The upcoming Falcons game, 12/4/2011
 

The 8-3 Texans will host their first home game in nearly a month this Sunday in a FOX early game as they take on the Atlanta Falcons. The Texans went 3-0 in November and currently have a 5 game winning streak. For the second week in a row, they'll be breaking in a new QB, 3rd string rookie TJ Yates as both Matt's (Schaub and Leinart) are out for the year. Yates saw a little more than a half of action against the Jacksonville Jaguars last Sunday after Matt Leinart went down due to a collar bone injury. The Texans will need to rally around Yates and pass the ball a bit more as the Atlanta defense is currently 2nd in the NFL against the run.

The Falcons are 7-4, currently the 6th seed in the NFC and need a W to keep pace for the playoffs. QB Matt Ryan is having a decent year and currently ranks 10th in yards (2,887) and 10th in QB rating (89.3). Ryans favorite receivers are WR Roddy White (64/830, 13.0, 4 TD) and TE Tony Gonzales (59/630, 10.7, 7 TD). Rookie WR Julio Jones (30/498, 16.6, 2 TD) has been hampered by a hamstring injury this season and may or may not see action or just some partial action. Running back Michael Turner is 4th in the NFL with 948 rushing yards.

TV = FOX (channel 26 local), Sunday, 12 noon CST

Announcers = Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa

Favorite = Falcons by 1 to 3 pts.

I love my Texans, but under TJ I expect them to lose Sunday and lose again a week from Sunday in Cinci while I give the Titans, who have a QB who has started, finished, & won an NFL playoff game during this calendar year, a real good shot at winning one of their next 2 games (they are in Buffalo Sunday and then entertain NOLA). If that scenario happens it would whittle our division lead over them to one game. Hey, we haven't wrapped up this division just yet folks.

we don't have it wrapped up yet, but if we loose next two, (hope we loose well,) and win the next three,( anyway we can just win) we do have it ( being make the playoffs) wrapped up then, in final game against Titans.

Obviously many known unknowns coming up. Like how will TJ do. I hope he surprizes us all.

@evansilva: Falcons RB Michael Turner missed Wednesday's practice with a groin injury. Has had groin problems before. Is 2nd in NFL in carries.

You guys are such alarmists. We could just as well win out the rest of the year like a certain N.E. team did under a rookie 5th rounder named Brady. I know I am drinking the Kool-Aid, but why not? There is no useful purpose served by just laying down and giving up before the game is even played.

It will be real tough, but it is doable.

FYI Brady was a 2nd year guy the year he took over for Bledsoe and won the Super Bowl. His rookie season he was only 1 for 3 and 6 yards. One off-season makes a big difference.

Just saying.

But brady was a measly 6th rounder and T.J. is a stud 5th rounder. That should more than make up for that extra year.

According to an ESPN crawl, the Falcons will have two CBs who are doubtful at best to play Sunday. And we all know one of their remaining CBs is Dunta. If we still had Schaub, Kubiak would lick his chops over this. Will he let Yates take some shots down the field or limit him to short stuff?

@espn_afcsouth: CB Brett Grimes out for Falcons. Helps #Texans Sunday.

i don't think there is any question that kubiak will have yates take some shots down the field. i am not saying that they will be throwing a lot on sunday, but i think they will definitely take a few shots just to show atlanta they are willing to do it, and to keep the safeties honest and away from the line of scrimage.

The Falcons have the #2 defense in the NFL against the rush so it stands to reason that we are going to need to throw the ball in order to win. Thus, the weaker the Falcons' pass defense is, the easier it will be for Yates to exploit it.

He has to, it's an integral part of the offense. What we saw in the second half last week was an anomaly given the fact that the team literally had no other quarterback to play the position.

I haven't seen a single Falcon game this year, but usually I am a little skeptical of a D when the rush/pass rankings are at near polar opposites. Atlanta's secondary isn't that great, ranked 26/27 vs. the pass. Why would anyone run on them, if you can throw it at will?

Not saying that will be or should be, our game plan, I just think rankings get a bit skewed when they are at either ends of the spectrum.

A couple of other things to look at regarding the Atlanta run defense are the attempts/game and yards/attempt. They rank 5th in run attempts/game with 22.6. They rank 5th (tied with two others) in yards/attempt with 3.7. So, there really is no other conclusion to make in that they are pretty dang good against the run.

One thing they share with the Texans is that they are ball hogs - they are able to keep their offenses on the field which means less action for the defense. For offensive time of possession, the Texans are 1st (33:21); the Falcons are 4th (32:39).

Of course, for the Texans, these stats were built with Matt Schaub mostly at QB.

Statistically, there are many similarities between the Texans and Falcons with one exception: the Falcons can be passed on. They are below average in passing defense stats. So, as has been mentioned a few times, the Texans would probably have their best chance at victory working the air and countering with well-timed and well-executed runs.....

Atlanta is on a bit of a roll lately having won 5 of their last 6. Losing to New Orleans in OT 26-23 was their only blip and the only time they allowed more than 17 pts..... So, it would be a minor victory if the Texans, with TJ at the helm, can do better than 17 pts. And if they can do that and the defense steps up and has a good game, they've got a good shot at another W.

They have played 5 Top Ten Rushing Offenses:
Bears - 27/88 - Forte 16/68
Philly - 30/133 - McCoy 18/95
Car - 26/139
NO - 14/41
MN - 24/64 - Gearhart was in for Peterson (remember when we wanted THAT guy?)

My only point is, stats can be skewed. Devils Advocate, while we are ranked #1 in Total D, we are not the best D in the league. We are solid, but you have to factor in who we have played.

I have no reservations that we will be able to run on them. My guess is that the Foster/Tate tandem will be in the 30-35 carry range in the 140 yd. area.

At least that is what I hope will happen in order for us to have a chance.....

@caplannfl: #Falcons WR Julio Jones missed practice again Thursday.
@caplannfl: Michael Turner (groin) missed practice for the second straight day for the #Falcons.

I can agree with that statement, but for team stats, at this point in the season, you can start seeing the trends.... I don't really look at stats until about 4 games into the season and don't really start to trust stats until after about 8 games. If you avg all that red above you get 3.8 ypc which is not that far off their current season avg of 3.7. If your alternate point was that Forte and McCoy had pretty good games against them, yes they did. Let's hope Foster/Tate do also...


We're #1 in yds/game (and a couple of other categories, I think) but it's not really Total D. Football Outsiders and their metrics attempt to add in the opponent strength. They currently have the Texans at #4 against the pass and #11 against the run for an overall ranking of #7 defense. The Falcons are right behind us at #8 overall with a #11 ranking against the pass (which is above average) and #2 against the run (there's that #2 again).

Hope you're right! :)

Our Oline will have to have a fantastic game, which they can, if we are to have a chance in this game.

Of course our whole team pitches in on the blocking, so , teamwork can help.

@daverichard: Michael Turner back at practice. Julio Jones too.

@McClain_on_NFL: Delhomme to back up yates against falcons.

Falcons-Texans
 

If Houston can pull out this win, they should be the top team in the AFC