MNF AT JERRY WORLD!
Here's what's working, what needs fixing ahead of Texans' Monday night showdown with Cowboys
Nov 12, 2024, 1:50 pm
The Cowboys host the Texans on Monday night. Composite Getty Image.
Houston’s offense hit a new low Sunday night when the Texans lost to the Detroit Lions despite intercepting Jared Goff a franchise-record five times.
The Texans led by 16 at halftime but gave up 19 unanswered points in the second half to allow the Lions to escape with a 26-23 win.
C.J. Stroud was intercepted on two of Houston’s first three possessions of the second half, and the Texans punted on three straight drives after the second pick. They still had a chance to take the lead late, but Ka'imi Fairbairn’s 58-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left.
Jake Bates' 52-yard field goal as time expired sent Houston (6-4) to its third loss in four games after a 5-1 start.
“We didn’t play winning football,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “We stalled on a lot drives and didn’t score any points in the second half. To beat a good football team like that, we have to be able to sustain drives. We have to be able to score points. We were going backwards way too much.”
Stroud tied a season high with his two interceptions after he hadn’t been picked off in the previous three games. He was disappointed in himself for not executing better in the second half.
“Defense is getting the turnovers like they were, so we’ve got to be able to reward them with points,” he said. “That’s something we didn’t do. I feel like I’m the one to blame when it comes to that.”
The Texans routinely found themselves in third-and-long situations against the Lions as they struggled to run the ball. Houston managed just 56 yards rushing Sunday, its second-lowest output of the season.
“We have to win first and second down,” Ryans said. “Too many negative plays on first and second down. We didn’t run the ball well. ... When you don’t play well on first and second down, you find yourself in third-and-long, and it’s hard to continuously win third-and-long.”
What's working
Houston’s five interceptions are the most in the NFL since the Panthers picked off Jameis Winston five times in a win over Tampa Bay on Oct. 14, 2019.
Houston’s rookies led the way Sunday with Kamari Lassiter, a second-round pick from Georgia, grabbing two interceptions and Calen Bullock getting one. Bullock, selected in the third round from Southern California, has four interceptions, which is tied for most by a rookie this season.
What needs help
The Texans have led at halftime in each of their last four games, only to lose three of those. Houston has managed just 15 points combined in the second half of the last four games and hasn’t scored a touchdown after halftime in any of them.
Stroud couldn’t put his finger on why they’ve had trouble after halftime, saying it “seems like it’s different every week.” He believes it's up to him to turn things around.
“The blame is on me,” he said. “I’ve got to be better in those moments.”
Stock up
WR John Metchie III. The third-year player had a career-high 74 yards receiving and scored the first touchdown of his career on a 15-yard grab in the second quarter. Metchie missed his entire rookie season in 2022 recovering from leukemia.
“I’m super proud of him and super happy that he’s getting his opportunities and showing his worth,” Stroud said.
Stock down
WR Tank Dell had 39 yards receiving a week after he had a season-high 126. The Texans need him to play more consistently with star Stefon Diggs out for the season with a knee injury.
Injuries
WR Nico Collins was activated from the injured reserve on Saturday but was inactive against the Lions, extending his absence to five games. ... DE Will Anderson Jr. (ankle) did not play. ... Lassiter will likely miss the next game after sustaining a concussion.
Key number
34 – Stroud was sacked four times to raise his total to 34, which is the second most in the NFL this season.
Next steps
The Texans will have an extra day to prepare and try to clean up their mistakes before an in-state showdown next Monday night at the Dallas Cowboys, who have dropped four in a row.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
Despite a last-minute comeback attempt by Gonzaga on Saturday, the Cougars defeated the Bulldogs and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the sixth straight NCAA Tournament.
Houston will face the No.4 seed Purdue, who made it to the championship game last year.
The Boilermakers will be one of the toughest opponents the Cougars have faced thus far and will essentially have the home-court advantage with the game taking place in Indianapolis.
Despite the daunting matchup on paper, Houston is currently an -8.5 favorite to win this game. The Cougars should be able to handle Purdue so long as their offense stays hot and they continue to play defense at an elite level.
Keep the offense flowing
Houston guard LJ Cryer matched a career-high with 30 points against Gonzaga and has been the offensive focal point of this team.
This season, the Baylor transfer has averaged 15.6 points per game and has stepped up to be one of the unquestioned leaders of this team.
In addition to Cryer, the Cougars have Milos Uzan and Emanuel Sharp, who can carry the offensive load as they did during the Big 12 Tournament and against SIUE on Thursday.
J’Wan Roberts is another key factor for Houston’s success. The senior forward seems to have recovered from his ankle injury and has been a productive player since returning to the lineup.
Roberts leads the team in rebounds and is one of the most efficient scorers for the Cougars, averaging more than 50% from the field over his last five seasons.
Houston’s dynamic offense and elite defense makes this team one of the toughest to beat during the tournament.
Containing Purdue’s stars
The Boilermakers have two proficient scorers on their team, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Braden Smith, who each average over 15 points per game.
Kaufman-Renn scored 22 points in his previous game against McNeese State and has been one of Purdue’s best players for most of this year.
Roberts and Joseph Tuggler will likely be assigned to the junior forward to slow down his offense, forcing his teammates to step up.
Smith is Purdue’s second-leading scorer, averaging 16 points per game, and has the most assists and steals for the Boilermakers this season.
Both Uzan and Cyrer, who have been elite parameter defenders, will cover the Purdue guard and limit his production.
Containing both Kaufman-Renn and Smith will be Houston’s top priority and the key to come away victorious.
Play Cougar basketball
Head coach Kelvin Sampson has now made it to at least the Sweet 16 six consecutive times and has his team well-positioned to make another deep tournament run.
Since arriving in Houston, the 69-year-old coach has turned this program from an afterthought to one of the best basketball teams in the country year after year.
Sampson’s key to his success is instilling a defensive-first mentality into his team and getting the best effort out of his players.
This season is no different, as Houston has the number-one ranked defense in the nation and is holding their opponents to 58.4 points per game on average.
If the Cougars can create consistent offense and continue playing defense at an elite level, they should win this game with ease and advance to the Elite 8 for the first time in three years.
The Houston-Purdue game will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium on Friday at 9 pm. The winner will play either Kentucky or Tennessee in the next round.