Will Anderson Sends Texans Uplifting Message Amid Rough 2-4 Start
The Houston Texans will have a critical opportunity to take advantage of in Week 8 vs. the San Francisco 49ers to try and bounce back from the unfortunate events of Monday Night Football vs. the Seattle Seahawks that dropped this group to a bleak 2-4 record following the bye.
But all hope isn't lost in the building for Houston. Far from it. There's a long marathon of a season ahead for the Texans to correct course and get back to their winning ways, and in the process, perhaps secure three-straight playoff appearances for the first time in franchise history.
For Texans edge rusher Will Anderson Jr., he's motivated to keep the wheels turning to make that turnaround happen. But before doing so, it requires everyone on all three phases to be on the same page–– something Houston's star defender voiced ahead of their matchup vs, the 49ers.
"We're all in this together, you know what I'm saying?" Anderson said following a Texans practice. "Like, at the end of the day, it's not just defense. It's not just offense. It's not just special teams. We're all one group. Everybody has to be firing on all cylinders."
"We're a couple of plays away, a couple of scores away, a couple of stops away from really winning ball games."
Will Anderson Jr. Doesn't Think Texans Are Far Away
Anderson isn't wrong. For all four of the Texans' losses on the season, the results have been decided by one score; proving that while unable to complete the task at hand for those showings, this group isn't far away from putting more wins on the board.
Defensively, Houston's remained consistently stout through all performances, the offense, while up and down, still has a long road ahead to keep progressing as a unit, and with four divisional matchups still on the horizon, making up that ground in the AFC South isn't totally out of the question either.
But to make those strides happen, it starts by taking the process one week at a time, beginning with a win against the 49ers that'd be a statement game for the Texans collectively, while also making for a bit of a sweeter win than usual for head coach DeMeco Ryans, previously San Francisco's defensive coordinator
And for Anderson, from the initial reps he's seen through practice leading up to this weekend, the signs could be there for a resurgence of performance.
"I really feel like this week, we have a really perfect opportunity to really just put it all together, and it just starts with the preparation," Anderson said. "And I thought we did a really good job today [in practice] starting that."
NFL Announces Punishment for Broncos Duo Before Cowboys Game
Dre Greenlaw was not the only Denver Broncos player who received discipline from the NFL this week. Teammates Justin Strnad and Riley Moss also got bad news from the league as the Broncos prepare to face the Dallas Cowboys.
All three players’ infractions occurred during the Broncos’ 33-32 win over the New York Giants in Week 7.
However, Moss and Strnad have not been suspended for their actions, as Greenlaw was for his.
Riley Moss Fined for Facemask Penalty in Broncos-Giants
According to the NFL’s football operations portal, Moss received a fine for an unnecessary roughness/facemask penalty he incurred in the third quarter of the Broncos’ win over the Giants in Week 7.
Moss, a former third-round pick in the third year of a four-year, $5.4 million contract, received an $8,253 fine as a result. It is the first fine Moss has received from the NFL in his career.
This was also the least costly of his two penalties in the game, as the Giants eventually punted.
Moss was also penalized for pass interference in the fourth quarter, which, while questionable to draw protest from Broncos head coach Sean Payton, more importantly led to a Giants touchdown on the following play.
“That was silly,” Payton told reporters on October 19. I had just felt like, man, I’m close with a number of people on that crew. But it just so happens in the last three times, the numbers haven’t been good. And I knew the certain penalty was wrong. That’s hard, because it made it first and five that led to their first score [of the second half]. That’s happened one other time. I just wanted them to hear me. You can’t do that.”
NFL EVP Telegraphed Justin Strnad Fine
Like Moss, whose unnecessary roughness penalty was sure to draw a fine, Strnad’s comes as little surprise. In one key way, it is even less surprising.
Strnad had an interaction with referee Brad Allen before Greenlaw confronted the latter.
“There was some contact with, I think it was Justin, No. 40, and each one of those are just isolated,” NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent told Mike Florio on “Pro Football Talk” on October 23. “He’ll be held accountable. So, that will come in fine for him.”
Strnad, on a one-year, $2.8 million contract, received a $15,486 fine. Vincent said that while Strnad would be penalized, Greenlaw’s punishment served as an example.
NFL Made Example Out of Dre Greenlaw
Vincent presented the idea that the league was using Greenlaw as an example, suspending him and not Strnad, for not only their NFL brethren, but also future generations of pros. Greenlaw’s use of “abusive” and “threatening language” was the basis for his suspension.
Greenlaw was not fined for the incident. However, his suspension was without pay.
“There’s just no place no no place in the game for that,” Vincent told Florio. “Also, I think it’s part of the message that the NFL wants to send to all lower levels of sport. We’ve seen incidents postgame at the youth level between coaches and officials. We don’t need that to happen. And I think if you take a strong stand with the Dre Greenlaw, maybe – maybe – it sends a message to the other.”
Greenlaw can return to the field in Week 9, when the Broncos will visit the Houston Texans, who are 2-4 entering Week 8.
