Texans embarassed and eliminated at home by division rival
The good, bad and ugly of the Texans playoff loss to the Colts
Jan 5, 2019, 6:54 pm
Texans embarassed and eliminated at home by division rival
The Colts dismantled the Texans 21-7 in one of the AFC Wildcard games. The score wasn't indicative of how bad it really was. Here's how I saw it:
The Good
-Keke Coutee was back playing and looked healthy as he was Deshaun Watson's favorite target. Coutee finished with 11 catches for 110 yards and a touchdown.
-J.J. Watt swatted a pass at the line of scrimmage when the Colts were in the red zone. However, Brandon Dunn made a pretty athletic interception for a man north of 300 pounds.
-They went 11-5 and won the AFC South (Bill O'Brien voice).
The Bad
-Vyncint Smith lost track of a deep ball in the first quarter. It would've been about a 40-50 plus yard completion. He couldn't track the ball, turned his body a couple times, ultimately dropping the ball. It was the second shot play Watson couldn't connect with a receiver as he also underthrew DeAndre Hopkins on another.
-Watson led the team in rushing for the fifth game in a row. His 76 yards rushing accounted for 72.3 percent of the team's rushing total. If this doesn't spell the need for new life on the offensive line and running back, I don't know what else will.
-Texans defense allowed a 100 yard rusher for the first time all season. Marlon Mack ended the game with 148 yards on 24 carries and a touchdown. They gave up a total of 200 yards rushing to the Colts.
The Ugly
-The pace at which this team plays, especially when behind, PISSES ME OFF! The play clock allows for 40 seconds to get a play called and the ball snapped. Too often it takes the Texans 25-30 seconds, or more, to get that done. It took six minutes and 13 seconds while down 21 to get their first touchdown!
-Jadeveon Clowney left the game with a concussion in the second quarter, but was able to come back in the game. However, rookie safety Justin Reid left the game with a rib injury and didn't return. He lowered the shoulder to separate Eric Ebron from a touchdown catch and wound up hurt.
-This team looked ill-equipped to handle what the Colts were throwing at them. The offense couldn't get into a rhythm, and the defense was taken apart way too easily. Deer staring in headlights are able to make better adjustments than the Texans did against the Colts.
I put this loss squarely on the shoulders of the coaching staff. Neither side of the ball looked ready, nor did they make any necessary adjustments. They were thoroughly out-coached. This loss is a sign that better coaching is needed, on both sides of the ball. I recommended Adam Gase as a potential offensive coordinator, but he may be up for a head coaching gig. Romeo Crennell needs some youthful infusion into his play calling as well. This team needs more talent, as well as better depth. The offseason is now here. Time to look at potential free agents and draftees that can help this team. While this loss hurts, I pray it serves as a wake-up call for the organization and moving forward they can put together a better staff, along with a better team.Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.