Behind Enemy Lines: Previewing Jaguars Vs. Texans

Tomorrow, the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Houston Texans will battle for last place in the AFC South. The 1-3 Jaguars have lost three games in a row, while the Texans are 0-4 and fresh off of firing head coach Bill O'Brien.

So, what are some things Jaguars fans should know about the Texans ahead of Week 5? We spoke with Matt Galatzan of Texans Daily to get the answers.

Q: What is the biggest difference we should expect to see with Bill O'Brien no longer running the show?

A: This may sound like a cop-out answer, but at this point it is a bit of an unknown. What we do know is that Deshaun Watson has voiced his confidence in offensive coordinator Tim Kelly, who will be unequivocally calling the plays with O’Brien now gone. Kelly will also likely be looking to take advantage of that situation, and maximize his opportunity to impress. He’s going to be re-evaluating what has worked, and what hasn’t worked, and will adjust accordingly. I would expect the Texans to open things up a bit, and try to protect Deshaun Watson a little bit more, since he has been beaten up a lot this season.

Q: How well has Deshaun Watson played this season: are the Texans 0-4 because of him or in spite of him?

A: Watson has had had a tough year so far. Not because he has necessarily played poorly, but because he has been under fire due to a shaky offensive line. There is talent on the Texans offense, but If any position group should take the blame for the teams lack of explosion this year, it would have to be that line, which has allowed Watson to be sacked more than any quarterback in the NFL, and has allowed him to be hit 37 other times. The line has also suffered in the run blocking game, where the Texans are the worst in the league in rushing yards.

Q: J.J. Watt has been one of the most familiar faces in the NFL for a decade. Has he shown any signs of slowing down this season?

A: Watt has had a troubled injury history, and after so many years in the league, it is only natural that he has shown some signs of slowing down. That is not to say that he still can’t take over a possession, or even a game if he decides to do so, but with such a lack of help upfront on the line, and him constantly being the focus of the other team’s game plan, it is hard for him to replicate the kind of production that he enjoyed when opposite of Jadeveon Clowney, for example.

Q: The Texans had a shockingly small draft class in April and it doesn't appear as if the group has made much of an impact this year. Did the Texans just miss this year, or is it purely a veteran team?

A: I think it would be safe to say the Texans missed on the draft this year. Without a first-round pick due to the Laremy Tunsil trade, and second-round pick Ross Blacklock making a minimal impact, it has been hard for the Texans to deploy any rookies with great success. DE Jonathan Greenard and DB John Reid are promising prospects, but the jury is still far from in four games into the season. Greenard has been slowed by injury, as has fifth-round pick Isaiah Coulter, and the team did not have a sixth or seventh-round selection.

Q: Who is Houston's top offensive weapon outside of Watson, now that DeAndre Hopkins is gone?

A: That is tough to say because the Texans offense has severely underperformed, despite still having some talent around Watson. As we talked about, some of that is due to offensive line struggles. However, the Texans still have talent at wide receiver, and perhaps their biggest threat and playmaker has got to be Will Fuller V, who is a touchdown waiting to happen when he gets open down the field. The biggest question here, however, is if Watson can stay upright long enough to get him the ball.