5 Questions with Battle Red Blog: What we learned about the Texans

As the Jacksonville Jaguars prepare to play the Houston Texans in Week 13, we sat down with Scott Barzilla of Battle Red Blog to learn more about the opposing side.

Question 1: C.J. Stroud currently ranks 14th in passing yards per game after finishing first in the category to win 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year. Does he deserve criticism for this underwhelming sophomore season, or is Houston’s offensive issues more so related to play calling, pass blocking and player health?

Honestly, it’s a combination of all of those as these things usually are. The blocking has been much worse and the playcalling has been worse (more on that below). However, he can’t get out of this conversation unscathed. He has had some accuracy issues that weren’t there last year and some questionable decisions. Some of that is the constant pressure but some isn’t.

Question 2: Similar question for offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik — he was widely considered future head coach material for his work with Stroud last year. Is it premature to say that 2023 was a fugazi, or are there real systemic issues in Slowik’s offense?

The Texans routinely score on their first drive of the game. They struggle after that. This tells us that Slowik has nothing to counter with when defenses figure out what he’s doing. His play calling in the red zone has been bizarre at times. I’m not sure if he will be fired but most fans wouldn’t be upset if he moved on.

Question 3: If you were gameplanning against DeMeco Ryans’ defense, what would be your first priority?

Successfully running the ball is key. If you can keep that defensive line honest then you can beat them deep on occasion. The Titans had trouble with the pressure but were able to do enough with big plays because of the running game.

Question 4: Who’s an under-the-radar player (or players) that Jaguars fans should keep an eye on in this game?

On offense, Tank Dell feels ready to break out and Cade Stover has been good for a few catches as well. He scored his first touchdown this week. On defense, Kamari Lassiter and Calen Bullock have been huge in takeaways. The Texans turn over teams more than anyone and they are a key reason why.

Question 5: The Jaguars are 5.5-point underdogs this week according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Do you expect the Texans to cover, and do you have a favorite player prop for the game?

I think the Texans win a close game but I will not pick them to cover. Something like 28-24 feels right. I think a Joe Mixon anytime touchdown feels like a safe bet these days.

Thanks to Scott for taking the time to answer our questions!

What are your thoughts on the Week 13 matchup, Jaguars fans? Let us know in the comments!