The Texans have a key stat to improve upon squarely in their crosshairs: turnover differential.
"Overall as a team, we have to make sure that we try to flip the turnover/takeaway ratio," head coach Bill O'Brien said on Monday. "Right now we're 29th in the League, and it's not very good."
Houston's turned the ball over 13 times in 2016, and taken the ball away six times. At minus-seven on the season, they're tied with the Giants and better than only the Jets and Jaguars in that category.
"In the past couple years that we've been here we've been able to turn that around and we need to try to turn that around because that stat right there points right toward the won/loss record," O'Brien said.
The Giants are also 5-3 in the win/loss column, while the other two are a combined 5-11 this year. Picking off passes and recovering fumbles is bound to happen soon, according to cornerback A.J. Bouye.
"I feel like they're going to come," Bouye said. "We haven't been getting as many as we wanted. But we just have to keep pounding and eventually they're going to come."
O'Brien acknowledged that there's a bit of "luck of the draw" when it comes to getting takeaways. In 2014, the Texans finished with an NFL-best 34 picks or fumble recoveries. They were plus-12 in turnover differential that season, which was tied for second-best in the League.
"Sometimes takeaways come in bunches," O'Brien said. "You just get hot like we did two years ago."
Outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus said the Texans can definitely make a change, and that it starts during the week, not necessarily on gameday.
"Just doing it in practice," Mercilus said. "Just making it a habit. That's it."
The Texans will practice again Wednesday through Friday, and play the Jaguars in Jacksonville this Sunday at noon CT.
The Houston Texans roster in photos.
TE, Jordan Akins, #88
WR, Danny Amendola, #89
TE, Antony Auclair, #83
DL, Ross Blacklock, #90
TE, Pharaoh Brown, #85
RB, Rex Burkhead, #28
OL, Geron Christian Sr., #72
DL, Maliek Collins, #97
WR, Nico Collins, #12
WR, Chris Conley, #18
WR, Brandin Cooks, #13
LB, Zach Cunningham, #41
WR, Davion Davis, #81
QB, Jeff Driskel, #6
K, Ka'imi Fairbairn, #7
RB, Royce Freeman
DL, Jonathan Greenard, #52
LB, Kamu Grugier-Hill, #51
OL, Charlie Heck, #67
LB, Neville Hewitt, #43
OL, Tytus Howard, #71
RB, David Johnson, #31
DL, Jaleel Johnson, #93
DB, Lonnie Johnson Jr., #1
P, Cameron Johnston, #11
TE, Brevin Jordan, #9
DB, Desmond King II, #25
DB, Cre'von LeBlanc, #21
DL, Roy Lopez, #91
DL, Jacob Martin, #54
OL, Justin McCray, #64
QB, Davis Mills, #10
DB, Terrance Mitchell, #39
WR, Chris Moore, #15
DB, A.J. Moore Jr., #33
DB, Jimmy Moreland, #22
OL, Jimmy Morrissey, #79
DB, Eric Murray, #23
LB, Kevin Pierre-Louis, #57
DB, Justin Reid, #20
DL, Derek Rivers, #95
OL, Max Scharping, #74
DB, Tremon Smith, #24
OL, Lane Taylor, #65
QB Tyrod Taylor, #5
OL, Cole Toner, #66
DB, Tavierre Thomas, #37
DL, DeMarcus Walker, #55
LB, Garret Wallow, #32
QB, Deshaun Watson, #4
LS, Jon Weeks #46
LB, Eric Wilson, #59
