Carlos Hyde's huge day helps plus how right was O'Brien to go for it late?
O'Brien's best coaching job to date has Texans rolling
Oct 14, 2019, 11:53 am
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
3 Headlines, 2 Questions, and 1 Bet after the Texans defeat the Chiefs and get ready for the Colts.
Resiliency rules the day
Frank Clark dominates the line of scrimmage and knocks the ball away from Carlos Hyde
— Hunter W (@HW_Report46) October 13, 2019
FUMBLE!! KC has the ball at Houston 20#Texans #ChiefsKingdom #Chiefs #KCChiefs #HOUvsKC #NFL #NFL100 #SundayFunday pic.twitter.com/UdDqMU9gfG
There is a time where the Texans would have lost Sunday by about 20 or 30 points. We no longer live in that time.
-A broken play touchdown allowed
-Fumble on first play
-Top two corners out for majority of game
-Wideout who had fixed drop problems has drop problems
-Wideout who never drops the ball drops a touchdown
-Quarterback throws two interceptions when he had thrown one all year
-Kicker misses extra points and field goal
That's just a smattering of the things that could have derailed the Texans. In the past, just one or two of these would have doomed them. Instead, they dominated the second half and beat the Chiefs.
It is one of the most impressive wins in Bill O'Brien's tenure. Sure. It is also one of the most resilient wins in franchise history.
The offensive gameplan was awesome and well executed for the most part. The use of timeouts and challenges made sense. The team never spiraled out of control most importantly. Kudos to O'Brien for the successful day with the headset.
Bill "Coconuts" O'Brien
#Texans HC Bill O’Brien earns AWS Decision of the Week honors in Week 6!
— PFF (@PFF) October 14, 2019
📰: https://t.co/vrcwUdQARV pic.twitter.com/Jy585ieDyo
I thought the field goal to go up 10 points in the fourth quarter was the right move for the Texans.
O'Brien laughs in the face of the weak-minded who prefer to trust a shaky kicker over one of the best quarterbacks in football.
The above stats paint the picture of how smart it was to go for it.
I loved the gumption to go for it and the "trust the defense" mentality if the Texans failed to convert. There wasn't a "lose" situation short of a turnover and the Texans on the short and easy stuff had done a great job taking care of the ball.
It was something from a couple of seasons ago where I believe O'Brien would have attempted the kick and lived with the result. I also have faith the Texans defense could have stopped the Chiefs from scoring the way they played in the second half.
Runnin' Hyde
“They can’t f——— stop us”
— Nick Bromberg (@NickBromberg) October 13, 2019
Tell us how you really feel, Carlos Hyde pic.twitter.com/hlVpZqOwX4
Carlos Hyde was a man on Sunday. He touched the ball 26 times after his fumble. He had 13 of those 26 touches go for at least four yards and six of those went for at least nine yards. He was a workhorse running back and a physical runner than punished the Chiefs.
I never could have seen this coming from him. He is the perfect back for what Bill O'Brien wants to do with his first running back. He's been very impressive and went over 100 yards rushing for the first time in two years.
As for his colorful language, Hyde knew he let it slip.
"With the offense clicking like that, it's so hard to stop us," he said. "I was caught up in the moment right there. I've got to watch my language though. But, I was just caught up in the moment.When our offense is moving the ball like that, things are clicking, it's just hard to stop us."
Is this level of offensive line play here to stay?
No sacks. Two quarterback hits. One tackle for a loss. Woo boy. What a showing from the Texans offensive line. They worked over the Chiefs for a good portion of the game.
Now, the offensive gameplan helped them. Getting the ball out quick helped a ton for the protection but even then, they did amazing in keeping Watson clean and keeping the lanes open for Hyde and later Duke Johnson.
There wasn't even a big drop off when Roderick Johnson came in for the injured Tytus Howard.
Howard is going to miss time, but his season is seemingly not over per Aaron Wilson.
This has been an incredible job by this group coming together and really playing well.
Should we worry about Will Fuller's drops?
I made a compilation of all 3 dropped TDs today by Will Fuller.
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 13, 2019
Last week, he caught 3 TDs, today? dropped 3.pic.twitter.com/rRIl8wZe1a
Will Fuller didn't have the best day after an amazing one last week.
His first drop came in the end zone and led to the Texans settling for a field goal. It wasn't the easiest catch in the world but it hit his hands. In a close game, they could've used that to start the scoring.
The second drop came trailing by 14 points and again, wasn't an easy catch. I am giving him a pass on this one because it seems like it was a really hard catch to come down with. So, while he could have caught it, I am not sure he SHOULD have caught it.
The third one really hurt. The Texans led by six and had he reeled that one in, there's a chance the Texans blow the Chiefs out with plenty of breathing room on the scoreboard.
I am not worried about Fuller's drops. He had three all season before yesterday and had no drops last season. This seems like a hiccup more than an issue that could be popping up often.
I bet the loss to the Panthers really sticks with the Texans
When I asked Bill O'Brien about the offense and how they attack things quickly he mentioned the Panthers game. He was demonstrating they had bad second down situations that set them up for failure and called out their performance against Carolina by name.
While you can say the Saints and Jaguars games could have gone either way, the Texans absolutely should have beaten the Panthers. Kyle Allen didn't play well that day and the Texans offense has to be sick looking back on that performance. It was also the last time they looked bad on offense, so, if it got them going via fixing things, it is worth the headache.
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The Houston Texans enter the 2025 season with momentum, expectations, and no shortage of spotlight games. A 9.5-win total in Vegas reflects growing national respect—but also pressure to deliver.
Hot start, big stage
Houston opens with a tough but marquee road test in Los Angeles against the Rams before returning to NRG for a Monday Night Football showdown against the Buccaneers.
Division duels define the path
As always, the AFC South is crucial. Houston faces five division games from Week 3 to Week 13, including a big Jaguars rematch in Week 10. If Trevor Lawrence takes the leap, and his top targets Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter live up to the hype, Jacksonville could be Houston’s biggest in-division threat. Still, with win totals sitting at 7.5 for both the Colts and Jaguars (and 5.5 for the Titans), the Texans have a clear path to control the South.
Midseason grind, late-season edge
The Week 6 bye comes at a smart spot, especially with brutal road games on the horizon: at Seahawks (MNF), home for the 49ers, and a revenge date in Baltimore—all within Weeks 5–8. The stretch from Week 12 to Week 14 (Bills, at Colts, at Chiefs) could define the Texans’ playoff seeding—or whether they make it at all.
But there’s hope in the home stretch. Three of their last four games are at NRG, where Houston has played its best football. If the team’s still in the hunt, hosting the Cardinals, Raiders, and potentially playing for the division title in Week 18 vs. the Colts is a favorable setup.
Key questions ahead
- Can Houston shake off last year’s road struggles? The trip to Kansas City, as well as cross-country flights to L.A., Seattle, and Baltimore, will test their resolve.
- Will they flip the script against NFC teams? Houston struggled in interconference matchups in 2024, and the 49ers, Rams, and Seahawks aren’t soft spots.
- Is C.J. Stroud ready for primetime pressure? Four national games—including two Mondays and a huge Sunday night at Arrowhead—give the Texans the stage. Now it’s about the performance.
Bottom Line:
The Texans’ 2025 schedule is packed with statement opportunities and divisional tests. There’s enough home cooking in December to fuel a playoff push—but Houston will have to prove it can handle the road, the spotlight, and the rising competition in its own backyard.
Offseason observations
The Texans made some calculated and intriguing moves this offseason, especially on offense. They added dynamic weapons in WRs Christian Kirk, Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins, along with RB Woody Marks, who profiles as the best receiving back in the draft—likely influenced by the Patriots’ historical use of third-down specialists like James White and Shane Vereen. OC Nick Caley, OL Coach Cole Popovich, and GM Nick Caserio all have a history with the Pats.
Protecting C.J. Stroud remains a clear priority too, as the Texans added OT Aireontae Ursery in the draft and created a true open competition on the offensive line through free agency, featuring a deep group.
One of the most notable moves recently was Higgins’ fully guaranteed four-year, $11.7 million deal—a rarity for non-first-rounders. That level of commitment from Caserio signals strong conviction in both Higgins’ talent and character. It also hints that Houston may have considered him with their original 25th overall pick before trading back. With Patriots alumni like Caley and Popovich now on staff, and Caserio pulling the strings, it’s clear the Texans are building a system that blends New England and Rams discipline with Houston’s new-wave of offensive firepower.
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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