JERMAINE EVERY'S OBSERVATIONS
The good, bad and ugly from the Texans win over the Browns
Dec 2, 2018, 3:11 pm
Deshaun Watson (right) threw a nice TD pass to Jordan Thomas. Bob Levey/Getty images
The Texans bullied the Browns en route to their ninth consecutive win. Here’s how I saw the 29-13 win:
The Good
-Deshaun Watson made some really nice touch passes. One to tight end Jordan Thomas for a touchdown particularly stood out. The pass had to get over the underneath coverage, but deep enough for Thomas to make the catch without the safety drifting over to help. Did I mention it was on a play action rollout?
-Zach Cunningham made a couple unbelievable plays in pass coverage. He played the pass lane in zone and broke up one pass on a third down, and then he intercepted a pass by playing the pass lane and returned it for a touchdown. Plays like these, and his sideline to sideline speed
-Justin Reid is the real deal. He had a forced fumble to take away a for sure touchdown. A lot is said of his playmaking ability, but he can hit as well. In the fourth quarter with the game decided, the Texans were in cover two to keep everything underneath. Reid nearly decapitated Jarvis Landry when he ran from the hash mark to the sideline to make the play.
The Bad
-Kareem Jackson got called for a 47-yard pass interference penalty on a deep ball that may not have been catchable. He tackled Antonio Callaway and the ball fell about four to five yards in front of them. That could have led to points had Jonathan Joseph not picked off Baker Mayfield two plays later.
-Jabrill Peppers shot through the B gap (between the offensive tackle and guard) on a blitz and Lamar Miller whiffed on the block. That could’ve gotten Watson hit cleanly had he not side-stepped Peppers and ran for a first down. As good as Miller has run the ball, his pass protection lacked severely on this play.
-In the first half, the defense picked off Baker Mayfield three times and held the Browns to 46 yards passing. They gave up 351 in the second half and didn’t record a sack.
The Ugly
-Browns defensive end Myles Garrett sacked Watson on their opening drive and pulled him down via a horse collar tackle. The penalty wasn’t called because Watson was in the pocket. This is a very rare instance in which the quarterback isn’t protected. It looked worse than what it was and could have been scary given Watson’s history with knee injuries.
-Watson continues to unnecessarily extend plays and get himself hit. This will come back to haunt him one day if he continues to do so. It’s one thing to extend plays by moving around, but doing so by risking your health is dumb. Don’t be dumb.
-Offensive line depth is a problem. Only dressing seven guys and having two of them get hurt in multiple games this year isn’t good. That is not how you want to go into the playoff run. This is the second time in three games it has happened. While it’s too late to make a trade or getting a 300 pounder of his couch, maybe practice squad garage sale shopping can be an option.
Bonus
-Andre Hal made a great play to intercept a pass in the first half. His Tony Toe Tap pick took points off the board as he picked off the pass in the end zone. To come back from cancer to play at a high level in the same year is unbelievable.
Great all-around game by the Texans. There’s still work to do. Offensive line depth, Watson screwing around extending plays, and defensive brain farts are all issues. The run game is going strong. Despite some bumps along the road, 9-3 with a three game division lead is pretty sweet.
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After dropping a frustrating series to the Chicago White Sox, the Houston Astros find themselves in a familiar position—searching for answers, but still within striking distance. Despite their inconsistency, Houston sits just three games behind the AL West-leading Mariners, who are currently 7 games over .500 and riding an 8-2 stretch. For as up-and-down as the Astros have been, the division remains tantalizingly close.
That inconsistency was on full display throughout the White Sox series. Jake Meyers and Zach Dezenzo each played the roles of both hero and heartbreaker. Dezenzo launched a massive home run in Game 3, a moment that energized the dugout and briefly shifted momentum. But his costly defensive error later in the game flipped the script. Meyers was a spark plug in Houston’s lone win, delivering a clutch performance at the plate, only to run the team out of a rally in the finale when he was picked off second—right before Jeremy Peña ripped what would have been an RBI single.
Jose Altuve’s struggles are quietly becoming more worrisome. He’s recorded just one multi-hit game since April 19 and has only one homer since April 8. On Sunday, he swung at the first pitch after Lance McCullers had grinded through a 33-pitch inning—a decision that raised questions about his awareness in a veteran moment. Should manager Joe Espada have reminded Altuve of the situation? Or is this on Altuve, who should have known what to do as one of the team leaders?
Signs of life
There are flickers of life from the bats. Last week, Houston's team OPS was an underwhelming .667 (23rd in MLB), with a slugging percentage of .357 (25th). They've nudged those numbers up to .684 (19th) and .370 (21st), respectively. It’s modest progress, but enough to suggest this offense might be trending in the right direction. Still, their 5-5 record over the last 10 games feels emblematic of who they are right now—a .500 team with both talent and flaws.
Looking ahead
The upcoming schedule could be a turning point. Three of the next five opponents have losing records, and none of them are elite. This stretch offers a prime opportunity for Houston to finally build momentum and close the gap in the division—assuming the Mariners cool off from their current tear, which seems inevitable given their unsustainable 8-2 pace.
McCullers is officially back!
Lance McCullers returned for the first time since 2022 and, despite being limited to 3.2 innings due to command issues (three walks and a hit batter), there were encouraging signs. His velocity was there, and the stuff looked sharp. It’s a start, and perhaps a step toward stabilizing a rotation that still needs length.
Steering the ship
Manager Joe Espada, however, continues to draw scrutiny. His decision-making in the finale raised eyebrows again. Giving Isaac Paredes a day off when Yordan Alvarez was already sitting left the lineup depleted. Rather than using promising young infielder/outfielder Cam Smith, he opted for Mauricio Dubón and Brendan Rodgers—a defensive combo that didn't inspire confidence. It feels at times like Espada isn’t prioritizing winning the final game of a series, a pattern that could haunt the team down the stretch.
The plot thickens
Meanwhile, Christian Walker’s slump is dragging on. He went 0-for-5 twice in the last two series and looks out of sync at the plate. The Astros need more from their power hitters if they hope to make a real run. And with Alvarez now heading to the IL with hand inflammation, runs will be even harder to come by.
All told, this team still feels like one hovering just above or below .500. But in a division that remains wide open, the path forward is clear: play better, hope the Mariners come back to earth, and capitalize on a soft schedule. The race is far from over—but it’s time for Houston to start acting like contenders.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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