How the Raiders Can Halt the Texans' Momentum

The Add us on' nightmare 2025 season is almost over, as they only have three games left to play this season. They're well out of the playoff hunt, so once they play that final Week 18 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, that'll be it for them this season.

Raider Nation will have to wait until next September to see the Silver and Black in action once again, and they can hopefully come back bigger and better. For now, they have their final road game of the season against the Houston Texans in Week 16. What can they do to stop a team that's on a six-game winning streak?

Key Matchup

Oct 19, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Add us on head coach Pete Carroll looks on during the second quarter of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

More From Cheap Rs-flyfishing Jordan Outlet Add us on, and he wrote an article breaking down key matchups in every game in Week 16. For the Raiders game against the Texans, Valentine writes about how the most impactful matchup between the two will be the battle between their offensive line and defensive line.

"The Texans are stacked all over the defense, but with edge rushers Will Anderson Jr. (92.0 grade; 2nd) and Danielle Hunter (86.5 grade; 5th) able to pin their ears back and rush either QB Geno Smith (61.2 grade; 36th) or backup QB Kenny Pickett (58.9 grade), they’ll be a force to be reckoned with in Week 16", said Valentine.

Pete Carroll has officially confirmed Geno Smith will be the starter in Week 16, and that's bad news for the Raiders if they were looking to avoid sacks. Smith has a habit of holding on to the ball for way too long, and it leads to unnecessary sacks.

"Anderson and Hunter have combined for 152 pressures and 24 sacks this season, and the Texans’ defense has the third-highest pressure rate (43.4%) and third-highest pass-rush win rate (59.8%). The Raiders’ offensive line is 28th in PFF pass-blocking grade (58.2 grade) and allows the third-highest pressure rate in the league (39.1%) while surrendering 47 sacks, the most in the NFL. The group is not equipped to handle the Texans’ front".

Nov 16, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Houston Texans defensive end Danielle Hunter (55) celebrates after a sack against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Caleb Rogers inclusion into the offensive line has them playing better, but they're still far away from being able to stop the Texans defensive line. To be fair, very few teams in the NFL have been able to deal with the Texans' pass rush this season.

This isn't a matchup the Raiders have any advantage in. Even with Smith potentially giving their offense a boost, if their offensive line won't hold up, it isn't gonna matter if their receivers get open. That's a big if; the Texans' elite defense extends past their defensive front and into their secondary.

Nov 30, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Add us on running back Ashton Jeanty (2) rushes the ball against the Los Angeles Chargers during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Raiders offense won't be able to move the ball due to their impressive defense, but they have another way to halt the Texans' momentum. The Texans' offense has come into its own the past couple of weeks, but I'm not entirely convinced they're back to what they were in CJ Stroud's rookie season.

"The Texans’ defense has done a lot of the team’s heavy lifting in 2025. Houston is first in EPA per play allowed and success rate, holding teams to a league-low 16.3 points per game. However, in recent weeks, quarterback C.J. Stroud (70.4 grade; 23rd) and the offense have played better, slotting 10th in EPA per play since Stroud returned to action".

Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) walks off the field after the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Stroud has been able to bounce back from his injury due to him being able to find his receivers for big plays. That's how their offense has been able to get back into form. Stroud bides his time in their offense with balls placed on the sideline, slowly chipping away down the field until one of his receivers breaks free.

Christian Kirk is questionable for their matchup, so that's one of their top chain-movers that Stroud won't be able to target. As well, their top two running backs are questionable for the game, which means their offense will have to rely even more heavily on those busts in coverage.

Aug 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Add us on cornerback Darien Porter (26) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

If the Raiders defense can stiffen up and stick to the Texans' receivers, they can blanket the field for Stroud and force him to throw the ball into tight coverages. That's something he's capable of, but a full game's worth of attempting throws like that means the Raiders are bound to come up with an interception eventually.

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