TEXANS VS. JAGS
Houston Texans eye redemption with these critical focus points in Jaguars matchup
Nov 26, 2024, 10:16 am
The Texans will look to rebound against the Jags this Sunday. Composite Getty Image.
C.J. Stroud was far from the only Houston Texan who struggled Sunday in an embarrassing loss to the Tennessee Titans.
But it was the second-year quarterback who was the most vocal in taking the blame for the 32-27 defeat.
“It’s no secret, I haven’t been playing well personally, for my standard,” he said. “I have a couple good drives and plays here, but it’s up and down ... I’ve got to be hard on myself and realize that games can come down to me making plays.”
Stroud threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw two interceptions as the Texans lost for the third time in four games after a 5-1 start.
“I’ve got to just be better, and I know that,” he said.
Stroud has thrown five interceptions combined in the past three games to give him nine this season after he had just five in 15 games as a rookie.
The Texans (7-5) got a touchdown on an interception return by Jimmie Ward in the third quarter Sunday, but the offense managed only a field goal after halftime as the unit’s second-half struggles continued.
Houston’s offense scored 10 points after halftime in a 34-10 win over the Cowboys on Monday night, but has combined for just nine points in the second half of its past three losses.
“We have to create positive plays,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Too many times, whether it’s run or pass, we have a negative play which kills our drive. First things first, how can we sustain positive plays and build drives? Too many drives were stalled out before we could even get started.”
Despite the offensive struggles, the Texans still had a chance to tie the game with less than two minutes to go. But Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 28-yard field goal sailed wide left.
What's working
The Texans tied a franchise record with eight sacks Sunday. Danielle Hunter had a season-high three to give him 10½ this season, which leads the team. Will Anderson Jr. added two in his return after missing two games with an ankle injury and has a career-high 9½ this season.
Houston ranks second in the NFL with 42 sacks entering Monday.
What needs help
Houston had just 40 yards rushing Sunday in a game where Joe Mixon had his worst performance of the season. Mixon, who ran for 109 yards and three touchdowns against the Cowboys, had a season-low 22 yards on 14 carries.
“They’re a really good front, we knew that going into the game,” Ryans said. “But it doesn’t matter. Every front is good. You have to own the line of scrimmage. You have to be able to control the line of scrimmage and run the ball. We didn’t. We had too many negative plays in the running game.”
The performance was Houston’s second-worst rushing game of the season after the team had 38 yards rushing in a loss to Minnesota in Week 3 when Mixon was out with an injury.
Stock up
Dameon Pierce had three kick returns for 135 yards Sunday, highlighted by an 80-yard return on the opening kickoff that set up Houston’s first touchdown.
Stock down
There have only been four missed field goals from 28 yards or closer in the NFL this season and Fairbairn has two of them. Fairbairn’s miss Sunday came after he missed a 27-yard attempt in a loss to the Jets.
Injuries
S Jalen Pitre left Sunday’s game in the second quarter with a shoulder injury. ... CB Ka’dar Hollman left in the fourth quarter with a knee injury. ... OT Blake Fisher missed a second straight game in the concussion protocol.
Key number
23% — Houston converted just 3 of 13 third down attempts or 23% of its chances Sunday.
Next steps
The Texans, who lead the AFC South, will look to regroup to avoid another letdown next week when they visit the Jaguars (2-9), who have lost four in a row.
“We made a lot of mistakes,” Hunter said. “We weren’t as locked in as we should have been. The biggest thing is just learning from this and just moving on to the next game.”
Houston has its bye after facing Jacksonville before playing the Dolphins, Chiefs and Ravens in a 10-day stretch from Dec. 15-25.
As the Houston Astros continue to navigate a season riddled with injuries and inconsistencies, the question looms larger than ever: can they keep their heads above water? With a barrage of pitching injuries threatening to derail their season, the Astros are finding themselves in a position where every decision matters more than ever.
The recent setbacks to the pitching staff (Hayden Wesnieski, Ronel Blanco) have placed even more pressure on the club. Lance McCullers, whose performances have been inconsistent, is now squarely in the spotlight. The Astros will need him to step up and shoulder a larger portion of the load. At the same time, the bullpen, which has been a bright spot so far, must continue its elite play to keep the team afloat. In particular, Houston can't afford to make mistakes in its decision-making, whether in the lineup or on the field.
Take, for example, the decision to give Chas McCormick a second start after his costly mistakes in Game 1 against the Rays. McCormick’s two pick-offs in that game showed he's lacking focus, yet he was given another chance to start Game 2. Houston needs to be making the right calls on the field, and this was a moment where the manager’s trust in McCormick might have been better placed elsewhere, considering his lack of success in the series.
On the offensive side, the Astros’ struggles have been just as apparent. Jose Altuve, a cornerstone of the franchise, has been attempting to bunt while hitting in the 3-hole. It’s a strategy that just doesn’t make sense. With the Astros needing to produce runs, Altuve's role is to drive them in, not waste strikes with ill-timed bunt attempts.
Is Houston's roster poorly constructed or just unlucky?
Given the pitching woes and offensive troubles, some are beginning to question whether the Astros’ roster is poorly constructed, or if it’s simply been an unfortunate series of events. The bad luck with pitching injuries is undeniable, but the offense tells a different story—particularly when it comes to the lineup’s balance.
One glaring issue is the team’s heavy reliance on right-handed hitters. With players like Christian Walker struggling at the plate, it’s hard to overlook the potential misstep in roster construction. Walker’s performance this season has been abysmal, and it’s fair to wonder if the Astros would have been better off investing in a more flexible first-base platoon. Players like Jon Singleton, Victor Caratini, Zach Dezenzo, Yainer Diaz, and even Mauricio Dubon could have filled in at first base, providing much-needed depth at a fraction of the cost. At this point, they couldn’t have done worse than Walker, who has posted a paltry .199 batting average, .270 OBP, and .607 OPS on the season.
In comparison, Walker’s numbers this season are worse than Jose Abreu’s 2023 campaign with Houston (.237 batting avg, .296 OBP, .680 OPS). Walker is a player known for slow starts, but nothing quite as severe as what we’ve seen in 2025. His struggles are reminiscent of a disastrous start to the 2022 season that saw him fail to find his rhythm until much later in the year, but even then, his slugging percentage was significantly better than what we’re seeing now.
Would a return of “career Yordan Alvarez” fix Houston’s offensive woes?
Amid the offensive malaise, the return of a fully healthy Yordan Alvarez could certainly provide a much-needed spark. If Alvarez were to return to his “career” form, with a healthy pitching staff, an intact bullpen, and a potential resurgence from key hitters, the Astros could see a drastic improvement in their fortunes. However, this is all contingent on a lot of “ifs,” and there’s no guarantee that a turnaround is on the horizon.
Observations and further concerns
As if the struggles on offense and pitching weren’t enough, the Astros’ defense has also been plagued by lapses in fundamentals. One of the more puzzling trends this season has been the number of stolen bases allowed, especially at third base. If the Astros continue to give up steals at this rate, it will be difficult for the pitchers to recover, especially if they are walking batters and putting runners in scoring position with alarming frequency.
We have so much more to get to. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday! Note: because of the holiday weekend, our next episode will be after Memorial Day on Tuesday.
*ChatGPT assisted.
___________________________
Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!