Texans losing turnover battle
Published 6:45 pm, Thursday, November 10, 2016
Midway through the NFL season, the Texans have managed to earn sole possession of first place in the AFC South division.
They've accomplished that despite losing the pivotal turnover battle that normally decides the outcome of games.
The Texans are currently tied for 29th in the NFL in turnover margin with the New York Giants, with a minus-seven difference. They have committed 13 turnovers, including nine interceptions by quarterback Brock Osweiler. They've forced just six turnovers forced on three fumble recoveries and three interceptions.
"Overall as a team, we have to make sure that we try to flip the turnover–takeaway ratio," Texans coach Bill O'Brien said. "It's not very good. In the past couple years that we've been here, we've been able to turn that around. We need to try to turn that around because that stat right there points right towards the won-loss record. Those are things that we need to get better at."
Although the Texans still have a solid pass rush led by outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and have 17 sacks for the season, there's been less pressure generated overall given the season-ending back injury suffered by three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt. The Texans have regressed in the all-important turnover game.
LB John Simon's second-quarter sack of Kansas City's Alex Smith (11), led to one of three defensive takeaways for the Texans defense. The defensive takeaways have not been as abundant this season for the Texans.
LB John Simon's second-quarter sack of Kansas City's Alex Smith (11), led to one of three defensive takeaways for the Texans defense. The defensive takeaways have not been as abundant this season for the Texans.
"Well, they're just not quite happening," Texans defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel said. "We are impacting the quarterback. We're not having the opportunity to strip the ball as much, didn't have as many opportunities on interceptions.
"We've had our hands on a couple this year, but not as many as a couple of years ago. You have to make your own luck as far as that goes, and we're not making enough of it."
The Texans were once one of the most formidable outfits in the NFL at forcing turnovers and better at protecting the football.
The decline is primarily attributable to the lack of turnovers forced by the defense.
"I think some of it is kind of the luck of the draw," O'Brien said. "Sometimes turnovers come and takeaways come in bunches. You just get hot like we did two years ago. I think we were almost the best in the league.
"Last year we turned it around the second half of the season. I do think you can practice it. I think that you can talk about whether it's strip sacks or fumbles or obviously interceptions, batted balls, things like that. At the end of the day, it's got to happen on Sundays and sometimes there's a little bit of luck involved."