Bengals 37, Texans 31
5 observations from the Texans 37-31 loss to the Bengals
Dec 27, 2020, 3:19 pm
Things can't get much worse for the Texans. Photo by Getty Images.
Deshaun Watson and David Johnson had big days.
The Texans and Bengals had little to play for on Sunday, and it showed at times, especially on defense, where neither team was interested in tackling. But it was an entertaining game that came down to the wire. The sad thing is the Texans can't even beat the Bengals. Five thoughts on the Bengals 37-31 win:
1) Where have you been all season, David Johnson? The overpaid running back has been awful all year, but on Sunday, he actually looked like a Pro Bowl running back. Johnson had 12 carries for 128 yards and a touchdown, plus 3 catches for 11 yards and another touchdown. That he did it behind an injury riddled offensive line was all the more impressive. For the first time, Johnson looked like a real running back, with explosive runs. Being able to run the ball was huge for the Texans, as it kept them in the game. He won't be back next season, but he might have earned himself a shot somewhere else.
2) This guy can play for this team next year. Keion Crossen has quietly had a solid season. A special teams ace, he has been forced into coverage duty because of injuries and suspensions. He is one of the few DBs who has been solid in coverage, and did a nice job on A.J. Green. Even when he was beat, he had good coverage. Not a star by any stretch, but unlike a lot of his teammates, he belongs in the NFL. He was one of the few bright spots on a defense that made Brandon Allen look like a Hall of Famer.
3) Deshaun Watson is having a great statistical season. Watson had another good game, with 324 yards and 3 TDs on 24 of 33 passing. He was the second best quarterback on the field on Sunday, but Johnson's big day helped him out. Watson will finish with well over 4,000 passing yards, has 30 touchdowns and only six interceptions. His escapability in the pocket is amazing. But he once again turned the ball over late to end the Texans chances on a sack fumble. Despite that, his team should have a much better record. Allen was better on Sunday, but this season has been a breakout year for Watson. He just needs a lot more help. Having said that, he should not play next week. No reason to get him hurt in another meaningless game.
4) The interior defensive line needs new blood next year. The Texans will have a lot of holes to fill in the off-season, especially in the secondary. But just as glaring is the interior defensive line. They were blown off the ball many times, and run defense starts there. Maybe Ross Blacklock develops next season, but if not, the Texans need a brand new group. The defense in general is a mess, with maybe five players who are worth a damn. None are in the interior.
5) Romeo Crennel needs to be put out to pasture. He is a likeable dude, and he was thrust into a tough situation. But the defense is his baby, and it has regressed year after year. A new scheme, new thoughts and a fresh approach are imperative. It would be hard for this team to be worse. The new staff should thank Romeo for his efforts and wish him luck elsewhere.
The bottom line: This game really meant nothing, except to pad some stats. Deshaun Watson, David Johnson, Brandin Cooks and Brandon Allen did just that.
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With the Astros now officially ten games under .500 for the season, manager Joe Espada is taking a lot of heat from the fanbase for the team's struggles.
While we don't agree with the sentiment, we even hear fans clamoring for the return of Dusty Baker and Martin Maldonado, thinking the Astros wouldn't be in this mess if they were still here.
Which is ridiculous. First of all, Maldonado has been awful for the White Sox, hitting .048 (even worse than Jose Abreu's .065). And for those of you that think his work with the pitching staff justifies his pathetic offense. Let me say this: Where was Maldy's game calling genius for Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier, and Framber Valdez last year? All of them regressed significantly.
And as far as Baker is concerned, we have no idea how much a difference he would make, we can only speculate. Baker would also be dealing with a pitching staff ravaged with injuries. And let's not forget, Baker was the guy that refused to move Jose Abreu down in the batting order, even though he would finish the regular season with the ninth-worst OPS in baseball.
The reality of the situation is managers can only do so much in baseball. Which leads us to something else that needs to be considered. Is Espada being handcuffed by the front office? Espada and GM Dana Brown both said recently that Jon Singleton was going to get more at-bats while they give Abreu time off to try to figure things out. Yet, there Abreu was in the lineup again in the opening game of the Cubs series.
It makes us wonder how much power does Espada truly have? The Astros have some other options at first base. Yainer Diaz may only have eight games played at the position, but how much worse could he be than Abreu defensively? Abreu already has four errors, and Diaz is obviously a way better hitter. Victor Caratini isn't considered a plus offensive player, but his .276 batting average makes him look like Babe Ruth compared to Abreu. Let him catch more often and play Diaz at first. Starting Diaz at first more often could also lengthen his career long-term.
Maybe that's too wild of a move. Okay, fine. How about playing Mauricio Dubon at first base? I understand he doesn't have much experience at that position, but what's the downside of trying him there? If he can play shortstop, he can play first base. He's driving in runs at a higher rate (11 RBIs) than everyone on the team outside of Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez. And he's producing like that as part-time player right now.
The other criticism we see of Espada is his use of Jon Singleton to pinch hit late in games. Let's be real, though, who else does Espada have on the roster to go to? Batting Abreu late in games in which you're trailing should be considered malpractice. Espada can only use who he has to work with. This all really stems from the Astros poor farm system.
They don't have anyone else to turn to. The draft picks the club lost from the sign-stealing scandal are really hurting them right now. First and second rounders from 2020 and 2021 should be helping you in 2024 at the big league level.
Maybe they go to Astros prospect Joey Loperfido soon, but after a hot start he has only two hits in his last six games.
Finally, we have to talk about what seems like a committee making baseball decisions. Lost in a committee is accountability. Who gets the blame for making poor decisions?
As time continues to pass it looks like moving on from former GM James Click was a massive mistake. He's the guy that didn't sign Abreu, but did trade Myles Straw (recently DFA'd) for Yainer Diaz and Phil Maton. He also built an elite bullpen without breaking the bank, and helped the club win a World Series in 2022.
The reality of the situation is Dusty Baker and James Click are not walking back through that door. And all good runs come to an end at some point. Is this what we're witnessing?
Don't miss the video above as we hit on all the points discussed and much more!
Catch Stone Cold 'Stros (an Astros podcast) with Charlie Pallilo, Brandon Strange, and Josh Jordan. We drop two episodes every week on SportsMapHouston's YouTube channel. You can also listen on Apple Podcast, Spotifyor wherever you get your podcasts.