STOOTS ON TEXANS

11 observations from Texans' 23-10 loss to Commanders

11 observations from Texans' 23-10 loss to Commanders
The Texans had five net yards at halftime. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.

The Houston Texans played one of their worst games of the season. The Washington Commanders marched their way to a 23-10 victory. Here are 11 observations from the thrashing.

1. The offense was anemic in the first half. There was nothing working at all and it frequently drew boos from the crowd. It was the worst half of offense this team has played in a long time.

2. The Texans had five net yards at halftime. Per TruMedia Sports there have only been 11 instances this century of a team failing to get 10-plus yards in the first half. The Texans were the last team before today when they had negative yards last year in Buffalo against the Bills.

3. The offensive play calling is putrid. Pep Hamilton’s offense, when it is executed, is bad. There is no faith in this team to throw the ball deep, and if the rushing attack gets stuffed it is almost assuredly a punt.

4. Davis Mills threw a bad interception to start the game. Mills shouldn’t be staring down wideouts, much less Brandin Cooks. Terrible job by the future backup quarterback.

5. Kenyon Green has had a bad stretch the past few weeks. This was among his worst games. One play saw Green used to tackle Davis Mills basically as he got blown off the football. Another play saw Green quickly dispatched and his man earn the sack. Kenyon Green hit the rookie wall and then it fell on him.

6. The entire offensive line played poorly on Sunday. Thankfully this hasn’t been an every-week occurrence with the full line playing poor, but it tanked the offense. Lovie Smith said after the game the performance of the offensive line kept anything from being able to happen on offense.

7. Lovie Smith was incredulous when it came to being asked about changes on the team. Smith was adamant the team played the players they believed helped them win. It doesn’t sound like changes on offense are coming.

8. The Texans should consider making a change to the offensive staff. Pep Hamilton has been poor this year. Ben McDaniels is the wide receivers coach & passing game coordinator and the younger brother of Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels. I would see if he can call an offense like his brother.

9. Jalen Pitre must catch interceptions when they hit him in the hands. The game might be totally different if the rookie safety holds on to the early opportunity. He bounced back well from a subpar performance last week.

10. The defense was fine. Nothing amazing from the defense, and the offense put them in some unfavorable spots. The defense doesn’t possess the ability to win the team games nor can it overcome this level of offense, but it was a fine performance from the unit.

11. The fans that attended the game made their presence known. NRG Stadium was maybe sixty percent full and had a good amount of Washington fans. The Texans fans were loud with boos a few times. The Commanders fans were very loud with a “defense” chant late in the game. The rest of the home games should be interesting observations in the fan base's interest in the team. Especially the next home game against the Browns with Deshaun Watson’s debut.

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The Texans can make a statement with a win against Detroit!Composite Getty Image.

Sunday night matchups don't get much exciting than this, as the Houston Texans host the Detroit Lions in prime-time at NRG.

The Lions come into this game on a six-game winning streak looking every bit of the best team in football. Houston on the other hand has lost two of their last three games with a struggling offense unable to protect their quarterback.

CJ Stroud has only one passing touchdown over this span, and is clearly having trouble adjusting to life without Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins.

If Houston is going to come away with an upset victory, they will need big performances from Tank Dell and Joe Mixon. After catching 4 passes against the Colts two weeks ago, Mixon not only failed to catch a single pass against the Jets, but he wasn't even targeted.

Considering the Texans' offensive line issues, choosing not to use Mixon as a pass catcher is hard to fathom. Especially since he and Dell are the team's top 2 playmakers.

What's working in the Texans' favor?

They play this game at home, where they are undefeated this season. A lot of the team's protection issues have popped up on the road, so communication should be easier for the offense on their home turf.

Bulls on Parade

We have good news and bad news about the defense this week. On the positive side, Azeez Al-Shaair and Jimmy Ward have returned to practice. If they're able to contribute on Sunday night, that would give the defense a lift.

And now for the bad news. Will Anderson has yet to practice this week after rolling his ankle in the Jets game. If he is unable to practice on Friday, it's hard to imagine he'll be active against Detroit.

X-factors

The Texans have to show some improvement on the offensive line this week.

Houston must lean on Joe Mixon again, as Nico Collins isn't expected to play.

Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the best receivers in the league, and he does most of his damage from the slot. If the Texans continue to deploy Jalen Pitre against premier receivers in man coverage, St. Brown is going to light up the scoreboard.

What would a win over the Lions mean to Houston?

The Texans are no longer considered a true championship contender because of their losses to the Packers, Vikings, and Jets. In fact, the Bills are the only team with a winning record that the Texans have beaten.

An upset win over the streaking Lions would change that narrative.

What does Vegas think?

The Lions are currently favored by 3.5 and the total is set at 49 points.

Don't miss the full preview of Texans-Lions in the video above!


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