Quick Hits: Texans vs. Buccaneers

You Houston Texans face the hot Jameis Winston and his Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Saturday. That’s right, Saturday. Not sure why that’s a thing, but the NFL is testing its mettle against Disney and “The Rise of Skywalker.” I don’t know about you, but I’d take J.J. Watt against Kylo Ren any day. The stats and history:

Houston leads the all-time series at 3-1

Houston won the last meeting, 19-9 on 9/27/2015

Bill O’Brien is 1-0 against Tampa Bay

Bruce Arians is 1-1 against the Texans

Houston’s offense is averaging 24.4 points per game while their defense is giving up 23.6

Tampa Bay’s offense is averaging 29.7 points per game while their defense is giving up 28.4

The Texans are gaining an average of 375.9 yards per game

The Buccaneers are gaining an average of 400.1 yards per game

Deshaun Watson has completed 314 passes on 463 attempts for 3668, 26 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a QB rating of 100.4

Jameis Winston has completed 342 of 554 pass attempts for 4573 yards, which leads the league. He has 30 passing touchdowns, 24 touchdowns and a QB rating of 87.9

Carlos Hyde has carried the rock 224 times for 1030 yards, a 4.6 yard per carry average and 5 touchdowns

Ronald Jones has 147 carries for 541 yards, averaging 3.7 per carry and hitting pay dirt 5 times

DeAndre Hopkins has caught 99 passes for 1142 yards, averaging 11.5 yards per catch and finding the end zone 7 times (8 if you count his TD pass to Deshaun Watson)

Breshad Perriman has 24 catches for 409 yards, a 17.0 yard per catch average and 5 TDs

Houston’s defense is surrendering an average of 379.4 yards per game

Tampa Bay’s defense is coughing up 350.1 yards per game

Whitney Mercilus, STILL, leads the Texans in sacks with 5.5... SMH

Shaquil Barrett leads the Buccaneers and the NFL with 16.5 sacks

Tashaun Gipson holds the Texans interception lead with 3

Sean Murphy-Bunting has the Buccaneers lead with 3 interceptions of his own

Houston has slipped onto the wrong side of the turnover differential with -2 -2 (17 takeaways/19 giveaways)

Tampa Bay is way the wrong way in turnover differential with -8 (25 takeaways/33 giveaways)

Deshaun Watson completed 19 of 27 passes (70.4 pct.) for 243 yards with 2 TDs vs. 2 INTs for 92.1 rating last week. He wrote his name in the record books once again, joining QB Steve Young as only QBs with 25+ TD passes & 5+ rush TDs in multiple seasons in NFL history. Watson has 2+ TD passes & 90+ rating in 3 of past 4. Has 10 TDs (8 pass, 2 rush) vs. INT for 122.5 rating in 3 career games vs. NFC South

Jameis Winston passed for career-high 458 yards & 4 TDs vs. INT for 124.9 rating in Week 15. He became the 1st QB with 450+ pass yards in consecutive games in NFL history. Winston is the 3rd QB (DREW BREES & PEYTON MANNING in 2013) with 5+ games (5) of 375+ pass yards in single season in NFL history. Aims for his 6th in row at home with 300+ pass yards. He leads the NFL with 4,573 pass yards & ranks 2nd with 30 TD passes, both are Tampa Bay single-season franchise records.

Carlos Hyde rushed for team-high 104 yards & TD last week. He’s striving for his 3rd in row on road with rushing TD. Hyde has 100+ rush yards in 2 of past 3 on road & currently leads the team with 1,030 rush yards, his 1st-career 1,000-yard season.

Duke Johnson has a career-high 394 rush yards in 2019. Since entering NFL in 2015, Johnson ranks 2nd among RBs in receiving yards with 2,523

Ronald Jones has 50+ scrimmage yards in 2 of his past 3 at home

Peyton Barber had 2 TDs (1 rush, 1 rec.) in his past 3 at home

DeAndre Hopkins had 6 catches for 119 yards last week. He’s angling for his 3rd in row with 115+ receiving yards. Nuk had 8 catches for 101 yards & TD in last meeting. He has 17 catches for 268 yards (134 per game) & 2 TDs in his past 2 on road vs. NFC South. Hopkins only needs 1 catch to join Andre Johnson as only players in franchise history with 100+ catches in consecutive seasons.

Kenny Stills had 2 TD catches last week. Had 7 catches for 180 yards & TD in his last game vs. Tampa Bay (11/19/17 with Miami). Has a TD in 2 of his past 3 vs. NFC South.

Breshad Perriman set career highs in receiving yards with 113 & TD catches with 3 in Week 15. He’s hoping for his 3rd in row with receiving TD.

O.J. Howard has 60+ receiving yards in 2 of his past 3. Aims for his 4th in row with 4+ catches.

Zach Cunningham had 14 tackles & half a sack last week. He’s after his 3rd in row with 14+ tackles.

Whitney Mercilus had 2nd interception of the season in Week 15, including last week’s pick and 86-yard return. He has a sack in 2 of past 3 vs. NFC South and desperately needs more this week

Shaquil Barrett leads NFL with 16.5 sacks, tied with HOFer Warren Sapp (2000) for most by a Tampa Bay player in single season since 1982. Shaq is going for his 5th in row with sack.

Lavonte David had 8 tackles & FF last week. He is the only player with 20+ forced fumbles (20) & 10+ interceptions (10) since 2013.

Devin White had 2nd-career fumble recovery in Week 15. He’s 1 of 3 linebackers (De’Vondre CampbellL & Fred Warner) with 75+ tackles (78), 3+ forced fumbles (3) & 2+ sacks (2.5) in 2019.

Sean Murphy-Bunting had 70-yard INT-TD last week, his 1st career TD

There you have it folks, all the stats you could possibly need to debate the Xs and Os eading up to Saturday’s matchup.

Which numbers do you think are the most important when it comes to game planning? Roll with a high-powered rushing attack to keep the ball out of Winston’s hands? Or unleash the beast of Deshaun Watson and his receivers to outpass and outscore the Buccaneers?