Is John Metchie Close to a Breakout?

The wideout might have his best chance yet to show his potential

It could finally be the moment for John Metchie. Every snap Metchie takes. Every route he runs. Every block he willingly attacks gets him further away from a missed season of football due to a cancer diagnosis and closer to being a key piece of the Houston Texans.

Wide receiver Tank Dell missed practice on Wednesday and remains in concussion protocol. Rarely does a player clear the protocol in time to play the following Sunday after he suffered a concussion the previous Sunday. Dell shouldn’t be counted on to play Sunday.

Enter Metchie.

There has been more and more for John Metchie each week with the offense. He played a season-high 43% of the snaps against the Falcons as the Texans lost Dell in the game and Robert Woods missed time with a rib injury. Woods also missed practice on Wednesday.

Metchie has just six catches on seven targets for 72 total yards. This isn’t some game changer, but he can be productive.

Despite the sparse usage so far, DeMeco Ryans likes what Metchie brings to the wide receiver position.

“Metchie has done well. I think he’s still working his way back – first year really playing football after a long time and it takes time to work yourself back,” Ryans said. “He’s doing a really good job of the things we are asking him to do. We see him showing up, making plays on the over route in the game this past week and we expect that to continue to improve, continue to show those type of plays that he can make. You see the hands – it was a tough catch that he made – but he has great hands, great speed. He’s getting back into that football shape. It takes time, but happy where Metchie is for us right now.”

The 2021 Alabama football offense relied on Metchie, throwing him the ball as much as anyone on their team that year. The Texans should turn to Metchie on Sunday if Dell is down and Woods is hobbled. He needs opportunities to showcase what he can do. It wasn’t something to force while Woods, Dell, and Nico Collins were handling things, but Metchie has a chance now.

Yes, Noah Brown could and probably will return from injured reserve this weekend. He was a surprising focal point of some plays in week one when he played, but he shouldn't stand in Metchie’s way.

There is something there. I am sure of it. I hope we get to see some more of what Metchie has to offer on Sunday.

Shuffle Up and Deal…Another New Offensive Line

Laremy Tunsil missed practice on Wednesday and there is doubt about his status for Sunday. I have to assume this will be a weekly thing unless the injury forces Tunsil’s season to end.

With Tunsil’s absence, Josh Jones should be the left tackle. Jones is coming back from a hand injury that kept him out of the game last week.

If Jones starts on Sunday it would be at least the 10th different offensive line the Texans have played this season. It would be the third different offensive line position for Jones, the fourth different left tackle for the Texans.

DeMeco Ryans appreciates what his team has done with the challenges of shuffling the offensive line.

“It really doesn’t matter – guys want to be out there and they want to help our team win – doesn’t matter what position you’re playing, doesn’t matter how much time you’re playing or when you get out there. The mentality for all of our guys is, ‘Whatever I need to do to help our team win games, that’s what I am going to do.’”

The continued shuffling of the line has to stop at some point, but with Tunsil’s health in question and the impending return of Juice Scruggs from injured reserve, there is more shuffling on the horizon. Consistency and cohesion will have to wait.

It is an exciting thought to have the Texans with a consistent offensive line helping the rushing attack improve and combining maybe even just an average rushing attack with C.J. Stroud and the passing attack.

The potential line with no Laremy Tunsil is below.

LT: Josh Jones

LG: Tytus Howard

C: Jarrett Patterson

RG: Shaq Mason

RT: George Fant

Will Anderson Continues to Wow Statistically But About Those Sacks

Will Anderson’s impressive rookie campaign is incredible via advanced stats.

ESPN’s Pass Rush Win Rate has Anderson ranked fifth while he faces more double teams than everyone but Nick Bosa, Micah Parsons, and Myles Garrett

Anderson’s success against the run is even scarier. He is the leader in Run Stop Win Rate and faces the most double teams in the rushing game as well.

It’s impressive. These stats aren’t meaningless, and Anderson continues to show up even when he isn’t dominating the box score.

I have never seen a player get chucked to the ground by a tight end and then make the tackle on that tight end down the field. Anderson did just that to Jonnu Smith on Sunday.

It would be nice to see a few more quarterback hits and ultimately sacks. Anderson has just one of the season which was his takedown of Lamar Jackson in week one. They’re coming though. He’s close.

It was about this time in the schedule when Nick Bosa broke out for some impressive weeks in his rookie campaign. Anderson will look to do so against one of the tougher right tackles in football Saints right tackle Ryan Ramczyk.

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