Tim Kelly says he has grown more comfortable as Texans’ play-caller
Tim Kelly is in his first season as the offensive play-caller, and the second-year Houston Texans offensive coordinator can measure his own progress after 11 games.
Instead of trying to make the “perfect call,” Kelly says he is more about putting his players in positions to make plays.
“I would say I’m more comfortable now,” Kelly said. “Earlier in the year I feel like there were times where I was trying to make a perfect call, where at the end of the day there really is no perfect call. It’s just trying to put your guys in a spot to go make plays.”
While there may not be the “perfect call,” there are still bad calls, and Kelly has learned from them. His biggest example was a jet sweep in Week 3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Early in the fourth quarter with 14:19 to play, the Texans ran a jet sweep to receiver Brandin Cooks that lost five yards.
“That was bad by me,” Kelly admitted.
What is helping Kelly be a better play-caller is the execution from his key players from quarterback Deshaun Watson to the receiving corps to the running backs to the offensive line.
Said Kelly: “When you have that, every call on your play sheet looks pretty good. It makes it easier for you to go out there and make those calls when you have confidence that those guys are going to make them work.”
Kelly will have a chance to put his player in the best positions to make plays when the Texans take on the Indianapolis Colts Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CT at NRG Stadium. If the Texans can steal a win from their AFC South rivals and extend their winning streak to three games, post a 5-7 record, it should help build momentum that was compromised on Monday evening with news of receiver Will Fuller’s suspension.
