A WEEKLY REVIEW OF CRENNEL'S COACHING
Now my job: Texans win AFC South 3rd place game
Nov 9, 2020, 9:28 am
Photo by Getty Images
Now my job: Texans win AFC South 3rd place game
Whenever you think about how bad things are, always remember, they could be a lot worse. This is how I choose to look at the Texans' 27-25 win over the Jags. At 2-6 now, the Texans have a firm grip on 3rd place in the AFC South and are only three games behind the Colts for not only 2nd place in the division, but also the 7th and final playoff spot. Glass half full is the look I'm going for here. Stay with me.
The coaching staff had a decent gameplan on defense, but there was a lack of execution several times by the players. The idea to bring pressure and give rookie quarterback Jake Luton different looks worked to a degree. There were a few times he looked skittish, but not as often as you'd think a 6th round pick making his first career start would look. He was able to go 26/38 for 304 yards with a touchdown, an interception, a fumble (they recovered), a run for 13 yards, and was sacked twice.
One of the plays that I'm referring to about lack of execution was the 73-yard touchdown pass Luton threw to DJ Chark on their opening possession. Vernon Hargreaves was supposed to be in a deep third coverage since the call was cover 3. Instead, he either confused his assignment or the playcall itself because Chark ran right by him and Luton made the easiest touchdown pass of his career thus far. Richard Sherman did the exact same thing on October 16, 2016 against the Falcons. He made up for it later with an interception when he played his deep third in another cover 3 call. Despite the play not coming his way, he was in the right place at the right time.
I noticed the defense got away from applying pressure with the blitz, yet they still couldn't get home by rushing four. J.J. Watt looked fairly average. He looked more himself when he was able to strip sack Luton, but it took him until the 6:26 mark in the 4th quarter to make an impact play.
The offense looked disjointed and as if it didn't have a clear direction in which they wanted to go. I was happy to see some deep balls thrown, and completed. The Brandin Cooks 57-yard touchdown was more about his speed and downfield blocking, but the crossing route is what got him open. I wanted to see more deep balls and crossing routes, as well as more spread and no huddle. We got very little spread, and the only no huddle we got was right before halftime when Deshaun Watson appeared to have called it after he scrambled inside the 5 yard line. The ensuing play was a Duke Johnson rushing touchdown. Whether it was Watson calling it on the fly, or Tim Kelly, I liked the move. There needs to be more motion and misdirection pre-snap. This offense isn't that supremely talented to the point they can line up and force their will upon anyone. Using whatever extra tricks they can come up with would help.
Watson is playing very well. 19/32 for 281 yards, two passing touchdowns, two sacks and 50 rushing yards on 10 carries was a heck of a day. No interceptions for the third consecutive game for Watson as well. This team should have a much better record with a quarterback having his kind of season. Again, I think this offense could use more razzle dazzle. David Johnson being hurt meant Duke Johnson got more snaps. I'm interested in seeing how they move forward if David can't go and Duke is the featured back.
Overall, it wasn't a bad day by the coaching staff, but it wasn't all that great either. I'd give them a solid C. To get back to .500, they have to beat the Browns, Pats, Lions, and Colts. Not a daunting task, but it won't be easy. One game at a time.
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After dropping a frustrating series to the Chicago White Sox, the Houston Astros find themselves in a familiar position—searching for answers, but still within striking distance. Despite their inconsistency, Houston sits just three games behind the AL West-leading Mariners, who are currently 7 games over .500 and riding an 8-2 stretch. For as up-and-down as the Astros have been, the division remains tantalizingly close.
That inconsistency was on full display throughout the White Sox series. Jake Meyers and Zach Dezenzo each played the roles of both hero and heartbreaker. Dezenzo launched a massive home run in Game 3, a moment that energized the dugout and briefly shifted momentum. But his costly defensive error later in the game flipped the script. Meyers was a spark plug in Houston’s lone win, delivering a clutch performance at the plate, only to run the team out of a rally in the finale when he was picked off second—right before Jeremy Peña ripped what would have been an RBI single.
Jose Altuve’s struggles are quietly becoming more worrisome. He’s recorded just one multi-hit game since April 19 and has only one homer since April 8. On Sunday, he swung at the first pitch after Lance McCullers had grinded through a 33-pitch inning—a decision that raised questions about his awareness in a veteran moment. Should manager Joe Espada have reminded Altuve of the situation? Or is this on Altuve, who should have known what to do as one of the team leaders?
Signs of life
There are flickers of life from the bats. Last week, Houston's team OPS was an underwhelming .667 (23rd in MLB), with a slugging percentage of .357 (25th). They've nudged those numbers up to .684 (19th) and .370 (21st), respectively. It’s modest progress, but enough to suggest this offense might be trending in the right direction. Still, their 5-5 record over the last 10 games feels emblematic of who they are right now—a .500 team with both talent and flaws.
Looking ahead
The upcoming schedule could be a turning point. Three of the next five opponents have losing records, and none of them are elite. This stretch offers a prime opportunity for Houston to finally build momentum and close the gap in the division—assuming the Mariners cool off from their current tear, which seems inevitable given their unsustainable 8-2 pace.
McCullers is officially back!
Lance McCullers returned for the first time since 2022 and, despite being limited to 3.2 innings due to command issues (three walks and a hit batter), there were encouraging signs. His velocity was there, and the stuff looked sharp. It’s a start, and perhaps a step toward stabilizing a rotation that still needs length.
Steering the ship
Manager Joe Espada, however, continues to draw scrutiny. His decision-making in the finale raised eyebrows again. Giving Isaac Paredes a day off when Yordan Alvarez was already sitting left the lineup depleted. Rather than using promising young infielder/outfielder Cam Smith, he opted for Mauricio Dubón and Brendan Rodgers—a defensive combo that didn't inspire confidence. It feels at times like Espada isn’t prioritizing winning the final game of a series, a pattern that could haunt the team down the stretch.
The plot thickens
Meanwhile, Christian Walker’s slump is dragging on. He went 0-for-5 twice in the last two series and looks out of sync at the plate. The Astros need more from their power hitters if they hope to make a real run. And with Alvarez now heading to the IL with hand inflammation, runs will be even harder to come by.
All told, this team still feels like one hovering just above or below .500. But in a division that remains wide open, the path forward is clear: play better, hope the Mariners come back to earth, and capitalize on a soft schedule. The race is far from over—but it’s time for Houston to start acting like contenders.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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