NFL MOTW with Sportsfreak NFL “guru” Hamish Girvan

Houston Texans at Denver Broncos

A homecoming parade of sorts in the Houston Texans trip to Denver to play the Broncos this Tuesday afternoon (Monday Night Football in the USA)

Last year’s sometimes starter Brick Osweiler returns back to face the Broncos team he played for last season where he was back up to the Super Bowl winning Peyton Manning. Head coach Gary Kubiak – who coached the Texans from 2006 – 2013 – decided that Brock was not worth the money he demanded and let him go. Osweiler has not really set the world on fire at the Texans either so possibly a good decision in hindsight

The Broncos decided to go with youth and have both Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch as the two quarterbacks they have started, however it’s the Broncos defence that has been the story. Even though they have lost their last two games they are still a force and in the tight AFC West division they are still the favorites to win it.

The Texans have a 4-2 start and Head Coach Bill O’Brien is not one to mince words about his teams performances. He will be starting to feel the pressure, as one of their division rivals just behind them, the Tennessee Titans, are starting to crank it up. The Texans are a reasonable team and in a weak division (which this writer incorrectly predicted would be one of the more competitive) they have a good chance of winning it. Losing Defensive End and pass rusher, J J Watt, for the season though has definitely made them slightly less of a threat.

The other main man on the Broncos sideline is defensive coach Wade Phillips, who was also at the Texans with Kubiak in the same role. He has produced an elite defensive player in Von Miller – last season’s Super Bowl MVP. Miller is also the face of this years Madden NFL 17 computer game TV campaign – rare for a defensive player.

Miller pleading to Madden players to start him

The Texans could get a good old fashioned beat down here – Osweiler will have a torrid time with his old defence team coming back to haunt him. Take the home team in getting it done as a 7.5 point start favourite.

Dont forget to give Hamish a follow on Twitter.