The Texans' performance against the Kansas City Chiefs last week left much to be desired in all phases.
“I think you learn a lot in the first game, especially this one,” said head coach and general manager Bill O’Brien. “There were a lot of things to build on. But at the end of the day, when you look at the game, there were 20 missed tackles, too much inconsistency on offense."
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Houston’s next assignment doesn’t get much easier as they host Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens this Sunday; the same team that destroyed Houston 41-7 last season. O’Brien doesn’t feel having faced Jackson in 2019 is any advantage.
“I don’t think there’s a big advantage, I really don’t," O’Brien said. “He’s (Jackson) just got a very unique skillset. Obviously he’s very fast, he’s very quick.”
With Jackson already in mid-season form, the Texans defense and first-year defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver have their hands full.
“As if he wasn’t a problem already, his ability and the confidence he gains every week in throwing the ball puts the defense in conflict," Weaver said of Jackson. "You do everything you can to try to make sure you stop the run and you play him hard as you can in the pass game, and try to mix the coverages on him. I think you’ve got to try to make him play left-handed and if you had to pick between the two, you’re going to try to make him put the ball in the air.”
“Over time, he’s become a better passer,” said O’Brien. “He’s a very accurate passer. He does a really good job using all the people around him. They have a great scheme, so I just think he’s a great player.”
O’Brien estimated the Texans missed 20 tackles against the Chiefs — a stat that will need to change in order to get the win at NRG Stadium.
“You’ve just got to be very disciplined as far as playing those zone reads and trusting your guys as well," said outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus. "There’s a big trust factor that has to happen on defense. The chemistry and then also just being in great position, pinning the near hip, getting into great tackling position on Lamar and those other guys.”
“This guy’s a hell of an athlete," said Texans inside linebacker Zach Cunningham. "He’s able to move around real quick. He’s shifty. Being able to get out of the pocket, being able to be fast, and also the offensive scheme that they have definitely plays a lot into it.”
“He’s MVP," O’Brien added, "so we’ve got, obviously, a big challenge ahead of us.”