Houston Texans Thread [18/19] - Training Camp, It's Been a Long Time....

In the grand scheme of things, both of these losses were bad. Both were winnable, and each loss was to an AFC team, and an AFC divisional team. 2 weeks in, and we're already behind the eightball. Today's game was even more frustrating, cause the Texans didn't get beat by Tom Brady, they got beat by Blaine Gabbart, Mike Vrabel, and Bill O'Brien. Even though I didn't see the latter half of the 4th, I was still disgusted by watch I watched. Getting fooled on a fake punt was atrocious, and essentially cost you the game. 20-17. The offense eventually got it together. Deshaun threw for 300+ yards, 2 TDs, and an INT (which was another gunslinger throw he didn't have to do based on the momentum we had), and averaged 8.8 yards a carry. Blue and Miller averaged 4.9-5.6 yards a carry. Fuller and Hopkins each had a TD and combined for 200+ yards. The defense was able to get off that field multiple teams......and they lost. This was a major coaching gaff. Being beat for a fake punt TD was inexcusable. I'm not here for a "growing pains" season when it comes to Deshaun. I know it wouldn't be some easy fantasy stats season, but this team needs to win right now, no matter who is on the field. By the time they face the Jags, they need to be 4-2.

As far as a positive:




Shout out to Duke Ejiofor too. He looked relentless out there.
 


No reason they have to lose today. They have everything at their disposal to right this ship and even things up within the next two weeks
 
HOUSTON -- Bill O'Brien has often said he likes to evaluate his team after every quarter point of the season.

Whether the Houston Texans beat the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS), improving to 1-3, or falling to 0-4, it won't be the result O'Brien and the Texans had hoped for to start the 2018 season. But if the Texans want to turn their campaign around and contend for a playoff spot, they know they need to beat the Colts.

"We have to win," O'Brien said. "We all understand that. [Texans owner] Bob [McNair] has made it very clear to me that we need to improve."

Since the beginning of the Super Bowl era, the 1992 San Diego Chargers are the only team to make the playoffs after an 0-4 start.

"This week we have to have a sense of urgency," safety Tyrann Mathieu said. "We've got to win this game. We've just got to win."

Added veteran cornerback Johnathan Joseph: "You don't want to go down 0-4. It's definitely a point where we have to start stringing some wins together."

The good news, Mathieu said, is the Texans were not blown out in any of their three losses and the team feels like it is "not that far off."

The Texans have gotten off to a slow start in each of their three losses before improving on both sides of the ball in the second half. In their first three games, the Texans scored 19 points and had 482 total net yards in the first half. That jumps to 40 points and 707 total net yards in the second half.

Houston has come close to coming back in the second half, losing the three games by a combined 15 points.

"[We're] just a couple of plays away," quarterback Deshaun Watson said. "You score one time in the red zone these last three games, we would be sitting here 3-0. It could be a different story. Just five plays away out of 60-70 plays in a game.”

Turning this season around is doable, O'Brien said, because the Texans have "only played one divisional game."

"If we win the rest of our divisional games, then we're in the playoffs," safety Justin Reid said. "That's all that's on our minds right now."

Though Joseph said he and his teammates have talked about the teams who have rebounded from an 0-3 start to make the playoffs, "it's all good to talk about it, [but] there's only one way to do it and that's going out and doing it.

"Throughout the week you get a lot of bulletin-board material and things that can get you pumped up and let you know that there is light at the end of the tunnel, but to get to that light at the end of the tunnel, you have to crawl your way out of it one way or another."

"And that comes from fighting, and keep digging and scratching and clawing."
 
Starting to think B.O.B. might be the "transitional" coach we needed, to get our culture on track, but ultimately won't lead us into the promised land. I like that he's brought in an a seeming awareness of how you need to build offenses. Not perfect, but a lot better than we'd done in the past...., but his playcalling/situational decision making is :sick:

Passing the ball to Alfred Blue out of the backfield when you're trying to run the clock out?
Running a draw to Alfred Blue when you're trying to score with under 2 mins left?

Colts coach out-dummied him, but yea really suspect. and from what I read against the Patriots, he took no accountability for not calling a timeout to get another look at that Gronk drop that was ruled a catch on the field. We're improving as a franchise, but BOB aint it (long term)
 
Starting to think B.O.B. might be the "transitional" coach we needed, to get our culture on track, but ultimately won't lead us into the promised land. I like that he's brought in an a seeming awareness of how you need to build offenses. Not perfect, but a lot better than we'd done in the past...., but his playcalling/situational decision making is :sick:

Passing the ball to Alfred Blue out of the backfield when you're trying to run the clock out?
Running a draw to Alfred Blue when you're trying to score with under 2 mins left?

Colts coach out-dummied him, but yea really suspect. and from what I read against the Patriots, he took no accountability for not calling a timeout to get another look at that Gronk drop that was ruled a catch on the field. We're improving as a franchise, but BOB aint it (long term)

Completely agree. I’ve been getting Kevin McHale vibes from BOB and that’s not s good thing. The Texans unfortunately will have to win a lot of these games in spite of him instead because of him. I’ll give him props for opening the playbook more like he did last year, but he nearly gave the game away cause he couldn’t help trying to “play Texan football” and “establish the run”. Watson was killing the Colts throwing the ball and BOB wanted 2-3 yard handoffs at terrible times.
 
yay, we got one! they didn't have to put me through a rollercoaster of emotions though.

:rolleyes
 
Here are five takeaways from Wednesday's Texans locker room and coach Bill O'Brien's news conference as they prepare for their Sunday night game against Dallas at NRG Stadium:

1. Watt not all the way back

Despite his exceptional performance the last two games – five sacks, 12 tackles (eight unassisted), four tackles for loss, five quarterback hits and two forced fumbles – defensive end J.J. Watt insists he's not all the way back.

"I've still got a lot of work to do, a lot to improve on," he said. "Since the first half of the New England game (opener), it's been getting better and better each game."

Watt was asked what he would like to do better?

"I'd like to handle double-teams and chips a little better," he said. "I'm getting more of those. Indianapolis was a long game. I'd like to be in a little better condition at the end. And there are always a lot of little things I'd like to do better."


2. Watt vs. Mack comparison

Since seeing is believing, Sunday night on NBC against the Cowboys would be a splendid opportunity for Watt to show he should be in a leading candidate to win a fourth NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award. He's won the award three times, a record he shares with outside linebacker Lawrence Taylor.


Through four games, the leading candidate for the award is Chicago outside linebacker Khalil Mack, who has helped the Bears lead the NFC North with a 3-1 record.

Here's an interesting comparison between Watt and Mack in some key statistics: tackles: Watt 20, Mack 17. Sacks: Watt 5, Mack 5. Quarterback hits: Watt 7, Mack 4. Tackles for loss: Watt 6, Mack 3. Forced fumbles: Watt 4, Mack 4.

Another big performance to help the Texans defeat the Cowboys would enhance Watt's chance to win the award for the fourth time.

"It's a chance to show what you're made of," Watt said about playing Sunday night. "All I'm trying to do is to get better than I was the week before."

3. Watson confident in his game

Quarterback Deshaun Watson didn't seem too concerned about being on a pace for 68 sacks and another 172 hits.


Watson said Wednesday he believes his offensive line is criticized unfairly because he's held the ball too long to create some of the 17 sacks.

"I try to do different things," he said. "A lot of that's on me getting rid of the ball, not holding the ball too long and just protecting myself. That's part of the game. I don't shy away from it.

"I make sure throughout the week to take care of my body and have a good recovery and do what I can do to protect myself and help out the O line.

"I'm comfortable with my game. I'm trying to read coverages, make the right reads, improve my accuracy. As far as feeling confident when I step on the field and being able to produce at a high level, I'm very cool with that."


4. Battle of Texas

Even though Deshaun Watson is playing in his second season, he knows how important it is to Houston fans for the Texans to defeat the Cowboys. Dallas has a 3-1 record against the Texans, including a three-game winning streak.

"It's the battle of Texas," Watson said. "Houston wants to beat Dallas and have the bragging rights. We've got to do our jobs and try to get those bragging rights for the city of Houston for (four) years."

The Texans have owned bragging rights once after their first-game victory over the Cowboys in 2002.


5. Coutee in demand

The player with the largest crowd of reporters around his locker was rookie receiver Keke Coutee, the fourth-round pick from Texas Tech. In his first game, he caught 11 passes for 109 yards in the victory over the Colts. Dating back to 1970, that's the most catches by a player in his first NFL game.

Coutee, who had remained on the sideline while recovering from a severe hamstring injury in training camp, showed why the Texans have been so high on him as a slot receiver.

"Keke did a great job for his first start," Deshaun Watson said. "He did what he needed to do and helped us a lot. There are some things he'll correct and improve on and continue to help the team."
 
And that’s why scoring before halftime should have happened smh. Momentum isn’t something

 
Glad we got the W. There were a few plays and of course the OT situation that reminded me of the last game we played ha.

I think we should have beat them by 10-13 in regulation, though.

It seemed like Deshaun and or our staff weren’t recognizing formations or blitz packages. There were a bunch of plays where they rushed a standard 4 and Watson got the ball out fast without letting anything develop. Then on the flip side plays where they’d rush 6 and my guy is holding the ball in the pocket. I need BOB to whisper to Deshaun about that.

Tyler Erving can’t pass block or sumn? Somebody has to be able to spell Blue on passing plays (and running lol). I hope Donta takes everybody’s minutes.

Dak stepped out of bounds on 3rd down with like 1:49 to go in the 4th...and we didn’t capitalize because of our suspect play calling. Like I say - glad we sent them up 35 with an L but that was hard to watch at times.

S/O JD (MVP?!) and Watt, Zach, Bernard and in general our run defense and pass rush
 
a W is a W. didn't like how DW4 was trying to punch it in himself.
 
Glad we got the W. There were a few plays and of course the OT situation that reminded me of the last game we played ha.

I think we should have beat them by 10-13 in regulation, though.

It seemed like Deshaun and or our staff weren’t recognizing formations or blitz packages. There were a bunch of plays where they rushed a standard 4 and Watson got the ball out fast without letting anything develop. Then on the flip side plays where they’d rush 6 and my guy is holding the ball in the pocket. I need BOB to whisper to Deshaun about that.

Tyler Erving can’t pass block or sumn? Somebody has to be able to spell Blue on passing plays (and running lol). I hope Donta takes everybody’s minutes.

Dak stepped out of bounds on 3rd down with like 1:49 to go in the 4th...and we didn’t capitalize because of our suspect play calling. Like I say - glad we sent them up 35 with an L but that was hard to watch at times.

S/O JD (MVP?!) and Watt, Zach, Bernard and in general our run defense and pass rush

TBH this game should've been 31-10 Texans. So many points left on the board due to ineptitude. How do you run shotgun on 4th and 1, but on 4th and 3 you run it up the gut?

I was also wondering why Buddy Howell didn't get any carries. I get Blue is tough and sturdy, but your second RB option without Miller in the lineup shouldn't be Watson. Watson got beat up so much and that's def the reason he's day to day. Really, I wouldn't mind just having Webb work with the first team and rest Deshaun up for the Jags. Ideally, we are 4-3 after the Jags, which would be tough as well but still be in good position to make a run.

Props to the defense overall during this game. They made Zeke pretty subar, and only allowed 3 down the field plays. Major shoutout to them. Another thing, Kayvon Webster played a whopping 2 plays before getting a hamstring injury, and now he's on injured reserve. It really sucks cause I thought he could be a good addition to this unit and be s stud.



My guy Shorts spent 1 season in Houston, and I'm not sure he ever went back to his hometown :lol
 
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