With each victory, the Houston Texans increasingly establish
EAST RUTHERFORD Sammie Coates Color Rush Jersey , N.J. (AP) — With each victory, the Houston Texans increasingly established themselves as a team to beat in the AFC.Their nine-game winning streak set a franchise record and also raised expectations by the week. So, perhaps their 24-21 loss to Indianapolis last Sunday could, in some way, alleviate some building tension down the stretch.Right, Deshaun Watson?“You only put pressure on yourself,” Watson said. “For us, we don’t really put pressure on ourselves. We don’t really focus on that. Of course, we didn’t want to lose. We always want to win and try to continue to stack those, but it just kind of goes that way sometimes. It’s the National Football League.“We just try to focus on the next opponent, the next game and try to get back in the win column.”Watson and the Texans (9-4) will get their chance to do that Saturday when they take on Sam Darnold and the struggling New York Jets (4-9).Houston could clinch the AFC South title with a win and then a loss or tie by both Indianapolis and Tennessee on Sunday, or with a tie and losses by both the Colts and Titans. The Texans could also seal a playoff berth with a combination of other scenarios involving several other teams.Either way, they know they can set themselves up nicely with a victory at MetLife Stadium.“With three games left throughout the regular season, I think you home in and focus in,” cornerback Johnathan Joseph said, “especially on one game at a time, 12 quarters of football Aaron Colvin Color Rush Jersey , however it has to be.”Meanwhile, the Jets are just focused on the finish line — and perhaps the end of coach Todd Bowles’ tenure. New York snapped a six-game skid last Sunday with a 27-23 win at Buffalo, but it would appear Bowles will not be back next season after four years without a trip to the playoffs. General manager Mike Maccagnan is not a certainty to return, either, with some misses in the draft and free agency during his tenure.“It’s the same thing every week: We want to win every game, regardless of whether we’re going to the playoffs or not,” Bowles said. “We want to get every game and get better as a team. That’s all we’re trying to accomplish.”Here are some things to know about the Texans-Jets matchup:WET WEATHERIt’s expected to rain for much of the day, with showers at kickoff. That will be something different for the Texans, whose home stadium — NRG Stadium — features a retractable roof.“You’ve just got to go out there and try to grip the ball as best you can,” said Watson, playing at MetLife for the first time. “You focus on your footwork a little bit more, be cautious with that and understand that the receivers might — depending on the turf or the grass, wherever we’re playing — (focus on) their footwork. … You’ve got to just go play ball.”SAM’S CLUB Darnold returned from a strained foot that sidelined him for three games and went 24 of 30 passing (80.0 percent) in the win against the Bills. It marked the fifth time in team history a player had a completion percentage of 80 or better and the first since Chad Pennington did it twice in 2007.He also showed off some cool nerves by leading his first fourth-quarter comeback.“I think every experience for him, he’s so into it,” offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates said. “He doesn’t get real high, doesn’t get real low, he just takes every moment as a learning moment Vyncint Smith Color Rush Jersey , both good and bad. So, I think it’s just another moment that he’s going to take for the rest of his career, for the rest of his life and use it as a teaching experience.”MISSING WEAPONSDarnold will be without two key playmakers on offense with top running back Isaiah Crowell (toe) and wide receiver Quincy Enunwa (ankle) both ruled out with injuries.Elijah McGuire and rookie Trenton Cannon will see increased opportunities in the backfield, while Rishard Matthews and Deontay Burnett could be called on to replace Enunwa.WATT’S UPHouston’s J.J. Watt has bounced back this year to have another strong season after playing just eight games over the previous two years because of a back surgery and a broken leg.The defensive end leads the team with 12 1/2 sacks, 22 quarterback hits, 15 tackles for losses and a career-high five forced fumbles. His 88 1/2 career sacks are the second most through a player’s first 101 games, trailing only the 106 that Reggie White had.“The last two years were extremely difficult,” he said. “But, to be here, to be playing meaningful football in December, playing in big games in winter time and me being out there on the field participating in those games, is awesome. This is just, it feels good to be back in that situation, to be back on the field, to be getting the sacks, to be playing good football, to be with the guys.”TAKING CARE OF THE BALLThe Texans did not turn the ball over last week Brandon Dunn Color Rush Jersey , marking the sixth time this season that they’ve had zero turnovers in a game.It’s the second-best streak in a season in franchise history. A big reason: Watson has thrown just two interceptions in the last seven games after being picked off seven times in the first six games. HOUSTON (AP) — Houston Texans receiver Will Fuller has played in six games where Deshaun Watson started at quarterback.He has had a receiving touchdown in all six of those games.Fuller and Watson have connected for nine touchdowns in limited action on the field together.“Just practicing hard and getting our rhythm down in practice,” Fuller said of his connection with Watson before Thursday’s practice. “I think that’s the biggest key — just the way we practice.”With Fuller’s 6-yard touchdown catch in Houston’s 27-22 loss to the Giants in Week 3, he set the Texans franchise record with the most touchdown catches in a player’s first 25 games.For the Texans (0-3), Fuller has been one of the bright spots. He had five catches for 101 yards and a touchdown against New York and eight catches for 113 yards against Tennessee in Week 2. Fuller missed the opener in New England with a hamstring injury, which he said now, “feels great.”Texans receivers coach John Perry said he hasn’t been surprised by Fuller’s productivity early in the season because of the work that he put in during the offseason.Perry said Fuller approached him two years ago at organized team activities shortly after he was drafted 21st overall in the 2016 draft, asking what he needed to work on to improve.Perry said he focused, at first, on improving things that Fuller could do well, and Fuller has since blossomed and expanded his abilities elsewhere.“He’s really worked hard on those things,” Perry said. “He works before and after practice with Deshaun. He takes his craft very seriously, and that connection has worked really well because they’re both very good players.”Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who has also developed a strong chemistry with Watson, said he enjoys having Fuller on the field and praised how much his speed opens up the offense.“It changes a lot of things,” Hopkins said. “He’s a very fast guy and has speed that you can’t coach. To have safeties and corners have to focus on him running past them, it helps my game out.”In his first two seasons out of Notre Dame, Fuller missed a total of eight games with various injuries Dylan Cole Color Rush Jersey , including a broken collarbone and fractured ribs in 2017. He also struggled at times in his rookie season with dropped passes, a problem that could have been partially due to the quarterback carousel the Texans had in 2016.Now with Watson as the franchise quarterback, Fuller is growing increasingly comfortable both on the field and off.“I just love playing with him,” Fuller said. “It’s fun out there with him.”Before Thursday’s practice, Fuller played table tennis with fellow third-year player, nose tackle D.J. Reader. Even though he has added some bulk, Fuller at 184 pounds, has a lot less size than the 347-pound Reader, but he used quickness and finesse to make quick work of the nose tackle.The Texans are off to their first 0-3 start since 2008, but the locker room remains upbeat. Getting a win in Indianapolis on Sunday would certainly help them get going in the right direction.“I feel like we just need to stop shooting ourselves in the foot with the penalties, especially earlier on in the game,” Fuller said. “We just need to stay in front of the sticks and play our game.”