Official Texans vs. Colts Game Thread, 10/09/2014

[barrett]

On the game ending fumble Hopkins has a shot at the ball and just decides he'd rather not mix it up. One of the most gutless plays I've seen. I really like him but it was terrible.

Overall another gut punch loss. It will be hard for these guys to have any heart after two losses like that. I am just glad I am pretending not to care about wins and losses as a defense mechanism.

[chuck]

People can care all they want or not about losses today but it is clear to me after fifteen years that this team under McMoustache will never win anything other than most outSTANding Super Bowl host.

And he doesn't really care.

And guess what? McMoustache is going to die in the next decade or so (I say this only with steely eyed realism, of course, the dude is old and has had cancer) and who's going to take over? Fredo McMoustache. Guess what I know about kids who take over for their parents who have made a fortune. They are typically idiots. Guess what I know about kids who take over for their parents who have made a fortune despite not being all that bright.

I don't know; I'll let you know in ten or fifteen years or so. I doubt that the change will put the team on an upswing.

Basically, this team is going to be the Bengals, just worse.

[Keith]

Tonight, J.J. Watt had 1 fumble recovery, 3 passes deflected, 3 tackles for a loss, 4 QB hits, 2 sacks, 7 tackles, and 1 touchdown. Might have had another pick 6 if one of those PBUs that hit both hands was actually caught. And I am really not sure this was even his best game of the season. Might even have been his 3rd best in six games.

Used to worry that the Texans were squandering Andre Johnson's career. Now they're squandering Watt's.

BTW, Johnson became the 2nd fastest ever to reach 13,000 receiving yards, only behind Jerry Rice. Watt has 3 TD's in a season (thru six games), the most by a DL in almost 30 years (Fridge, who plunged most of his scores on handoffs, not pick 6's and fumble recoveries.

Combined, Johnson and Watt have 0 championship game appearances through their careers.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by barrett

On the game ending fumble Hopkins has a shot at the ball and just decides he'd rather not mix it up. One of the most gutless plays I've seen. I really like him but it was terrible.

Overall another gut punch loss. It will be hard for these guys to have any heart after two losses like that. I am just glad I am pretending not to care about wins and losses as a defense mechanism.

Yea that was definitely lame, a disappointing effort (or lack of effort).
Speaking of WRs, wow that was a big drop by Andre. A real descent pass by Fitz, Andre is wide open, and he can't hang on to to the ball as he appeared to be moving it to his other hand. Funny about those receivers how they make the tough catches but drop the easy ones. It's all about focus/concentration.

[WMH]

I'm sure I'm in the minority, especially on this Negative Nancy board, but I thought Fitz played fairly decent yesterday. If he can continue to play decent, we'll stay competitive.

I'm also encouraged by the fight these guys showed to climb back in to the game. Not sure we'd see that under Kubiak.

We have some big holes on this roster, but this team has been competitive and in a position to win 5 out of 6 games. Ball hasn't bounced our way in the last two, but they've been pretty entertaining games.

[HPF Bob]

Last year we saw the Texans get out to a big lead only to see critical mistakes and questionable calls let the Colts back into it late and they pulled out the win.

This year, the Colts got out to a big lead only to see the Texans fight back but come up short due to critical mistakes and questionable calls as the Colts won again.

Bottom line: Either way, the Texans lost and they seem to find ways to shoot themselves in the foot when a key moment approaches. Winners win and the Texans have never quite believed in themselves enough to win.

Moving forward, perhaps our talent evaluators need to look more closely for players from winning programs that exhibit leadership skills or have an edge to them. That will take several years to develop.

We're expected to get Clowney back next week and I'm looking forward to how he'll impact the defense.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by WMH

I'm sure I'm in the minority, especially on this Negative Nancy board, but I thought Fitz played fairly decent yesterday. If he can continue to play decent, we'll stay competitive.

I'm also encouraged by the fight these guys showed to climb back in to the game. Not sure we'd see that under Kubiak.

We have some big holes on this roster, but this team has been competitive and in a position to win 5 out of 6 games. Ball hasn't bounced our way in the last two, but they've been pretty entertaining games.

I'm not down on anyone really after yesterday. I thought that was the best game Mercilous and Crick ever played. Bouye was great again. Swearinger was pretty bad, but the manic effort was still there. Cushing is probably never going to be the same player again. The OL started out terrible but settled in. Blue was solid. #51 who we signed off of the Ravens practice squad looked like he belonged on and NFL field. Tuggle had an INT. And Watt continues to be amazing. His effort is something else. If the officials would call holding on one of the dozen plays he gets held every game he'd be even tougher.

We obviously started bad, but we played well overall. That is maybe the best QB in the NFL on the other sideline.

[Arky]

Originally Posted by WMH

I'm sure I'm in the minority, especially on this Negative Nancy board, but I thought Fitz played fairly decent yesterday. If he can continue to play decent, we'll stay competitive.

I'm also encouraged by the fight these guys showed to climb back in to the game. Not sure we'd see that under Kubiak.

We have some big holes on this roster, but this team has been competitive and in a position to win 5 out of 6 games. Ball hasn't bounced our way in the last two, but they've been pretty entertaining games.

Yep, I agree with most of this. Throw out that pesky 1st qtr, and the Texans win 28-9. The Colts are one of the better teams in the AFC and they are lucky to get the win. It's a shame we couldn't take advantage of the home-field advantage but now, I expect us to keep it close if not win up in Indy later this year. If they play like they did in the last 3 qtrs. against the upcoming Steelers, I think we win that game easily.

I still think the Texans are an evolving/developing team - they still don't quite have it going, yet - too many missed assignments/mental errors on both sides of the ball. And part of the blame goes to the coaching. But this coaching staff (so far) seems conscientious enough to make the adjustments. They just need a little time.....

I will say in Fitz's defense, he had few clean pockets to throw from last night. But those first few series were just brutal and the fumble at the end was on him even though it was another breakdown in pass protection...

[Keith]

Originally Posted by Arky

the fumble at the end was on him even though it was another breakdown in pass protection...

It broke down after like 5 seconds or so though... he had plenty of time. Fitzy usually has a good internal clock. It was just not working on that fateful down.

Easy to fault Hopkins on his apparent lack of effort to recover the fumble, but he's quite a scapegoat today for the fool who actually fumbled the football. The inopportune brain fart fumble by Andre was a game killer, too.

It was obvious to me last night just how much Cushing has fallen off. Sad that he is no longer his pre-injured self because that Cushing was an animal. Now the team has a heavy contract on hand with him.

I'm sure chuck appreciated that XSF got the start last night, however abysmal he might have been in pass pro. Started for Brooks, who I guess was sick. Left guard was reportedly not feeling well, either.

Still impressed with Foster's vision. He makes the OL look better than it is often.

And I'm positive there must be a rule in place (unnecessary roughness at a minimum), but on the kickoff after the onsides, I would have just placed Tuggle 10 yards away from that fool to clean his clock immediately after the ensuing kickoff. I'll eat those 15 yards to send a message.

[chuck]

Originally Posted by Keith

I'm sure chuck appreciated that XSF got the start last night, however abysmal he might have been in pass pro. Started for Brooks, who I guess was sick. Left guard was reportedly not feeling well, either.

Loved it. Now instead of complaining that they spent a 33 on someone who isn't playing I can complain that they spent a 33 on someone I wish wasn't playing.

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by Keith

And I'm positive there must be a rule in place (unnecessary roughness at a minimum), but on the kickoff after the onsides, I would have just placed Tuggle 10 yards away from that fool to clean his clock immediately after the ensuing kickoff. I'll eat those 15 yards to send a message.

Loved to have seen that. Eat those 15 yards plus the ensuing fine from Gene Washington. That's how you get rivalries started.

[chuck]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Loved to have seen that. Eat those 15 yards plus the ensuing fine from Gene Washington. That's how you get rivalries started.

There's not much to a rivalry when one team wins every game.

[Arky]

Originally Posted by Keith

It was obvious to me last night just how much Cushing has fallen off. Sad that he is no longer his pre-injured self because that Cushing was an animal. Now the team has a heavy contract on hand with him.

I say give him some more time. Like 5 more games seems reasonable (if he's still healthy). He doesn't seem to play with the wild abandon of the past, but I've seen little flashes here and there although last night was one of his poorer performances. I think he's nicked up right now..... Tuggle out-tackled him 9 to 4. Cush used to be always at the top of the tackle list...

Originally Posted by Keith

I'm sure chuck appreciated that XSF got the start last night, however abysmal he might have been in pass pro. Started for Brooks, who I guess was sick. Left guard was reportedly not feeling well, either.

Ya, for a while there, it looked like the Texans were missing both starting guards instead of the Colts..... The Colts backups performed admirably....

[Warren]

Originally Posted by Keith

And I'm positive there must be a rule in place (unnecessary roughness at a minimum), but on the kickoff after the onsides, I would have just placed Tuggle 10 yards away from that fool to clean his clock immediately after the ensuing kickoff. I'll eat those 15 yards to send a message.

Channeling your inner Glanville? Jerry did just that against the Saints in 1987, sending Walter Johnson to level Morten Andersen not because of an onsides kick but to shake up the Saints' biggest scoring threat. No flag then, but I'd be very surprised if the same play wouldn't be penalized now.

[Keith]

Originally Posted by Warren

Channeling your inner Glanville? Jerry did just that against the Saints in 1987, sending Walter Johnson to level Morten Andersen not because of an onsides kick but to shake up the Saints' biggest scoring threat. No flag then, but I'd be very surprised if the same play wouldn't be penalized now.

The good ole days. I'm pretty sure that if Glanville were back here coaching the special teams, he'd have left two tickets for Elvis and F'ING LIT UP that BLUE SHITE KICKER, paying the bounty out of his own pocket.