Texans vs. Ravens: Beating Baltimore Defense Is Too Much to Ask of TJ Yates

TJ Yates has been that diamond in the rough you hear about, but another win against a devastating Ravens defense is too much to ask of the young quarterback. 

The Houston Texans were dead in the water as Matt Schaub went down with injury, and then, backup Matt Leinart met the same fate. It was a horrible season for men named Matt.

Texans fans weren't exactly jumping for joy to have Leinart lead them, but they certainly didn't want to give the keys to the offense to an unproven rookie quarterback. 

That thought has changed as Yates has done enough to warrant a great deal of respect from his teammates and fans. Through six games, he has thrown for close to 1,000 yards. Then came the important seventh game, a Wild Card Game against the Bengals. 

He battled Andy Dalton and came out as the better man throwing 11-for-20 for 159 yards and a touchdown. It certainly wasn't a phenomenal game by any means, but he did enough. And that's all he has had to be for the Texans so far, enough. 

Well, enough is not nearly good enough against the Baltimore Ravens who are a devastating team to face at their house. 

Yates will have to find another level to his game, and there's no time to hope that this happens. The Baltimore Sun's Kevin Cowherd reports on a hungry Ravens team that's itching to lay the hurt on Yates. He quotes Ravens safety Bernard Pollard:

"

Nobody knows (whether) you’re going to keep your composure, especially when you got dogs running after you without leashes. And that’s the biggest thing about this defense. Our front seven’s gonna go.

I’m not sitting here saying that quarterback isn’t ready. But at the end of the day, when you got somebody on your tail, you ain’t thinking straight.

"

Yates will face a defense that's as versatile as it's ravenous. They will no doubt stack the box to take care of the Texans' run, but their pass defense is still something to worry about. 

They limited teams to just 196.3 yards by air this season which was good for fourth in the league. Every little bit of yards that Yates can muster will have to be savored. 

This is the time that experience wins out, and the Texans just don't have that luxury under center. Baltimore will cruise with Yates faltering. It's not his fault, because this is just too much to ask of any rookie quarterback. 

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