VYPE
The Hail Mary of 2018.
Originally Appeared on VYPE
Where has the time gone? A decade has melted away, leaving us with some amazing memories on the football field.
The city of Houston has seen the nastiest of defenses in the state like Katy's in 2015, upstart programs like Shadow Creek and last-second heroics like North Shore's in 2018.
It's been an amazing ride and VYPE has had the pleasure to have a front row seat to all the action.
So, let the debate begin...
Who were the city's Top 20 football teams since the Year 2010?
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No. 1 North Shore, 2018 (Class 6A, DI)
Undefeated squad. Won state on Hail Mary, beating an amazing Duncanville squad
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No. 2 Katy, 2015 (Class 6A, DII)
Unprecedented Defense. Maybe best Tiger team ever
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No. 3 Shadow Creek, 2019 (Class 5A, DI)
Has gone 31-1 in first two seasons. Loaded with stars on both sides
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No. 4 North Shore, 2019 (Class 6A, DI)
No Banks, No Evans, No Problem. Dematrius Davis does it again
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No. 5 Katy, 2012 (Class 5A, DII)
RB Adam Taylor rushed for 277 yards over Cedar Hill for 7th title
The list continues here
Coming off a disappointing loss to the Chiefs in the divisional round of the playoffs, we examine what went wrong for the Texans, and how they can improve the team this offseason.
Once again the offensive line was the weak link on the team, and according to PFF had their worst performance of the season versus KC, posting a 44.9 pass blocking grade.
Right tackle Blake Fisher struggled the most, recording a 33.7 pass blocking grade. But it wasn't all on him, when he was given help from tight ends and running backs, it didn't make much of a difference. In some ways, attempting to chip pass rushers made things worse for Fisher. The help he was expecting didn't deliver, which caught him off guard.
Clearly the team missed tight end Cade Stover (broken collarbone), as Dalton Schultz was forced into more pass blocking situations where he failed repeatedly and looked like he had no interest in being physical.
Another area of concern was special teams. Kicker Kaimi Fairbairn was a big reason the Texans lost the game, shrinking in clutch situations and further proving he's a significantly worse kicker when he's not in the cozy temperature-controlled confines of NRG.
Considering the outlook in the AFC for the foreseeable future, trusting Fairbairn to perform in Buffalo, Baltimore, or Kansas City in January seems foolish.
But it's hard to believe Houston will move on from Fairbairn due to his contract. And the same goes for Schultz. One way the Texans can minimize Fairbairn's struggles would be to secure a bye in the playoffs next year, and avoid going on the road in the divisional round.
Looking for positives
Despite the loss, the Texans top players graded out well against KC, according to PFF.
Highest graded Texans
NIco Collins 85.5
CJ Stroud 85.3
Will Anderson 81.9
Danielle Hunter 80.8
Laremy Tunsil 75.9
Henry To'oTo'o 74.6
Final thoughts
Anyone with eyes knows that the Texans have to upgrade the offensive line next season. But next on the list has to be the receiving corps. At this point, you can't count on Tank Dell being healthy next season. Xavier Hutchinson and John Metchie III have been unable to get open in the NFL. So, should the team consider re-signing Stefon Diggs, who's also recovering from a serious knee injury and well into his thirties? That's a big no for me personally.
Hopefully the Texans prioritize youth and spend one of their first two picks on a receiver. A dynamic pass-catching tight end that can actually block should also be considered.
Don't miss the video above as the crew from Texans on Tap breaks it all down!