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.
DL, Thomas Booker, #56
TE, Pharaoh Brown, #85
RB, Rex Burkhead, #28
OL, A.J. Cann, #60
LB, Blake Cashman, #53
DL, Maliek Collins, #96
WR, Nico Collins, #12
WR, Brandin Cooks, #13
OL, Austin Deculus, #76
WR, Phillip Dorsett, #4
DL, Michael Dwumfour, #50
K, Ka'imi Fairbairn, #7
OL, Kenyon Green, #59.
DL, Rasheem Green, #92
DL, Jonathan Greenard, #52
LB, Kamu Grugier-Hill, #51
FB, Troy Hairston, #34
LB, Jake Hansen, #49
DL, Demone Harris, #94
OL, Charlie Heck, #67
LB, Neville Hewitt, #43
DL, Kurt Hinish, #93
TE, O.J. Howard, #83
OL, Tytus Howard, #71
DL, Jerry Hughes, #55
WR, Tyler Johnson, #14
P, Cameron Johnston, #11
TE, Brevin Jordan, #9
DB, Desmond King II, #25
LB, Christian Kirksey, #58
DL, Roy Lopez, #91
OL, Justin McCray, #64
QB, Davis Mills, #10
WR, Chris Moore, #15
OL, Jimmy Morrissey, #79
DB, Eric Murray, #23
DB, Steven Nelson, #21
RB, Dare Ogunbowale, #33
DL, Ogbo Okoronkwo, #45
DB, Jonathan Owens, #36
RB, Dameon Pierce, #31
DB, Jalen Pitre, #5
OL, Scott Quessenberry, #54
LB, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, #44
DB, Tremon Smith, #1.
DB, M.J. Stewart, #29
DB, Derek Stingley Jr., #24
OL, Laremy Tunsil, #78
LB, Garret Wallow, #32
LS, Jon Weeks #46
An image from the Aug 19, 2022 preseason week 2 game between the Houston Texans and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, CA.
