One thing about the Houston offense, and the running game in particular – it’s coming off a sluggish outing against the Titans. In that one, Foster had 38 yards on 14 carries, an average of 2.7 per carry. Justin Forsett had 64 yards on 14 carries, while Ben Tate added with three for 18 yards. And in the second half, Johnson didn’t have a catch, Schaub threw for 40 yards over the last two quarters and the Texans were 2-for-9 on third down.
Houston also has a steady and consistent defense – the group has given up some big plays, but they’ve managed to do just enough to win games all year long. They also have defensive lineman J.J. Watt, who has swallowed opposing offenses whole over the course of the 2012 season. (Watt is the ultimate statistical anomaly – he has 15.5 sacks and 15 passes defensed this season.) While there are some questions about the state of the Houston cornerbacks, more often than not the pass rush cancels out any problems they have had.