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The New York Giants, whether they will admit it or not, need desperately to replace that 0 in their win column with a 1. Can they do that this Sunday against the 2-0 Houston Texans? Honestly, yours truly doesn't know a whole lot about the Texans. My guess? Many of you don't, either.
Fortunately, we can fix that. Our 'Five Questions' segment this week feature Brett Kollmann of SB Nation's Texans web site, Battle Red Blog. Let's get right to it, so that Brett can enlighten us about the upstart Texans.
Ed: The Texans are 2-0 after going 2-14 last season. What has been the key, and do you really believe that it can last?
Brett: Running the ball, playing defense, and then running the ball again. Arian Foster alone has more carries and yards than 17 teams, and the Texans defense is allowing a league leading 10 points per game. With possibly the best offensive line in team history and a dominant defense that does not even have Jadeveon Clowney back yet, it is conceivable that we have not yet seen what the Texans can truly accomplish. Provided Ryan Fitzpatrick stays the course as a game manager - and so far he has by not taking a single sack or committing a single turnover - this team can go places.
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Ed: Tell me about J.J. Watt. What is it, in your mind, that makes him such an incredible player?
Brett: Relentlessness. He never gives up, both on and off the field. A lot of gifted athletes have come through the NFL, but J.J. is one of few who packages his physical abilities with an unmitigated determination to be the baddest mother lover on the planet. Whether in the gym, in the film room, or on the sidelines, J.J. Watt lives with one goal in mind - destroy your offense. I know there are not a lot of Giants fans with opportunities to watch Watt play very often, so I highly recommend not taking your eyes off him this Sunday. We're talking about one of the few players in the NFL who can truly take your breath away - who can inspire a sense of wonder at what the human body can achieve. For fans of Big Blue who have long waited to witness a defensive presence that can match the great Lawrence Taylor, J.J. Watt is your guy.
Ed: What are your thoughts on Bill O'Brien right now? Is he walking on water with Houston fans right now?
Brett: I'm not going to lie, Bill O'Brien is one of my favorite people on the planet right now. He is just what this franchise needed in more ways than one. Take a look at his mic'd up from week one and drink that sweet, sweet Kool-Aid.
Ed: Who are a couple of relatively unknown players for the Texans that Giants fans should be watching for on Sunday?
Brett: Kareem Jackson is quietly becoming one of the league's stingiest cornerbacks. Already arguably the best defensive back on the team, Jackson is making a statement in his contract year that he deserves to be paid like some of the higher profile corners in the business. Whether he will get that kind of money remains to be seen, but that will not stop him from trying to get it. He should see a lot of Victor Cruz in the slot this weekend, so I will be keeping my eye on that matchup. If Jackson can stop Cruz, he can stop anyone.
Ed: If you could take one Giants player and put him in the Texans' starting lineup who would it be? Why?
Brett: Eli Manning. He may have had his struggles in the past few years, but I think Manning throwing to Andre Johnson, handing off to Arian Foster, and being protected by this offensive line would be awesome to watch.
Thanks to Brett for taking the time to answer my questions. Stop by Battle Red Blog to see what Texans' fans are saying this week. As always, play nice with others.