STOOTS ON TEXANS
11 observations from Texans' 23-10 loss to Commanders
Nov 21, 2022, 8:45 am
STOOTS ON TEXANS
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.
The Houston Astros are hoping their ace can help them build momentum.
After taking the series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the AL West–leading Astros (58–42) send left-hander Framber Valdez to the mound Tuesday night looking to stretch their edge and get back on track following a rocky 10-game stretch.
Valdez (10–4, 2.75 ERA) has been steady all season, and Houston needs another big outing. The Astros have dropped seven of their last ten despite strong efforts from their starting rotation. But Valdez, with a 1.12 WHIP and 125 strikeouts, remains the club’s most consistent option, and his ability to navigate Arizona’s home run, heavy lineup could be the key to another series win.
The Diamondbacks (50–51), meanwhile, sit just under .500 but have shown flashes, especially at home. Arizona averages nearly 1.5 homers per game, led by Geraldo Perdomo and Corbin Carroll. But left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (3–6, 5.94 ERA) has struggled in his first season with the club and draws a tough assignment against one of the AL’s top on-base units.
Just in the nick of time?
Christian Walker, who hit a clutch double against is former team in the opener, is finally giving the Astros the middle-of-the-order power they hoped for when they brought him in. Walker has 13 doubles, a triple, 13 home runs and 51 RBIs for the Astros. With the Astros' rash of injuries, they need Walker's production now more than ever. He has 4 RBIs and 1 dinger in his last 3 games.
Houston enters Tuesday with a narrow edge in the series and on the betting line (-126), but they know there’s little room for error. While Arizona has split its last ten games and actually outscored opponents during that span, the Astros are still trying to shake off a slump that’s seen them hit just .234 with a 4.83 ERA in their last 10.
With the trade deadline looming and the division race tightening, every game — and every inning Valdez can give them — matters a little more.
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Astros -126, Diamondbacks +105; over/under is 8 1/2 runs.
Game 2 lineup
Back at it.
⚾️: 8:40pm CDT | 6:40pm MST
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What are the big takeaways from Tuesday night's lineup? Cam Smith is leading off again, even though many have been pleading with Joe Espada (me included) to leave him in the cleanup spot. Altuve is in the two-spot and serving as the DH.
Hey, at least Christian Walker isn't hitting fourth! (We'll take the small victories when we get them)! Walker is hitting third, followed by Yainer Diaz (C), and Chas McCormick (CF). Game 1 hero Brice Matthews is hitting six and playing second base, followed by Mauricio Dubon (3B), Cooper Hummel (LF), and Zack Short (SS).
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