Texans, Raiders both embrace ‘Next Man Up’

His status for Saturday’s wild card game – it’s a short week for the Raiders – remains uncertain. Which QB will prevail? Clutch performances in big games dot Cook’s college resume.

Joel Heath (DT, Houston Texans): Recorded three tackles and two sacks while making his third straight start in Houston’s 24-17 loss to Tennessee. This matchup features two teams who are having severe quaterbacking problems. It is the games against Alabama, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Baylor, Oregon and Penn State that he needs to reflect on.

The game will mark Oakland’s first playoff appearance since the 2002 season, when it lost in the Super Bowl. Then they lost at Kansas City, and then star quarterback Derek Carr broke his fibula, and the Raiders were blown out by the Broncos in the regular season finale, tumbling from the No. 2 to No. 5 seed.

The Raiders finished the regular season without quarterback Derek Carr, nominated to the Pro Bowl and on track for an MVP-caliber year. I am betting on a close low scoring game with the field goal kickers the top offensive weapons for both teams. The Raiders failed to cover in the match as a +1-point underdog, while 30 combined points moved the game UNDER for totals bettors.

NY GIANTS +4.5, over Green Bay: The Giants are the team nobody wants to see in the postseason, especially the Packers, who have had greater seasons ruined at home by the raging NYGs before.

As for the Texans, the AFC South Division Champs turn back to Brock Osweiler under center.

The Raiders are heading into Houston looking for their first road playoff victory since 1980.

“We’ve had a good week”, offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave said Thursday. The Texans have the second best passing defense behind the Denver Broncos, but they have the twelfth best run defense in the league. They’re also minus-7 in turnover differential, worst among all playoff teams – mostly because Osweiler threw 16 interceptions. He’ll start in place of concussed Tom Savage.

Savage has not yet cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol, but O’Brien said there was still a chance Savage could be available to play although not as Osweiler’s backup.

But that once ludicrous comment certainly applies to tomorrow’s AFC wild card showdown between Oakland and Houston. While that doesn’t guarantee a win for Houston, it makes it much more likely than if Carr (or even McGloin) was slinging the ball around. However, he came off the bench in that game, and it was his first-ever National Football League action in the regular season. We just have to make adjustments.

Connor is not the only Cook in the family with an athletic background. If he can start the game with some time and completed throws, Cook could gain some confidence and settle in.

Interesting to note that Alabama was the third rated defense in the country that season and the Houston Texans have the NFL’s number one rated defense this season. They’d already dealt with the prospect of losing Carr a few weeks before when he dislocated the pinky finger on his throwing hand from a bad snap. They’ll need to rely heavily on the running game. The Texans are a far superior unit and have kept Osweiler and the Texans’ offense in basically every game this year.

Prediction: Texans 24, Raiders 16.

In return, he received $21 million. That height advantage may seem small for Cooper and Crabtree, but in a game like this, with a quarterback like this, it can make all the difference. Fourth quarter came around, we gave up two big plays. We can’t expect them to come in and put us on their shoulders. That’s why much of the brainpower this week has been devoted to one specific task: getting the rookie up to speed.

“I think I’ve always been ready to go if they needed me”, he said. Plus, Oakland ranked just 18th in rushing defense this season, so there should be room in which to operate. Houston is allowing 301.3 yards per game.

“I think there’s a lot of unknown there, right?” We’ve got a good team.