Five Key Matchups: Texans vs. Broncos

After falling to the Chiefs in the Wild Card Round last year, the AFC South champions looked to bolster their passing attack through free agency. Osweiler was their man. However, inconsistency has plagued Osweiler (eight touchdowns, eight interceptions) and Houston's offense through six games. In spite of it, Osweiler has helped lead the Texans to a 4-2 record.One of the areas in which Osweiler struggles is handling pressure. When pockets break down, Osweiler struggles to escape cleanly, and perhaps no defense capitalizes on those moments as well as the Broncos, who lead the league in sacks with 21. With 12 sacks in his last 16 games, defensive end Derek Wolfe has been a major disruptive force who could have a huge impact in making Osweiler uncomfortable Monday.

Houston's decision to acquire Lamar Miller in the offseason has certainly paid early dividends. In Week 6 against the Colts, Miller put together a 178-yard, two-touchdown performance that included a late show-stopping touchdown run in which Miller dodged a half dozen Colts defenders. Linebacker Brandon Marshall will once again have his hands full as he attempts to cover a talented running back out of the backfield. He struggled against the Falcons but seemed to improve against San Diego in Week 6. The difference between winning and losing Monday's game could stem from Marshall's success to hold Miller in check.

DeAndre Hopkins is just the latest in a long line of dangerous wide receivers that the Broncos will look to shut down. The fourth-year pro out of Clemson has established himself as one of quarterback Brock Osweiler's favorite targets in this young season and has delivered to the tune of 31 receptions for 354 yards and three touchdowns.   Though Aqib Talib will certainly be among those tasked with slowing down Hopkins, cornerback Chris Harris Jr. will also draw the assignment. Harris, who has one interception on the season, helped limit Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones to two receptions for 29 yards in the Broncos' loss to the Falcons. If the Broncos want to force the Texans to be one-dimensional, it may begin with Harris and Talib shutting down Hopkins.

In the absence of J.J. Watt, the Texans' pass rush has stepped up to maintain their effectiveness. With Watt, the Texans tallied 10 sacks, 23 quarterback hits and 13 tackles for loss with two wins and one loss. In three games without Watt, Houston recorded six sacks, 18 quarterback hits and 14 tackles for loss with two wins and one loss. Clowney has been a big part of that success, realizing part of his enormous potential with 23 total tackles, two sacks, eight tackles for loss, eight quarterback hits and one pass defensed.Though Clowney can line up at either side of the defensive line, he's listed as the left defensive end in the base package. In that spot, he will face off against Broncos right tackle Donald Stephenson, who helped the offense get out to a strong start on the ground in the first two games, but missed the next three with a calf injury. In his return at San Diego, the offense struggled to find its early consistency. As the team looks to rebound after a two-game skid, Stephenson's success on the ground and in pass protection will be vital.

There's no question about it: The Houston Texans secondary is pretty banged up. As the Texans try to put together a plan with a short-handed roster, Emmanuel Sanders could find an opportunity to attack. The Broncos' leader in receptions has cooled off a bit since a big performance against the Cincinnati Bengals, but he still possesses the type of speed that can completely change the outcome of a game. If Denver is able to return to the same passing success it found against the Bengals and Buccaneers, everything else becomes much simpler. The run game will open up, the offense will maintain long drives and the defense will find itself in better situations. That success could all begin with Sanders' ability to beat Joseph.