Oakland Raiders v Houston Texans: A Few Last Minute Keys To A Wild Card Win
By Kevin Saito
Getting a Look at a Familiar Face
Houston is probably the best matchup for the Raiders to open the playoffs with. The Texans have plenty of quarterback problems of their own. Brock Osweiler is getting the start – after getting benched in favor of Tom Savage.
Osweiler has had a tremendously up and down season, throwing more picks (16) than touchdowns (15) and is completing just 59 percent of his passes. He is certainly not looking like a quarterback worth the kind of money the Texans threw at him to pry him out of Denver.
In a week ten tilt with the Texans in Mexico City, the Raiders notched a 27-20 win. It wasn’t easy as Houston was able to stifle Oakland’s run game, allowing just 30 yards on 20 attempts. Osweiler had one of his better games of the year, throwing for 243 yards with a 67 percent completion rate.
But the Raiders were able to get to him for an interception as well as a pair of sacks – just missing on a handful of others.
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To win today, this defense is going to have to step up and play big. Bigger than they have all year. And a more complete game than they have all year. With so much adversity facing the offense right now, they simply need to shut down Houston’s offensive attack. After a blowout loss to Denver to end the season – which is the only reason they’re facing
Houston today – this defense needs to come out fired up and ready to punch some people in the mouth. They need to get to Osweiler early and often – another five sack performance by Khalil Mack would be good.
But as a whole, this defense needs to play tight coverage on DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller. They need to shut Osweiler down and make his life absolutely miserable today. If they can do that, they stand a puncher’s chance.