The Texans haven't been to Tampa since 2011, but will do so this weekend to take on the Buccaneers on Saturday. Here are some nuggets to digest for this weekend's game.
Deshaun Watson was voted to the Pro Bowl on Wednesday and for good reason. With his second consecutive 25+ passing touchdowns and 5+ rushing touchdowns season, he's the only player to achieve that feat in consecutive seasons in the history of the NFL. Only quarterback... ever. In fact, the only player in the history of the game to have multiple 25+/5+ touchdown seasons in his career was Hall of Famer Steve Young.
This will be the first time that Watson will return to the site of his last game at Clemson University. All he did that night was lead Clemson to its first national championship since 1981.
Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston has thrown 30 touchdowns, which is second in the league, but he's also thrown 24 interceptions, which leads the league.
Had the Buccaneers receiver corps not been wrought with injury, this game would've featured three of the eight Pro Bowl receivers in the NFL. DeAndre Hopkins, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin were all named to the Pro Bowl this week. All these three have done is combine to catch 252 passes for 3,632 yards and 24 touchdowns (on average 84 receptions, 1,210 yards and eight touchdowns). Wow! However, Evans and Godwin will miss this week's matchup with the Texans due to hamstring injuries.
Texans defensive lineman Angelo Blackson was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week following his key field goal block against the Titans last week. Blackson's appointment was the fifth time that a Texans was named AFC Player of the Week this season, a franchise high for a season. Whitney Mercilus was named Defensive Player of the Week following his Week 2 performance and Watson was named Offensive Player of the Week three times this year.
The Texans streak of 18 years stays alive with this trip to Tampa. The Texans have played at least one regular season game in the state of Florida every single season in their history. With a trip to London replacing a trip to Jacksonville this season, the Texans needed this Week 16 trip to Tampa to keep the streak alive.
If the Texans do get a clinching win on Saturday, they'll have been on the field for every AFC South division-clinching game since 2015. In 2017, the Texans did not win the division, but were the opponent when the Jaguars clinched the AFC South.
The Texans had three players named to the Pro Bowl this week, all three were offensive players. This is the first time since 2011 that the Texans did not have a defensive player named to the Pro Bowl. Furthermore, it's the first year since 2011 that neither J.J. Watt nor Jadeveon Clowney made the Pro Bowl for the Texans (Watt in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2018, Clowney in 2016, 2017 and 2018).
That'll do it as we need to get to Tampa! Enjoy the game and see ya next week for the regular season finale.
