Pros
- The forecast calls for 18-mph wind in this game. High wind usually means lower pass volume (and higher run volume) and decreased passing effectiveness.
- THE BLITZ projects Dameon Pierce to accumulate 15.9 rush attempts in this contest, on average, putting him in the 89th percentile among RBs.
- Dameon Pierce has earned 59.1% of his offense’s rush attempts this year, ranking him in the 90th percentile among running backs.
- Opposing teams have rushed for the 5th-most yards in football (135 per game) versus the Chicago Bears defense since the start of last season.
- The Chicago Bears linebackers rank as the 2nd-worst unit in the NFL since the start of last season in regard to stopping the run.
Cons
- The Houston Texans boast a new play-caller this year in offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, and THE BLITZ projects their pass/run mix to lean 3.7% more towards passing than it did last year (in a neutral context).
- The Texans are a 3-point underdog in this week’s contest, which points towards a passing game script.
- THE BLITZ projects the Texans to call the 10th-least total plays on the slate this week with 59.8 plays, accounting for their underlying tendencies and game dynamics.
- The Houston Texans have run the 3rd-least plays in the league since the start of last season, averaging just 59.7 plays per game.
- The Houston Texans offensive line ranks as the worst in the league since the start of last season at opening holes for rushers.
Projection
THE BLITZ
69
Rushing Yards