Specifically, he moved bookend pass-rushers Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilus around at will.
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The Houston Texans advanced in the AFC playoffs after their defense rolled down the shutters to beat the Oakland Raiders and rookie quarterback Connor Cook 27-14.
Defense laments missed opportunities: The Raiders defense allowed just 291 yards to the Texans, and gave up points on short fields, but it didn’t come through for a struggling offense. And the unit didn’t slow down on Saturday.
Before the game, defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr. gave the team a scare when he was sick enough that the team had to report him as questionable three hours before kickoff. “We are going to keep fighting all season”.
During an eight-possession stretch bracketed by their two touchdowns in the first and fourth periods, the Raiders punted eight times, produced just three first downs, and amassed 28 net yards on 28 plays.
Carr threw for 3,937 yards with 28 touchdowns and just six interceptions this season before his leg was broken on a sack in a win over Indianapolis on Christmas Eve.
Osweiler believes being relegated to backup last season in Denver helped him deal with this year’s setback. The pass never got there as Clowney read the play and tipped the ball up in the air before coming down with the interception.
There is some nice depth at the cornerback position with A.J. Bouye, Jonathan Joseph and Kareem Jackson, but the linebackers, while solid against the run, are considered a little bit more of a liability in coverage. “I’ve had great success in this league playing football, so I’m very confident”. I wouldn’t be shocked if they make the Super Bowl. We have a good scheme and more importantly than that, we have a bunch of good players. Oakland game. Since the Steelers won, Houston now plays New England Patriots, the team who eliminated them from the playoffs in 2012.
“I don’t care who we play”. The Texans will return Brock Osweiler as the starting QB, replacing injured Tom Savage (concussion). He rushed for a touchdown and threw for another.
And O’Brien said he has no plans to mosey on down the road. “It doesn’t really matter what I do, what I think”. With third-stringer Connor Cook under center, the Raiders were already starting the game in a hole.
The Oakland Raiders will be without star left tackle Donald Penn for their playoff opener against Houston. Those teams’ points per game declined by 29 percent and their passing efficiency by 49 percent when compared with their regular-season averages. “Obviously, you lose your Pro Bowl left tackle, that was a blow”. “Things didn’t go well earlier in my career, but I’m on the right track now”.
Even without feared pass rusher J.J. Watt, who missed the majority of the season after surgery to fix his injured back, the front seven remains one of the strongest in football.
Thomas Rawls carried 27 times for a team play-off record 161 rushing yards and a touchdown to add to receiving TDs from Paul Richardson and Doug Baldwin.
The Oakland Raiders had one of the best seasons of any team in the AFC this year, but lost their MVP-caliber quarterback Derek Carr and had to rely on a rookie to start his first ever National Football League game in the playoffs.
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“It feels good just to get a win in the playoffs”, Miller said. He received a holding penalty and one for pass interference while spending much of the day matched up against Hopkins.
