Lovie Smith has to shoulder some of the blame. Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images.
9 important Texans takeaways from Lovie Smith's press conference
The Houston Texans lost yet another game as their own mistakes cost them. The Giants win over Houston 24-16. Here are 11 observations.
1. This team makes a lot of mistakes. It is a poorly coached team. Plenty of poor moments from this team keep it from achieving anything close to the consistency of winning football.
2. The offense is inconsistent. It lacks creativity, and some of the worst plays are the scripted ones to start the game. Pep Hamilton had a little pop here or there but success is marred by the trust of Rex Burkhead in key moments.
3. Davis Mills felt a little gun-shy today. He needs to pull the trigger on some of these opportunities. I would instead prefer a mistake down the field than succeeding short.
4. The offense needs to take attempts toward the sticks. The offense far too often is sitting there throwing well short of the sticks. It makes no sense.
5. Jordan Akins has been a nice surprise. He had a fantastic day in the passing game and is the best tight end in the receiving game. He’s playing the best football of his career.
6. Brevin Jordan being a healthy scratch says a lot. Jordan shouldn’t be a healthy scratch on a team lacking talent. None of these three tight ends who were active today were playing in training camp. Jordan was. Yikes.
7. Et tu Pitre? Jalen Pitre has been struggling the past few weeks. The rookie wall is here for him and he needs to pull out of it. The tackling prowess is there, he just hasn’t executed in recent weeks.
8. I was extremely disappointed in the defensive plan today. Lovie Smith loves to play zone coverage, but this was the team to play man coverage against. Derek Stingley is almost an afterthought on this defense, relegated to zone defense. It is a poor use of his skills, Steven Nelson’s talents, and the opportunity against the Giants today.
9. Christian Harris is fun to watch. You can see why the team was excited to draft him. I don’t know if he can ever be the best linebacker on a team, but if the Texans ever get a great linebacker, he will be a fantastic Robin to that player’s Batman.
10. Was anyone upset to see Brandin Cooks’ touchdown come off the board? Loaded question. I know. Kenyon Green has been sloppy these past few weeks more than you would like, but he’s the best left guard this team has had in years. There is something there. The Texans need to hope that jump happens for him.
11. The chase for the top pick got some help today. The Panthers had already won Thursday, but the Steelers and Lions won, putting a game between them and the Texans in the chase for the top spot in the draft. Houston will have to finish with fewer wins than all other teams to get the top spot based on their week one tie to the Colts.
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Houston falls short as Soto’s homer, missed opportunities doom Astros
Mar 28, 2025, 10:26 pm
With a chance to make a late splash in his New York Mets debut, Juan Soto came up empty.
After signing the biggest contract in baseball history last offseason, the slugger came to bat with two runners aboard and the Mets down by two in the ninth inning Thursday. But instead of delivering the huge hit New York was looking for, he whiffed on a full-count slider from hard-throwing closer Josh Hader that was way outside the strike zone to send the Mets to a second straight opening day loss in Houston's 3-1 victory.
“He just got me in that situation,” Soto said.
Hader loaded the bases with nobody out, then fanned third-string catcher Hayden Senger in his first major league at-bat. Francisco Lindor’s sacrifice fly made it 3-1, and there were runners on first and third when Hader struck out Soto for his 200th career save.
“We all want to do something in a big spot,” Soto said. “We’re all trying to get the knock and try to bring the runs in and try to help the team either way.”
Soto singled and walked twice against the Astros after signing a record $765 million, 15-year contract as a free agent in December.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was asked if he thought Soto felt extra pressure in the ninth inning because it was his first game with a new team.
“Yeah, of course, as a competitor he always wants to come through,” Mendoza said. “I thought he had some good at-bats today and even on that one he got it 3-0 and then 3-1 and that pitch that he got there (he) just missed it. Pretty good pitch. But he’ll come through.”
Soto, who played for the American League champion New York Yankees last season, joins the Mets as they chase their first World Series title since 1986.
The four-time All-Star was disappointed his first game with the Mets didn't go their way.
“I was expecting to win the game,” he said. “Definitely it’s not how we wanted. ... They’re a really good team over there and they come in and grind. For me it was a good experience. These guys are amazing and we’ve been having a good time since spring training and we’ve just got to bring that all the way.”
The 26-year-old Soto hit .288 with 41 homers and 109 RBIs last year and won a Silver Slugger Award for a fifth straight season.
Soto is a career .285 hitter with 201 home runs and 592 RBIs in seven major league seasons. He's also played for the Nationals and Padres.
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