Tale of the Tape: Pittsburgh at Houston

NFL NETWORK
Tale of the Tape: Pittsburgh at Houston
By NFL Playbook Staff |
Published: September 29th, 2011 | Tags: Tale of the Tape, Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers, Playbook

Visiting Houston on Sunday will be one of the NFL’s banner franchises, the Steelers, a team known as much for the black and gold as its prowess for turning opponents black and blue. They will travel south to meet the Texans, a squad in search of a legacy, a program looking to make the playoffs before it can make any real statement.

At 2-1, both teams need to make a statement in this game. The Steelers want to show they are still a contender after starting the season with an embarrassing loss to the Ravens. The Texans, on the other hand, are coming off of a stunning loss to the Saints last week and need to prove that they are a playoff-caliber team.

In this matchup, we of course have to start with the obvious: Houston’s offense against Pittsburgh’s defense.


Houston offense

Overview: The Texans have a very balanced attack, which starts with a very efficient run game. Offensive coordinator Rick Dennison always puts his players in a position to succeed and is a master at assembling a game plan for his opponent. Houston leans a bit run heavy, throwing on 47 percent of its offensive snaps and opting for the ground attack on the other 53 percent.

Run Game: Houston runs a zone scheme, most frequently featuring the zone stretch, a play that suits the disciplined running styles of their backs. Arian Foster, who is expected to play after sitting out with a hamstring injury, does an excellent job of patiently waiting for his athletic front line to move defenders and open up alleys.

Pass Game: Working off their run game, the Texans mix in their pass with a variation of play action and straight drop-backs. They will run routes at all depths — from short to intermediate — and use pre-snap motions and shifts to create favorable matchups or identify coverages before the play starts. They also embrace the use of two-man route combinations to open up space for a talented bunch of receivers in Andre Johnson, Jacoby Jones, tight ends Owen Daniels, Joel Dreesen and TE/FB James Casey.


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