The Denver Broncos will be looking to rebound following a tough loss to the Seattle Seahawks last week.
The Broncos had what looked to be a favorable schedule to begin the 2022 season, but many things can be called into question after a loss to the Seahawks on Monday night.
The Broncos have what many will see as a winnable game in Week 2 against the Houston Texans, but there is no such thing as a sure thing in the NFL.
The Broncos will have to be better in all facets this week, starting at the top with coaching. Russell Wilson will get another chance to give Broncos Country his first victory as the team’s quarterback but the Broncos will also be missing a couple of key players, such as Justin Simmons and K.J. Hamler.
The Broncos need to find a way to win this game as a loss at home to the Texans, widely considered one of the worst teams in the league, would be disastrous.
But this is the NFL and these are professional athletes. The Broncos will still need to be wary of some impact players on the Texans’ roster.
Houston Texans player Broncos must be ready for: Brandin Cooks, Wide Receiver
Easily the most electric player on the Texans’ offense is wide receiver Brandin Cooks, who is the No. 1 target in the passing game for quarterback Davis Mills.
Cooks is both a volume receiver and a big-play threat, able to convert key third downs as well as get behind the defense as one of the league’s best deep threats.
Cooks should see plenty of Patrick Surtain on Sunday, which will be a good challenge for the second-year cornerback. If Surtain can negate Cooks on the field, it could seriously hamper the Texans’ passing attack.
Cooks led the way for Houston in Week 1 with seven receptions for 82 yards but he was targeted 12 times by Mills. No other wide receiver saw three targets in that game.
If Surtain can shut him down and make Mills look elsewhere, it could be a huge key in the Broncos winning this game.
Houston Texans player Broncos must be ready for: O.J. Howard, Tight End
O.J. Howard looked like he could get washed out of the league when he failed to make the roster of the Buffalo Bills this summer, but when he was cut, the Texans decided to take a flyer on him. So far, that looks pretty good.
Howard caught just two passes in his Houston debut last week, but both of them ended up with him crossing the goal line for a touchdown. That could help endear him to Mills as a trusted target and he could be in line for a big game against Denver.
Why is that? Because the Broncos struggle and have struggled forever, to cover tight ends efficiently. Last week, the Seahawks had two different tight ends score touchdowns against the Denver defense.
Those came on passes of 38 and 25 yards, so the Broncos gave up some huge plays in that game to the tight end position. You can bet that the Texans noticed this during their preparation for this game and could be looking to make their shiny new toy a big part of the game plan this week.
Houston Texans player Broncos must be ready for: Jerry Hughes, Defensive End
The Texans don’t have many notable names on the defensive side of the ball, but pass-rusher Jerry Hughes may have found a great new home at 34 years of age. After playing the past nine seasons for the Buffalo Bills, Hughes signed with the Texans this offseason.
He got the 2022 season started off on the right track last week by sacking Colts quarterback Matt Ryan twice. He only had two sacks all of last season with the Bills, so he could be in line for a huge year with the Texans.
Seattle only managed two sacks of Russell Wilson on Monday night but he is a quarterback that will take a few too many sacks and Hughes will likely pressure him at least a few times in this game.
If the Broncos can fend Highes off, they should have a lot of success against this defense.
The Texans are a young team and Wilson’s experience could be a huge factor against them, particularly against the secondary. Though rookie Derek Stingley Jr. appears to have a ton of talent and a great future, he is a guy that Wilson could pick on and take advantage of in this contest if he is provided some clear throwing lanes.