How Super Bowl LVIII highlighted critical lessons for Houston Texans coaches, players
TEXANS ON TAP
14 February 2024
TEXANS ON TAP
Watching the Chiefs square off in the Super Bowl against the 49ers had a different feel when viewed through the eyes of a Houston Texans fan.
The 49ers connection is very apparent, with head coach DeMeco Ryans and OC Bobby Slowik coming over from San Francisco just last year. Seeing the Texans improve drastically on defense this season, should give Houston fans hope that they could watch their team in The Big Game in the not too distant future.
The 49ers may have lost the game, but they did hold Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs to under 20 points before the game went to overtime. So the defense did their part.
On offense, it's hard not to see a little Patrick Mahomes in CJ Stroud's game. What really stood out to us was how the Texans could someday become a perfect blend of the 49ers and Chiefs. An elite QB surrounded by a top-notch defense.
Another area we can look at is special teams. The 49ers hurt themselves a couple of times on Sunday when kicker Jake Moody had an extra-point blocked, and they turned the ball over later in the game on punt coverage. The latter mistake was the main reason the Chiefs were able to score their first touchdown of the game, as it gave them excellent field position.
The Texans have some big decisions to make when it comes to special teams this offseason. Both kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn and punter Cam Johnston are free agents. Fairbairn missed two critical kicks at the end of the season. An extra point against the Colts in the final game of the regular season, and a field goal that would have given Houston the lead before half-time against the Ravens in the divisional playoff round. Something they should consider before offering him a contract.
Finally, we can't overstate how important a good tight end can be in big games. Both Mahomes and Tom Brady built their dynasties throwing to great tight ends, Travis Kelce and Rob Gronkowski.
Texans TE Dalton Schultz is currently a free agent. And while he doesn't compare to those future Hall of Famers, he's the best option available in free agency. Even if they decide not to bring him back, clearly this is a position Houston should prioritize.
Be sure to check out the video above as we discuss these critical lessons learned, and much more!
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Jalen Green made eight 3-pointers and scored 38 points to lead the Houston Rockets to a 109-94 win over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night in a testy matchup to even the first-round Western Conference series at one game apiece.
30 PTS through 3 quarters 🔥@JalenGreen https://t.co/Qj2MAu16Yz
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) April 24, 2025
The seventh-seeded Warriors never led and played short-handed for most of the night after Jimmy Butler left with a pelvis contusion after a hard fall on a foul late in the first quarter.
Green, the No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft, rebounded from a flop in his playoff debut, when he scored just seven points on 3-of-15 shooting, with a dominant Game 2.
His eight 3-pointers were two more than the No. 2-seeded Rockets made on 6-of-29 shooting in a 95-85 Game 1 loss.
𝙏𝙐𝙁𝙁 step 🔙 pic.twitter.com/xGcq0fgwcX
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) April 24, 2025
Alperen Sengun had 17 points and 16 rebounds for the Rockets. Tari Eason had 14 points off the bench.
𝙥𝙤𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 🍿@alperennsengun pic.twitter.com/ll5Pge7R3q
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) April 24, 2025
Game 2 is Saturday night at Golden State.
Stephen Curry had 20 points and nine assists for the Warriors and become the 11th player in NBA history to reach 4,000 career playoff points with 4,017.
Houston led by 20 with about 10 minutes left before the Warriors used a 9-0 run, with two 3s from Quinten Post, run to get within 11. Jalen Green was called for a flagrant foul on Draymond Green at the end of that run after he flailed an arm into his face.
The Rockets then used an 8-0 spurt, highlighted by a step-back 3 from Green, to extend the lead to 99-80 with 5 ½ minutes remaining. Draymond Green received a technical foul in that stretch for arguing with officials and Eason received one for throwing a towel in an “unsportsmanlike manner.”
The loss of Butler, acquired from Miami in a February trade, was a huge blow to the Warriors after he had 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the series opener. On top of Butler’s injury, the Warriors were also hampered by Brandin Podziemski’s stomach ailment.
He missed most of the first half dealing with the problem and was scoreless in 14 minutes after scoring 14 points in Game 1.
Final Thoughts
Vanessa Richardson was joined by Sengun after the big win!
“I was telling him, we’ve earned this.”
Tonight, in their fourth season, Alperen Sengun & Jalen Green win their first playoff game. @SpaceCityHN | @HoustonRockets #Liftoff pic.twitter.com/56OctjGAgU
— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) April 24, 2025