Ryan Fitzpatrick Will Be X-Factor For Houston Texans In Week 6
By Vinny Lanni
@vinnylanni
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
The 3-2 Houston Texans need to break out of their funk on offense if they want to keep up with the Indianapolis Colts in Week 6. Every great offense starts with its quarterback, and now it’s time for the Texans’ Ryan Fitzpatrick to show that he’s capable of being a starter in the NFL.
Andrew Luck and the Colts’ offense are ranked No. 1 in passing, and I’m sure they’re ready to live up to that status again once again on Thursday Night. It’s inevitable that the Colts’ offense is going to score points, but the pressure falls on Fitzpatrick and the Texans’ offense to match its production. The Texans have scored 17 points in each of their last three games, and that number isn’t going to cut it against a high-powered Colts offense.
If Houston wants to hang in there with one of the top offenses in the NFL, the Texans need to pick up the pace. Adrian Foster had a breakout game in Week 5 against the Dallas Cowboys with 157 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Fitzpatrick, on the other hand, had fewer passing yards than Foster’s 154 rushing total.
Fitzpatrick’s problem comes in the form of turnovers. He has a solid completion percentage with 65 percent, but also he has a terrible 5:6 TD:INT ratio. I mentioned how good the Colts’ offense is, but their defense is very underrated this season so Fitzpatrick needs to take them seriously. The Texans’ veteran quarterback is not Hall-of-Fame caliber by any means, but he has the ability to be a solid QB. Fitzpatrick has great weapons on offense and an up-and-coming defense, and now it’s up to him to make it all work.
If the Texans grab a win against the Colts on the road in Week 6, it is going to be because of Fitzpatrick and his ability to lead the offense and avoid turnovers. If he continues to turn the ball over to the opposing defense, it is going to be a long day for the Texans. Simply said, the Texans’ offense needs to control the time of possession, run the ball efficiently and hope that Fitzpatrick does just enough to earn their fourth win of the season.
Vinny Lanni is a New York Jets writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter or add him to your network on Google+.
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