TEXANS FALL TO TITANS
11 observations from the Texans' 28-25 loss to the Titans
The Houston Texans capped off the season coming up short against the Tennessee Titans. The comeback attempt came up short as the Texans lost 28-25. Here are 11 observations.
1. The rumors started before the game about David Culley’s job status. Culley was placed in the “OUT” category by Fox’s NFL insider Jay Glazer in the pregame show.
2. Glazer mentioned the Texans could be interested in Patriots’ offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as a potential head coach option.
3. David Culley was deflective and short when asked about his future as the team’s head coach. Culley said he expects to be coaching the Texans next season and when asked what case he would make to the team, Culley said he would let the team make the call on why he should be back.
4. Davis Mills played one of his worst opening halves of football. Mills was rattled and unsettled in the pocket and missed some throws he had grown into regularly making.
5. Davis Mills was much better in the second half. Mills was poised and made throws look easy. He handled the pressure better than in the first half and was in rhythm with his receivers sans an inured Brandin Cooks. It was one of the best halves of football he played all season.
6. Davis Mills said he improved on his knowledge and comfort in the offense as the season went on. It was apparent Mills was a much better quarterback after the return to the starting role. Mills believed he has done enough to be the team’s starter heading into next season.
7. Danny Amendola had his best game as a member of the Texans. It was the fifth-best yardage performance of his career and just the second time in his career he had multiple scores. He found spaces in the Titans' defense and delivered when the ball came his way.
8. Jacob Martin had Ryan Tannehill dead to rights only to see the Tennessee quarterback escape his grasp and keep the Titans’ drive alive. The Titans would score a touchdown on the drive to push their lead to 10. It was a play that would have given the Texans the ball with a chance to tie or take the lead.
9. Lovie Smith’s defense performed admirably, coming up just short again. With more talent on the roster next season, there could be something there with this unit. Overall, the defense exceeded the low expectations.
10. The Texans have a multitude of impending free agents as well as a likely Deshaun Watson trade this offseason. The team is currently slated to have nine draft picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. Their first-round selection is third overall behind the Jaguars and the Lions.
11. It is just the third time in the team’s history to have back-to-back losing seasons, the first since the 2005-2006 seasons. It is the third most losses in team history, only two 14-loss seasons are worst. The team will first have to make a decision on David Culley and then decisions on the coaching staff will come ahead of free agency in March.
