Maurice Jones-Drew would have had another long run if he hadn't collided with the umpire on this play in the 3rd quarter (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
As I sit here and mull over the emotions from yet another mind numbing Texans loss, I'm wondering why I don't feel more frustration.
Maybe it's because we've seen this act so many times before and it was so predictable.
We knew in the back of our minds that this outcome was a distinct possibility, even though we didn't want to think it.
And all that talk about coming together as a team at Tennessee last week? Pssh. Please. Talk is cheap, especially when you can't back it up - as the Texans rarely do.
The Texans are who we thought they were. A wildly inconsistent team with a defense that's emerging as one of the worst we've seen around here in a while - and that's saying something.
The Jags had their way with the Texans today on five drives of 59, 69, 76, 83, and 72 yards which ended in four touchdowns and a field goal.
I kept waiting for a stop, a big play, something from the defense to slow down the Jags, a team not known for their offensive prowess, but nothing came.
Dunta Robinson's strip of Mike Sims-Walker with 4:36 remaining could have been that play but Matt Schaub's TD pass to Joel Dreessen was nullified by an offensive pass interference call against Kevin Walter.
I had the post game show on briefly on the drive home (as long as I could stand it) and heard Gary Kubiak questioning the pass interference call, thinking that Walter simply collided with a defender while running his route.
Two plays later, Chris Brown puts it on the ground and we're back to the same old Texans. But again, it shouldn't have come to that.
It wasn't all on the defense - the Texans bookend turnovers, on their first drive and their last - were inexcusable, but at least the offense has moved the ball in consecutive games. Schaub has seven TD passes in two games and the running game showed signs of a pulse today, although it could have been much better.
It's Frank Bush's defense that really needs help.
I forgot to set the DVR today so I can't tell you what happened on the Maurice Jones-Drew TD run, but from past reviews, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out if you have 8 or 9 defenders within two yards of the line of scrimmage, you a) better be getting to the quarterback if it's a pass play, and b) you better be getting a hat or two on the running back before he gets to the second level.
The Texans defense is not doing either one.
Despite all the pre-snap faux aggression, the Texans rarely got close to David Garrard today - and they were starting two rookies at tackle.
And it's not just the run defense.
On the Jags first scoring drive, before Garrard ran for 30, he converted a 3rd and 6 when Mike Sims-Walker beat Fred Bennett for 17 yards.
On the Jags second scoring drive, Bennett and Dunta Robinson kept the chains moving for Garrard, giving up two pass plays totaling 32 yards to Marcedes Lewis and Torry Holt.
The Texans secondary gave up another huge play to Sims-Walker on a 3rd and 10 on the Jags opening drive of the second half, setting up their third TD of the day. See a pattern here?
I mentioned to a friend at halftime that the Texans fortunes would ride on how the defense came out on the Jags opening drive of the second half.
Ten plays, 83 yards and 4:50 later, we had a pretty good idea where that ride was going to end up.
I didn't hear him say it, but I bet Kubiak was quoted again after the game that this team has a 'long, long way to go.' I agree, and with every week it seems as if they'll never get there.
Things I dislike:
- Texans fans getting up and cheering wildly when the TEXANS have the ball on 3rd or 4th and short in the redzone. Hint: When the Texans players are flapping their arms around telling you to shut the hell up, it doesn't mean cheer louder.
- Watching Matt Schaub trying to run away from pressure. Fleet afoot, nimble, graceful, and athletic he isn't. But you rarely find a QB that has all of the above and can throw for 300 and 3+ TDs every week, which he has the last two weeks.
- Looking at the league stats page on nfl.com and seeing the Texans sitting dead last in run defense - by a large margin, giving up 204.7 rushing yards per game. They are tied for worst in the league, again by a large margin, in rushing TDs allowed, and are the only team to have given up three runs for 40 yards or more. Twenty five teams haven't given up one run for 40 yards.
Something I've never seen before:
Four people arrived in the middle of the second quarter to claim the seats in front of me. Trouble was, there were three people already sitting there. After further review, both groups of people had tickets for the same seats. The early birds got to stay and the late arrivers were last seen heading to customer service. Fun.
Has Battle Red Day run it's course?
The stadium looks great when everyone is decked out in red, but there wasn't much of a 'special' feel inside the stadium today. The player introductions were subdued, heck, even the fake noise was turned down during the 'greatest fans in the NFL' piece just before intros. Which reminds me, those animated bulls on the scoreboard got to the Garrard cartoon character way more than the real players did. Anyway, when 1/4 of your home schedule is in your ketchup bottle uniforms and people are booing like Houston fans love to do, promotions like this feel less special (and especially when you lose). But it's a money maker for the team and few sponsors, I guess.
Dangerously close
You do realize how dangerously close the Texans have come to an 0-3 start, right? A win next week against Oakland is a must - the Texans are 0-4 at home this season counting preseason - but before you start with the 'it's just the Raiders' smack, just remember, it's the Texans we're talking about. (If you have Darren McFadden on your fantasy team, start him.)
Comments
Seems like only yesteryear we played some team called the Titans, and won, against all prognosticators predictions. And then followed it up against the next team, the Raiders, with a huge stinking dump game, and lost one we should have won. Coincidence?? Perhaps. OR perhaps just another year of mediocre NFL playing by the Texans, and staff.
Defense?? We don't have a defense. It is really just that simple. 3 Rushing TD's, in consecutive weeks, might be a sign that there is something WRONG with the current scheme. You MIGHT want to make some corrections, Kubiak and company, PRIOR to the NEXT game. Course that is just my 'armchair QB's' opinion.
Overall, the gameday/tailgating experience was great, even with losing a game that I had severe reservations about it being a 'let down' game, and it was, didn't ruin my day. Nothing says contempt for the home team more than fan antipathy for a loss, IMHO.
This makes me want Richard Smith back. How about an open tryout for cornerback/safety? I could cover <insert receiver name here> better then Fred Bennett.
Having let the 3 women in the family attend this game, I got to watch it on CBS, and Steve Beuerlein as play by play analyst, and a former QB for Denver (among many other teams during his career), he saw much of what AJ says about our defense, and it looked worst when he dissected the replays. I could not watch replays by the 3rd quarter, just listened to Steve describe our breakdowns. He also could not understand why we crowded so many defenders close to the line, giving the Jags many more options. But, as AJ says, being the 8th season now, whether its Carr or Schaub, Smith or Bush, Capers or Kubiak, it all looks the same, and we are all becoming programmed to expect the worst, and get too excited when the few games like the Titans win occur. I guess this is the definition of being a Houston fan (Astros, Oilers, Texans)...it seems to be all the same!
Our offense is good enough, or should be good enough, afterall we did score 24 points. Matt was injured the first week, but has played well enough the last 2 weeks (certainly very well last week), but we just can't stop the run and we can't really get much pressure on the QB. It's on the defense and I know everybody is upset with the safeties because they can't tackle,
but it boils down to the DLine.
Lets shake up the front 4 and move Okoye out and replace him with
Antonio Smith (he's an inside guy, he's not a DE and Okoye just gets pushed around too much), and maybe pair Bulman with Mario at DE ?
AJ, you're missing the big picture. The plan is to keep this up for the next few years to stay in the top half of first round draft picks. When all the talent is amassed, we'll start coaching fundamentals again and go deep into the playoffs.
Do you think Pollard and Reeves can help this defense? If so, is there a chance they will start next week? Why not? It couldnt possible get any worse.
I hope we have a good showing. My wife and I fly into Houston this weekend to catch the game and it would be a wonderful weekend if our defense and our running game came alive.
It's called apathy.
@Jahon, Bennett has been terrible so yes I think Reeves can help. It's a revolving door at strong safety so why not Pollard? I think I'll try out next week.
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