The Denver Broncos head into a Week 9 matchup with the Houston Texans tied for the longest win streak in the NFL and on the heels of a Texas-sized smackdown of the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8.

To their credit, Houston, despite having a 3-4 record, is playing better than their record is right now. We asked Cole Thompson of Texans Wire five questions about Houston and what Broncos Country can expect on Sunday.

1. Texans QB CJ Stroud has been having a good year, despite not having all his top weapons. What has been his secret to success?

Confidence is key here. Stroud has done exceptionally well at trusting his surroundings and not forcing balls into tight windows. He also hasn’t gone up against elite pass-rushing since Week 2’s loss against Tampa Bay, so the level of competition has benefitted into the success. 

Last week was kind of an eye-opener since Stroud was without top target Nico Collins. When you have a No. 1 receiver and top-five weapon, it’s easy to force the ball into the hands of someone who’s getting paid to catch touchdowns. With Collins out, he looked more comfortable targeting the middle of the field for gains to names like Xaiver Hutchinson, Jaylin Noel and Woody Marks out of the backfield. It’ll be interesting to see how the offense looks with Collins off the injury report. 

2. This game features two of the top defenses in the NFL. Who has been key in making this a formidable unit?

Everyone is on the same page. After the team released C.J. Gardner-Johnson, the Texans have been the league’s best defense in coverage. They also are the best uint on third-down stops, red zone scoring and overall points allowed since Week 4. 

There’s a level of understanding on every level. The defensive line makes sure to pick up the speed in run support. The secondary is physical in man coverage, often times eliminating the explosive plays downfield. There’s very few weaknesses for the defense and the depth is sensational. 

3. The Texans feel a lot better than their record is showing. What have been the weaknesses of the team thus far?

The pressure in pass protection. Sure, C.J. Stroud wasn’t sacked last week against the 49ers, but he also went up against the defense that only recorded eight sacks through six games. Tennessee only got after the passing game with Jeffery Simmons for most of the afternoon and Baltimore had seven starters out because of injury. Whenever the Texans have played against a physical pass rush, they’ve lost. The Broncos feature three pass-rushers who all win on the edge, so it’s going to be a struggle for rookie offensive tackle Tay Ersery when trying to slow down Jonathan Cooper and Nik Bonitto. 

4. Who is an underrated player on Houston everyone should know?

Offensively, it’s Jaylin Noel. So much focus is on Jayden Higgins because he was the Texans’ first overall pick in April, but he plays a similar role to that of Nico Collins. Noel over the past two games has been the team’s best chain-mover, averaging over 16 yards per catch. He’s explosive out of the slot and should only continue to grow as an option to watch on third down. 

Defensively, Kamari Lassiter would be a No. 1 cornerback on most teams, but he’s overlooked by All-Pro Derek Stngley Jr. According to Pro Football Focus, his coverage grade of 73.3 ranks 11th out of 113 eligible cornerbacks, and he’s only given up 18 receptions all season. He’s a solid run defender who often makes plays on the ball by giving up his body. 

5. Who wins, and why?

This is going to come down to defense. Whichever team can get a stop on third down and maybe force a turnover has a chance to really set the tone in this game early on. Bo Nix’s early turnover ratio gives Houston’s maybe a slight advantage, but that defensive line will get the ball right back to Denver’s offense. Give me a low-scoring game capped off with a game-winning field goal from Ka’imi Fairbairn. Texans 20, Broncos 17.

Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.