The Texans go back on the road to a city that hasn't been kind to them. Let's dive into the numbers with my By the Numbers for this trip to Atlanta to face the 2-2 Falcons.
3 - This will be just the third time that the Texans have traveled to Atlanta to take on the Falcons.
0 - The Texans did not leave the Georgia Dome happy after either game. In 2007, the Texans lost to Joey Harrington and the Falcons, a team that was 0-3 heading into that matchup in late September. Then, Marc Vandermeer and I call it "the game we don't ever talk about", the Texans lost in 2015 to the Falcons 48-21.
35 - The Texans gave up 35 points in the first half in that 2015 game to the Falcons and trailed 42-0 late in the third quarter before losing 48-21. Hopefully, that game will be ancient history.
44.4 - The Texans are pressuring QBs on nearly half of their dropbacks, according to Next Gen Stats. Their 44.4% pressure rate puts them third in the league as it pertains to pressure rate.
1 - The Texans have just one win since 2021 over a non-AFC South opponent. Can you name it?
1046 - It's been nearly three years (Sunday will be 1,046 days) since the Texans have beaten an NFC opponent. They just started playing five per year in 2021, but they are just 1-12 in the last three years. They beat the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving 2020 1,046 days ago. They did not beat a team from the NFC West or NFC East the past two years.
318 - Falcons RB Bijan Robinson is third in the league with 318 rushing yards behind just Christian McCaffrey (49ers) and D'Andre Swift (Eagles). The rookie from Texas leads Atlanta in carries and receptions through the first four games of the season.
1212 - Texans QB C.J. Stroud is 2nd all-time behind Carolina star QB Cam Newton for most passing yards through the first four career games. Wow.
29.0 - The Texans are sixth in the NFL over the past three weeks in scoring. Even though they put up just nine in the opener against Baltimore, they've rebounded with nearly 30 ppg in the last three games. For context, the Texans scored 30+ in a single game just four times over the last two seasons.
4 - Under Falcons QB Desmond Ridder, the Falcons have won all four of his starts at home. On the flip side, they've lost all four of his starts on the road. Unfortunately, Ridder and the Falcons are back home awaiting this visit from the Texans. Darn.
53 - Texans WR Nico Collins is 53 yards away from setting a season high in yardage after just four games. He registered 481 yards in 2022 and has 428 yards through the first four games.
3 - He already has as many touchdowns this year as his first two years in the league combined. Every TD caught sets a new single season high for the third year receiver from Michigan.
Alright, that'll do it for this week. Time to end some streaks in Atlanta this week and come home happy from the ATL…for once. See ya on Sunday, everyone!
