Redskins v. Texans Pregame Thread

[over the mountain]

Redskins Texans

AVG. YDS (RK) CATEGORY AVG. YDS (RK)
234.4 (15th) Pass Off. 238.3 (14th)
135.2 (7th) Rush Off. 108.9 (20th)
243.5 (20th) Pass Def. 195.2 (5th)
110.6 (14th) Rush Def. 122.4 (19th)

TEAM LEADERS

WASHINGTON REDSKINS
Passing Cmp Att Yds TDs
Robert Griffin III 274 456 3203 16

Rushing Car Yds Avg TDs
Alfred Morris 276 1275 4.6 7
Robert Griffin III 86 489 5.7 0

Receiving Rec Yds Avg TDs
Pierre Garcon 113 1346 11.9 5
Jordan Reed 45 499 11.1 3
Santana Moss 42 452 10.8 2
Leonard Hankerson30 375 12.5 3

HOUSTON TEXANS

Passing Cmp Att Yds TDs
Matt Schaub 219 358 2310 10

Rushing Car Yds Avg TDs
Ben Tate 181 771 4.3 4
Arian Foster 121 542 4.5 1

Receiving Rec Yds Avg TDs
Andre Johnson 109 1407 12.9 5
DeAndre Hopkins 52 802 15.4 2
Garrett Graham 49 545 11.1 5
Keshawn Martin 22 253 11.5 2


Redskins-Texans Preview
By JEFF BARTL (STATS Senior Writer)
15 minutes ago
AP - Sports

Robert Griffin III knows he'll always have his critics, but he's only concerned with two - himself and new coach Jay Gruden.

The embattled Washington Redskins quarterback has moved past an injury-plagued season that saw him struggle and into a new-look offense set to debut Sunday on the road against a formidable Houston Texans defense.

Griffin helped the Redskins make the playoffs with a stellar 2012 rookie campaign before tearing his ACL in a postseason loss, and though he was ready for last year's opener, nagging injuries and tension with former coach Mike Shanahan led to him being shut down for the final three games.

His struggles - he had an 82.2 quarterback rating compared to 102.4 as a rookie - led to criticism, which increased during the preseason as he looked tentative at times.

For Griffin, he feels like that just comes with the territory.

"I've learned that not everybody's going to like you, and that's just the nature of the business," Griffin said. "You just have to move on from that kind of stuff. I think Jay being here has helped me grow as a person. Trust me, I'm not worried about anybody liking me.

"Our job is to ignore the noise and stay focused on what we have to."

Griffin has expressed a desire to be more of a conventional pocket passer rather than being known as a running quarterback despite thriving in Shanahan's read-option offense his first season.

Washington also has a more-than-capable workhorse back in Alfred Morris, who has rushed for 2,888 yards and 20 touchdowns in his first two seasons in the league.

''I made my name throwing the ball in college,'' Griffin said. ''I won a Heisman Trophy with Baylor.''

He'll get plenty of opportunities to throw this season under Gruden, who took over after Shanahan's firing following Washington's 3-13 campaign. The Redskins signed former Philadelphia standout receiver DeSean Jackson and return Pierre Garcon, who led the league last season with 113 receptions.

Gruden isn't concerned with Griffin's ability to grasp the system and improve as the season begins.

''It will come,'' Gruden said. ''He's got the ability to do it, he's got the smarts to do it, he's got the wants to do it. He's just got to do it.''

For 11 straight seasons a team has gone from worst to first in its division, and Washington is hoping to extend that run to 12. Same goes for Houston, which finished 2-14 in 2013.

"They're going to come out wanting to right their ship, we're going to come out wanting to right out ship," Griffin said. "We're both going to play hard for our (new) coach. They have a lot of good players on that defense and we're going to have our hands full."

Bill O'Brien is now leading Houston after it fired Gary Kubiak in December. O'Brien inherits an imposing defensive front led by J.J. Watt, who just signed a six-year, $100 million contract extension with $51.8 million guaranteed.

''Money doesn't motivate me, greatness does,'' Watt said. ''I'm so fortunate that I don't have to worry about the money, so I can focus on the greatness. At the end of the day, I want to play this game because I want to be the absolute best I can be.''

Houston wasn't nearly at its best last season, but that failure helped add South Carolina standout Jadeveon Clowney with the No. 1 overall pick. Watt now has plenty of help in the pass rush and said the two have been working together to improve throughout the offseason.

''Every day we work a little something,'' Watt said. ''As you've seen in the (preseason) games, he's a very talented player. I just try and teach him a couple of the things I've learned in my time in this league and ways that we can help each other because I really think it can be a lot of fun.''

The Texans have plenty of question marks on offense, though. They traded quarterback Matt Schaub to Oakland and handed the reigns to veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick, who will be starting for his third team in as many seasons.

"I think being in the league and having to do it multiple times has made it easier for me in terms of being able to step in here," Fitzpatrick said.

The health of running back Arian Foster also may be an issue after he missed eight games last season with a back injury that forced him to have surgery. Foster, who averaged 1,421 yards over his previous three seasons, said he's ready to go Sunday.

"I'm wonderful, physically," said Foster, who sat out all four preseason games. "I'm excited about that. I can't wait to play football."

It seemed during the offseason that leading receiver Andre Johnson might be playing football elsewhere. He grew frustrated after the Texans' dismal season and expressed a desire to be traded, but he didn't hold out and reported to camp on time.

Johnson should be a valuable target for Fitzpatrick, who will be backed up by Ryan Mallet after he was acquired from New England last week.

These teams haven't met since Houston's 30-27 overtime victory at Washington in 2010.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/redskin...5695--nfl.html

Texans created video trailer for game (and a lot more videos from Texans website:

Trailer: Texans vs Washington

What the enemy is saying about us (basically JJ Watt will put up a half seasons worth of stats against us) -Texanstalk fan forum

Week 1 VS Skins.....Lets Predict - Houston Texans Message Board & Forum - TexansTalk.com

nfl.com Texans season preview:

Houston Texans season preview: J.J. Watt gets help - NFL.com

nfl.com Redskins season preview:

Washington Redskins season preview: Is RGIII back? - NFL.com

[DynamiteRave]

I expect the defense to bend but not break and the offense to blow harder than Louie Armstrong.

Somehow, we still win.

Skins - 20
Texass - 17

[over the mountain]

good to see you back and posting DR!

i tried to space out the team and player stats at the top but it refuses to cooperate so it will just be jumbled.

I am also taking suggestions for changing the thread title to something more warpathian ..

Skins 27
texans 21

* i believe the spread is texans +2.5 but that will change

[Skinsfanatic]

I think Jay and Robert have shown a lot less than what they have planned. However, I think the Texas defense will be fairly solid. On the flipside, our defense will be improved (not necessarily good) and their offense will struggle. In the end, a heavy dose of Morris and two big plays down the field (one to Reed and one to Jackson) and two long scrambles by Robert (over 12 yards each) help the Redskins squeak out their opener by a score of 20-17. Also, I have Kerrigan and Orapko down for a combined 3 sacks in this game.

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by DynamiteRave

I expect the defense to bend but not break and the offense to blow harder than Louie Armstrong.

Somehow, we still win.

Skins - 20
Texass - 17

Offense struggles but scores thanks to some big plays. Defense looks impressive, gets turnovers, and scores.

Skins 27
Texans 13

[CRedskinsRule]

People are gonna be singing a new song:
Skins 33
Texans 7

[skinsfan69]

Skins drop a low scoring close game.

Texans 20
Skins 17

[rbanerjee23]

28-17 skins

RG3 1 TD 1 INT
Morris 3TDs
Def 2 TOs

[NC_Skins]

On if safety Duke Ihenacho could start Sunday:

“Right now it looks like it will be [safety Bacarri] Rambo but we still have another day or two of practice and we will see how it goes. Just have got to make sure he gets up to speed and then we will make that decision probably Friday or Saturday depending on where he is mentally.”

Quote from Gruden. Already up to taking Rambo's spot? Either our safeties suck or Denver is stacked at the position and had to let him go.

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by NC_Skins

Quote from Gruden. Already up to taking Rambo's spot? Either our safeties suck or Denver is stacked at the position and had to let him go.

If this guy walks in off the street and starts over Rambo then that's sad. Nacho is not that good of a player.

[NYCskinfan82]

Maybe he's just like Hoody and doesn't show his hand.

[Hog1]

Rob will have his struggles but will ride to victory on the back of Alfmo and a stout defense that will keep the latest knockoff incarnate of of Warren Moon largely on his back......
REDskins 24
Oilers light-14

[skinsy]

Originally Posted by skinsfan69

If this guy walks in off the street and starts over Rambo then that's sad. Nacho is not that good of a player.

It's not as if this guy just walked in off the street. He went through all of camp and preseason with the Broncos. He's in excellent shape, and the safety position isn't rocket science.

[donofriose]

Originally Posted by skinsy

It's not as if this guy just walked in off the street. He went through all of camp and preseason with the Broncos. He's in excellent shape, and the safety position isn't rocket science.

He was cut from another team. Isn't the safety position one of the hardest positions to play in the NFL? There is a reason it takes a lot of players so long to understand and play the position well.

[EARTHQUAKE2689]

Originally Posted by CRedskinsRule

People are gonna be singing a new song:
Skins 33
Texans 7

Redskins 38
Texans 10

Griffin goes for 350 and 4 TDs
Morris goes for 125 on the ground and a score

We force 5 turnovers and sack Fitzpatrick 6 times, Mallett comes in during the 4th and does nothing.