enough to the receiver to force two of the three incompletions thrown into his coverage. Through the first two weeks of the season he has allowed just 60 yards through the air, looking like a much improved player from his first two years in the league.
Jacksonville – Three Performances of Note
Poor Posluszny
While the Texans' offensive line certainly didn’t make it easy, Paul Posluszny (-3.0) was unable to have any impact against the run, particularly when the opposing linemen got their hands on him. Guilty of missing a tackle, taking bad angles and over pursuing, he continued his poor start to the season after a stellar 2011. It was Posluszny that over pursued on Tate’s eight-yard touchdown run with 6:54 left in the second quarter. Posluszny wound up taking himself out of the play and allowing Tate to find the end zone. In a linebacking corps that is currently without Daryl Smith, the Jaguars need Posluszny to regain his 2011 form, and soon.
Contrasting Offensive Lines
While the Texans offensive line enjoyed a big day, their counterparts in Jacksonville struggled, with only left tackle Eugene Monroe (+0.8) earning a positive grade. Allowing a combined five sacks, three hits and four hurries in pass protection, they failed to protect either quarterback. In addition, Whimper and Brad Meester (-2.4) were poor against the run, failing to open up holes for Maurice Jones-Drew (+0.5). With injuries forcing Whimper and new left guard Herb Taylor (-2.6) into the line-up it was always going to be tough, but the struggles they had containing the Texans' front seven (especially their stunting in their sub-package) were critical.
Punt, Punt, Punt
It’s an indication of just how bad the Jaguars' offense was on Sunday that punter Bryan Anger (+5.0) was about as good as it got for the home team. Asked to punt nine times, he averaged 52.2 yards per kick and a net average of 43.7 yards. Only half of those punts were returned, with two going out of bounds and two being fair caught. All nine of them received a positive grade, with four landing inside the 20-yard line and just 41 return yards in total. Is it bad that he was one of the biggest positives for the Jaguars this week? Absolutely, but after using a third-round draft pick on him, Anger has lived up to that lofty status in the first two weeks of the season.
Game Notes
– J.J. Watt made a defensive stop in the run game on 36.4% of running plays he was in on, while picking up a pressure or batted pass on 31.8% of passing plays he was on the field for.
– Matt Schaub attempted just four passes beyond 10 yards.
– Houston missed just one tackle throughout the game, with Johnathan Joseph being the guilty party.
Game Ball
As easy a decision as we’re likely to have all year here at PFF. J.J. Watt took over the game and dominated from the first snap to the last.
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