The Houston Texans seem to have come to a decision regarding the usage of running backs Woody Marks and Nick Chubb. DeMeco Ryans addressed the two backs in his press conference following the Texans 36-29 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, emphasizing that he likes the split share of carries that Marks and Chubb are currently getting.
Ryans spoke on what both Marks and Chubb did well in the victory.
“I thought Woody played fast, made plays, especially on the perimeter which is where we’ve seen him shine the most, when he can get the ball in space,” Ryans said. “He did a really nice job handling the bulk of the carries for us.”
“When Chubb came in and got his opportunities, he had some explosive runs,” Ryans continued. “He ran physical, looked like he had some extra burst to him, so it was a good 1-2 punch that we were able to use.”
Marks out-carried Chubb 14-5 in the Jacksonville game, but Chubb carried the ball more in the two weeks prior. It seems like Ryans is content with splitting the backfield and letting the hot hand emerge for itself instead of forcing both guys into structured roles.
Marks and Chubb to Split Backfield For Foreseeable Future
Nick Chubb dominated the bulk of the carries early in the season as Marks split time with Dameon Pierce, Dare Ogunbowale and British Brooks for the first month of the season. Marks emerged as an everyday player after the first month, and has eclipsed double digit carries in each of the last four weeks.
Football fans all recognize Chubb from his storied career with the Cleveland Browns, when he rushed for over 1,000 yards four seasons in a row and made four straight pro bowls along with one All-Pro team. Unfortunately for Chubb, the lifespan of an NFL running back is very short, and now at the age of 30, it’s clear that his glory days are behind him.
A split back look makes perfect sense for the weathered but still effective Chubb and the young explosive rookie Marks. Chubb can limit the amount of snaps he takes to mitigate risk of injury while Marks can get his feet wet before he likely becomes RB1 in the future.
On 96 carries this season, Chubb has 402 yards and two touchdowns while Marks has 304 yards on 81 carries and two touchdowns as well.
Texans Look to Win Two Straight Against Reeling Titans
Houston can get to .500 for the first time this season with a win this weekend against the struggling Tennessee Titans. The Texans crushed Tennessee back in week four with a 26-0 victory.
The AFC South has been all but locked up by the Indianapolis Colts, who sit at 8-2, but Houston is very much still alive in the Wild Card race at 4-5. Division rival Jacksonville and the Kansas City Chiefs both sit at 5-4 just ahead of them, tied for the final Wild Card berth. Right behind Houston is the Baltimore Ravens, who now have Lamar Jackson back, so the battle for the final Wild Card slot won’t come easy.
A win against the Titans is absolutely necessary to keep Houston in the playoff mix.
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