Texans strategy against Jets? Force Sanchez to win with his arm

Jets wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery goes high to catch a TD pass against the Eagles early in their preseason finale.                                    (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Probably the worst kept secret in Houston and New York this week is the strategy the Texans will employ defensively against the Jets.

In comments to the media after practice today (transcribed by houstontexans.com staff), Texans linebacker DeMeco Ryans confirmed what we already knew.

The Texans will try to force Mark Sanchez to beat them with his arm.

"We have to definitely step up and stop their running game and put the ball in the quarterback's hands and make him beat us," said Ryans in response to a question about the Jets plan to run with a young quarterback.

The fact that Ryans mentioned it twice during the brief interview indicates that it's a theme of the week inside the locker room and meeting rooms.

"We want to put the ball in his hands and make him beat us," Ryans said earlier during the interview after praising Sanchez' preseason performance.

Of course none of this is a revelation or a big surprise.

The Jets will try to get their running game going in order to make things a bit easier for Sanchez, and with Thomas Jones and Leon Washington in the backfield they are well suited to take it to the Texans on the ground.  

The Texans plan will be to try to take away the Jets running game.  So expect to see a lot of 'eight in the box' and run blitzes  from the Texans.

To keep the Texans defense honest (assuming the Texans plan to stop the run works) the Jets will likely counter with screens to the backs, misdirection, or short pops behind the linebackers to TE Dustin Keller. 

But don't count out the occasional shot downfield by the Jets.  With the Texans focused on stopping the run, the corners will be man-up with only one safety over the top in some cases.  If the Jets pass protection holds up, Sanchez can get the ball deep - like he did on his first play of his first preseason game. 

Don't expect much deep 'cover two' in this one from the Texans.

Heck, don't rule out the Jets doing something crazy at the outset and running four wides - and running out of it -  to send the Texans a message.

It will be a fun cat and mouse game to watch, but only if the Texans defense can stop the run first.  And that's still a 'big if' considering the performance of the interior defensive line during preseason.