FALCON POINTS
Why the Jets win is bad news for the Texans on several fronts
Dec 22, 2020, 8:00 am
2021 can't come soon enough.Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images
Can we finally put to bed some stereotypes in sports?
When the New York Jets shocked the world and knocked off the LA Rams, it improved their dismal record to 1-13, same as the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Jags, however, now have the inside track to the first pick in the draft, Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. That is bad news for the Texans on two fronts.
First, they will have a generational talent in the division again, a player who could be every bit as difficult to beat as Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck. While it will be fun seeing Lawrence and Deshaun Watson go after each other twice a year, the advantage goes to the Jags, who have better young talent, a plethora of picks and cap space to burn.
Interestingly enough, the two worst teams in the division in 2020 likely will have the two best quarterbacks moving forward. While Ryan Tannehill has done admirable work in Tennessee and Philip Rivers is still slinging away in Indy, no one in their right minds would take either over Watson or Lawrence moving forward.
The worst news for the Texans concerns their GM search. Jacksonville is now clearly the better job, and the Jaguars have an opening at GM. Who wouldn't want a team with Lawrence, several other high picks and lots of cap room? Compared to the Texans job, it is a no-brainer. The Texans can be fixed, but the Jags will be a much easier path to success. The Texans have Watson and Laremy Tunsil, but that is about it. The new GM will have to decide what to do with J.J. Watt, find free agent help on a terrible defense and do something about the worst running game in the NFL.
Jacksonville has work to do, too, hence the one win. But they have assets to use and are not hamstrung by some of the horrible contracts given out by Bill O'Brien. It would not be a shock if the Texans were the worst team in the AFC South over the next couple years. All because of a game they did not even play.
So while the Jets win might not have seemed to be a big deal on the surface, it was the second loss dealt to the Texans on Sunday after another fumblefest against the Colts.
And this loss could prove to be much more devastating moving forward.
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!