Official Texans vs. Colts Game Thread, 11/3/2013

[BigBull]

The only positive I can see from this game is that Keenum just may be the qb this team has been looking for since day one. That is if he continues to improve each week. Although I still think they draft a qb in one of the first three rounds, but maybe it doesn't have to be the first pick now.

[HPF Bob]

Wow. So many things to go over.

The Curse Of The Colts (tm) is apparently stronger than Battle Red jerseys, a 21-3 halftime lead and the departure of a Hall of Fame quarterback.

If the Texans don't lead the league in untimely penalties, I can't imagine who does.

I'm still dumbstruck that we got rid of Jacoby Jones and Trindon Holliday so we could watch our bad kick return teams make misplay after misplay. Hell, what's Andre Davis and J.J. Moses doing nowadays?

I was willing to stick with Bullock but tonight's loss really rests on him more than anyone, not for the desperation miss at the end but the two earlier misses inside the 50. If you can't hit 70% between 40-50 yards away, there are plenty of unemployed kickers out there who can.

I'm sad because Wade deserved to win after Bum's passing and Case deserved the win for his incredible play. Watching Wade's postgame presser it sure seemed like he had that "what else could happen to us" look on his face. He's been through a bunch these last few weeks.

As for Kubiak, one can only guess what this season is doing to his health. Most head coaches are Type A people whose response to failure is to work twice as hard. I'm sure he hears the whispers no matter how many votes of confidence he may receive.

Houston sports teams only seem to know two types of existence - league-worst suckage (currently personified by the Astros but the Rockets, Texans and Oilers have all had their turns) and underachieving (other than the 94-95 Rockets). Things always just go wrong. Frustrating as hell.

[Nconroe]

Strange game with Coach Kubiak having an episode at half time. Sounds he will be ok, though tests ongoing. Wish him well with a speedy recovery.

Case Keenum had a very good game. We won offensive yds, time of possessoon, first downs, no turnovers, played hard.

Andre Johnson had a great game with 3 TDs and over 200 yds receiving.

Tate ran hard for 82 yds despite 4 cracked ribs.

Defense played really well overall, but Luck made some big passes in fourth quarter even though only completed 18 of 40 passes.

Dbs had a great first half, not so much in second half.

Penalties and questionable ref cals contribued to stalled drives, lost field position and the loss.

Even our punter had a ball bounce backwards for net 19 yd punt at just the wrong time.

Then, no. 4 missed three fairly long FG but one or two should have been made.

Apparently only one team has made playoffs after starting 2-6, so pretty much playing for pride, I think team will keep playing hard, win several games, and take mucho buku luck to even have a shot at playoffs.

[nunusguy]

The way we were getting so much pressure on Luck and with him bouncing many of his passes on the ground in front of his receivers that he did manage to launch or his receivers dropping balls, I really did not think he'd mount a successful comeback last night given how far his team was down mid way thru the second half, but he did and they did and the Texans folded like a cheap suit in the fourth quarter and lost another one to leave them at 2-6 midway thru the season as compared to last years 7-1. So if you hadn't done so yet, now you can stick a fork in us.
Looking at the stat sheet this morning, I see that Shiloh Keo led the team in tackles, so pretty sure we won't be needing that future HOF safety anymore who seems to be most productive when it comes to giving interviews to the media. And I think we are still solid at WR for another year or so with the kind of game Andre Johnson had and who's also supported by some promising young receivers like Hopkins and Posey. And the Oline played quite well as we only gave up a single sack while Duane Brown shutout league leading-sacker Mathis and we did move the ball on the ground with some success.
And like in KC, Case exceeded the most optimistic expectations fans had for him in this game. Is he our QB for the future ? I dunno, could be ?

[HPF Bob]

This was so much like the Seahawks game where we killed them on the stat sheet and owned a big lead at halftime yet still found a way to lose.

It just makes you scratch your head and wonder how in the world you can be so snakebit. I think the glaring wounds are poor special teams and no turnovers. On paper, we're a better team than the 8-0 Chiefs but their defense is making and converting turnovers this year and ours isn't.

I do wonder whether Kubiak/Phillips are too nice and the team reflects their coaches. There's no killer instinct around here to put away teams or play mean. There's no effort to punch back when we are punched. At least Keenum shows some emotion whereas Schaub shows none but I'm not sure I really want my QB to act like a college kid after every good play.

You have to admit, Keenum's mobility and ability/willingness to throw deep are a breath of fresh air compared to Schaub whom defenses had learned to jump the short routes and stay home on the bootleg.

[barrett]

IT was great being at the game for the first 3 quarters and a total gut punch at the end. And I think everyone around me saw it coming. We were just waiting for it.

And while there are obviously issues with our team, nobody gets crapped on by the officials like we do. It's like we walk around with a kick me sign on our backs.

[popanot]

1. How in the world is Bullock still kicking for this team with what we've seen even before last night's debacle?

2. How is it that no one has told Martin NOT to carry out kicks from deep within the endzone, which dates back well into last year?

3. If someone has told him, why is he still back there since he obviously hasn't listened?

4. How in the hell is Marciano still employed after everything we've seen from his unit over the last 3+ years?

Obviously there were many, many more issues that factored into losing that game last night, but when these critical components of your STs fail time and time again you'd think someone within the organization would say enough is enough and do something about it.

I think that's what frustrates me most about this franchise. They either wait too long to identify a problem and make a change and/or no one has the balls to make that change. Or maybe it's that no one has the smarts to make the right change. I don't know...

I get the distinct impression Smith does not have the power to make personnel moves on his own, and then McNair's good ol'boy relationship with Kubiak, Wade and Marciano just further handcuffs Smith and this franchise from doing anything that makes sense or is logical. Just amazing...

[barrett]

Originally Posted by popanot

1. How in the world is Bullock still kicking for this team with what we've seen even before last night's debacle?

2. How is it that no one has told Martin NOT to carry out kicks from deep within the endzone, which dates back well into last year?

3. If someone has told him, why is he still back there since he obviously hasn't listened?

4. How in the hell is Marciano still employed after everything we've seen from his unit over the last 3+ years?

Obviously there were many, many more issues that factored into losing that game last night, but when these critical components of your STs fail time and time again you'd think someone within the organization would say enough is enough and do something about it.

I think that's what frustrates me most about this franchise. They either wait too long to identify a problem and make a change and/or no one has the balls to make that change. Or maybe it's that no one has the smarts to make the right change. I don't know...

I get the distinct impression Smith does not have the power to make personnel moves on his own, and then McNair's good ol'boy relationship with Kubiak, Wade and Marciano just further handcuffs Smith and this franchise from doing anything that makes sense or is logical. Just amazing...

Marciano clearly exists outside of any authority or accountability and his continued employment is a total lack of professionalism.

As for Bullock, Rick Smith drafted him and cutting him is egg on Rick Smith's face more than anyone else. I like Smith more than anyone else in our organization, but I blame him for Bullock.