ANOTHER ROUGH DAY
10 observations from the Texans loss to the 49ers: Why is Vrabel getting a pass?
Dec 10, 2017, 3:13 pm
The Texans defense has regressed under Mike Vrabel. Getty Images
The Texans lost to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday 26-16. They were pretty much dominated from the start. Here are 10 observations on the game:
Why is Mike Vrabel getting no heat? The Texans defense rarely gets sacks or turnovers. They have given up an NFL-most 14 plays of over 40 yards or more. They are often out of position. That’s on the defensive coordinator. We keep getting told this guy is a good coach. But the results say otherwise. Yes, there have been injuries. Romeo Crennel dealt with that last year and the results were much better.
T.J. Yates looked much better than Tom Savage. Is this another case where Bill O’Brien’s stubborn insistence that a guy can play cost his team? He has mismanaged his quarterbacks every year. It likely won’t matter next season if DeShaun Watson stays healthy, but…
Kevin Johnson has seriously regressed. From penalties to just poor coverage, he looks nothing like the player he was before getting injured last year.
Jimmy Garappolo is the real deal. The Texans could have drafted him instead of Xavier Su'a Filo. They have a promising quarterback now, but this guy looks legit. And San Fran gave up a lot less to get him.
DeAndre Hopkins is playing out of his mind. It’s a shame his terrific season is being wasted. He had 11 catches for 151 yards and two TDs, giving him 11 for the season, something the great Andre Johnson never did. He did fumble in the fourth quarter, which proved crucial. If there is any flaw in his game, it is ball protection. It rarely hurts them, but it bit them hard on Sunday.
As much as I praised Bill O’Brien’s playcalling last week, this week was predictable again. Running the ball on first down every single time? I get that you need to run the football, but it clearly was not working.
Jadeveon Clowney once again was a disruptive force. His stats look pedestrian, but he was all over the field.
Stephen Anderson, a week after his best game as a pro, was terrible against the 49ers, with two drops and a bad holding call.
Brian Cushing returned and looked good. You just wonder how much juice was flowing through his veins.
I know injuries have been a factor, but the Texans continue to have some of the worst special teams play in football. Ka’imi Fairbarn missed his third extra point of the season and yet another field goal. A guy off the practice squad muffed another punt. Coverage was lacking as well. This has been a problem since the franchise was founded. DeAndrew White does not belong in the NFL. Why is Will Fuller not returning punts?
Coming off a disappointing loss to the Chiefs in the divisional round of the playoffs, we examine what went wrong for the Texans, and how they can improve the team this offseason.
Once again the offensive line was the weak link on the team, and according to PFF had their worst performance of the season versus KC, posting a 44.9 pass blocking grade.
Right tackle Blake Fisher struggled the most, recording a 33.7 pass blocking grade. But it wasn't all on him, when he was given help from tight ends and running backs, it didn't make much of a difference. In some ways, attempting to chip pass rushers made things worse for Fisher. The help he was expecting didn't deliver, which caught him off guard.
Clearly the team missed tight end Cade Stover (broken collarbone), as Dalton Schultz was forced into more pass blocking situations where he failed repeatedly and looked like he had no interest in being physical.
Another area of concern was special teams. Kicker Kaimi Fairbairn was a big reason the Texans lost the game, shrinking in clutch situations and further proving he's a significantly worse kicker when he's not in the cozy temperature-controlled confines of NRG.
Considering the outlook in the AFC for the foreseeable future, trusting Fairbairn to perform in Buffalo, Baltimore, or Kansas City in January seems foolish.
But it's hard to believe Houston will move on from Fairbairn due to his contract. And the same goes for Schultz. One way the Texans can minimize Fairbairn's struggles would be to secure a bye in the playoffs next year, and avoid going on the road in the divisional round.
Looking for positives
Despite the loss, the Texans top players graded out well against KC, according to PFF.
Highest graded Texans
NIco Collins 85.5
CJ Stroud 85.3
Will Anderson 81.9
Danielle Hunter 80.8
Laremy Tunsil 75.9
Henry To'oTo'o 74.6
Final thoughts
Anyone with eyes knows that the Texans have to upgrade the offensive line next season. But next on the list has to be the receiving corps. At this point, you can't count on Tank Dell being healthy next season. Xavier Hutchinson and John Metchie III have been unable to get open in the NFL. So, should the team consider re-signing Stefon Diggs, who's also recovering from a serious knee injury and well into his thirties? That's a big no for me personally.
Hopefully the Texans prioritize youth and spend one of their first two picks on a receiver. A dynamic pass-catching tight end that can actually block should also be considered.
Don't miss the video above as the crew from Texans on Tap breaks it all down!