Jets vs Texans: Questions with the enemy

For the upcoming Jets vs Texans game, we sit with Randy Gurzi of ToroTimes.com for an exclusive Q&A.

One of the best perks of being a part of FanSided is the ability to work with other sites that are truly experts in their own craft with their respective teams. I had the privilege of sitting down with Randy Gurzi, Editor of the awesome ToroTimes.com site which is where I personally go for anything and everything about the Texans.

I’d like to thank Randy for spending some time with me as I picked his brain about the Texans and what us fans of the Jets should expect come game day. Without further adieu, enjoy!

LTJ – Do you think this is the perfect game JJ Watt puts up his best game yet of the season?

RG: I think Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick saw enough of J.J. Watt in practice last season to stay away from him, and the run game will most likely do the same. That being said, Whitney Mercilus has been playing very well lately, and I think he can make enough plays on his side to slow the Jets down. They played great as a unit against Cincy, and I see another solid performance coming this week as well.

LTJ – Do you feel confident in Yates getting the job done under center this week?

RG: Yes, because he has done it before. He came in last week and played well and did so as a rookie for Houston too. Most importantly, these guys seem to believe in T.J. Yates. They never had that with Ryan Mallett, which is why he didn’t work, but other than him they have made due with backups for the past two years now. If Houston loses, I don’t think it will be because of Yates.

LTJ – What should be the best game plan to beat the Jets this week?

RG: Stick to what you do. Slow the game down (which I think New York wants to do as well) and keep it low scoring. You don’t want to get into a shoot out when Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker are on the same team, but if you keep the score manageable, DeAndre Hopkins can find a way to break one like last week.

LTJ – What offensive player should Jets fans be on the lookout for?

RG: The obvious is Hopkins, but the other receivers are under appreciated in Cecil Shorts and Nate Washington. Both these guys are veterans and they can explode at any moment. Shorts is a known deep threat, but so is Nate, and he has burnt a few teams this season if they over-focus on Hopkins.

LTJ – What defensive player will have the biggest impact for the Texans in this game?

RG: I think rookie Kevin Johnson will show once again why he was taken 16th overall. This kid is showing up lately and making plays. With the savvy receivers on New York, look for the rookie covering them to make the big play no one is expecting.

Next: Jets vs Texans injury status report

LTJ – Final score and MVP?

I have the Texans taking a close one 17-13 here and I just have a gut feeling that Kevin Johnson will be the guy making the big play in this game. He is always in position and while Fitzpatrick has been good, he does at times throw the ill-advised pass. I predict Johnson will take advantage late and seal a close one.