The Texans came into the week three game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers desperate for a win after starting the season 0-2. Ryan Mallett stayed at the helm for Houston as they came away with their first win of the season, 19-9.
Pick 1: One For The Win Column!
This is by far the most important takeaway from Sunday’s game. Houston was able to come away with a win, their first of the season. Many called this a must-win game, 
and it really was.
The stats on 0-3 teams making the playoffs are not favorable. In fact, only three teams have managed to start 0-3 and make the playoffs since 1990. It didn’t need to be pretty, it just needed to be a win, and the Texans got the job done today.
Pick 2: Oh! There’s The Defense
Finally! This defense was one of the most feared forces in the league last year, but the first two games of the season made the Houston defense look very vulnerable.
They got back to their tough ways today, allowing just 57 yards rushing on 20 carries, and forcing Jameis Winston to throw an interception and manage just a 47.2% completion percentage. Now that’s a bit more like it.
Pick 3: Run First, Pass Second
If you’re not fully comfortable at the quarterback position, the biggest aid is a successful run game. The rush attack was sorely lacking in the first two games, but Alfred 
Blue really showed up on Sunday.
Blue led the Houston offense with 139 yards and a touchdown on the ground on 31 carries. Houston as a team rushed for 186 yards on 46 carries. That’s seven more run plays than passing plays, which is exactly how this offense needs to operate to be truly successful.
Pick 4: Bullock Kicking Himself
The new extra point distance hasn’t made all that much of a difference for most teams and most kickers, but Randy Bullock has really struggled with the new mark.
Bullock struggled somewhat in the preseason with these extra point attempts, but has 
now started the season just three-of-five on extra point attempts. Since changing the extra point attempt to a 33-yard kick, the percentage of made extra points in the league has dropped from about 99 to about 95. It’s not that significant of a drop for the league as a whole, but Bullock is just 60% on extra point attempts through three games this season.
Pick 5: Paging JJ Watt…
Even though the Texans won on Sunday, there’s still plenty of room for improvement, even for studs like JJ Watt. The two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year 
provided strong efforts in the first two games, trying to will his team to victory, but in a game where they were actually victorious, he never seemed to take command like he normally does.
Watt finished Sunday’s game with just five tackles, only two of which were solo tackles. He did get to Winston for hits three times, but his presence wasn’t as dominant as it usually is. A win is a win, but the Texans need JJ Watt to be JJ Watt at all times and not have a pedestrian game by his standards.
Pick 6: We’re All Square
With the win over the Bucs, Indy’s win over Tennessee, and the Jags’ shellacking at the hands of the Patriots, every team in the AFC South now sits at 1-2. That means that no matter how the first three weeks have looked for all of these teams, this division is wide open.
The middle of the season is normally where the Colts step in and take control of the division, but every team has shown certain strengths and vulnerabilities to this point. And Luck has been a turnover machine thus far. The opportunity is there now for the Texans to grab the reins in this division because it’s entirely up for grabs.
Houston will face a tough test next week as they go on the road to take on the undefeated Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome.
