It’s time for team to move on after a crazy week, ugly defeat
When it was all over Sunday, the Texans were ready to move forward.
They had just dropped to 3-5 on the season with a 20-14 loss to Indianapolis at NRG Stadium.
On the last play of the game, when the Texans were on the verge of scoring, possibly tying and saving the day, Jabaal Sheard sacked Tom Savage to end the afternoon.
The disappointing play marked the end of a bad game that marked the end of a week filled with distractions.
After Sunday’s loss, the mood of the team was positive. The players needed to move on, get back to work, start fresh Monday.
But there was no denying that they were relieved to get past the week they had just survived. From protests to trades to inju-
ries, the Texans had a full plate.
They didn’t excel in the harsh light of all the adversity, but they did survive and will have a week to bounce back before going on the road to play the Rams next Sunday.
“I’m glad this week is over,” cornerback Kevin Johnson said. “I imagine we all learned through everything. I love everyone in this locker room, I respect all my teammates and my coaches. I believe we can get past this.”
Long before the Texans were dealing with a new — well, returning — starting quarterback and losing to one of the league’s worst teams, they were juggling several other issues.
A series of unfortunate events
Rewind to last Sunday in Seattle. For the first time in the modern era of national anthem protests, the Texans participated in one of their own.
It came a few days after a disturbing comment from owner Bob McNair stirred the pot of controversy.
On the road, the majority of the team knelt during the anthem, causing fans back home to call for boycotts of the team.
Social media became ugly. Fans and players were upset. It was upsetting.
By Tuesday, one of the vocal leaders of the team, who spoke for it after the protest, was traded.
Tackle Duane Brown, who has been a leader for the Texans since 2008, was traded to Seattle.
Players in the locker room understand the business of football, but were saddened to see their teammate go.
To add to the drama of his trade, one of the players the Texans acquired (defensive back Jeremy Lane) didn’t pass his physical so the whole thing dragged out.
In the midst of all of this, the Texans plowed forward, practicing each day to prepare to host the Colts and move on from their 41-38 loss to Seattle. Then came Thursday. It might go down as the worst day of the year for the Texans.
Their starting quarterback, Deshaun Watson, went down during a non-contact play in practice and tore his anterior cruciate ligament. The loss of Watson, a bright spot since the day he was drafted, is detrimental for the team.
The rookie has been phenomenal and has led the offense to new heights.
Once again, the Texans went back to the drawing board, regrouped and moved on.
“This is football,” tackle Chris Clark said Sunday after the Texans’ loss. “Things happen and people get hurt. We still have to play the game.”
A lot of his teammates felt the same. It was next man up.
That man was the original starting quarterback, Savage.
Savage handled coming back to start with the same class he handled being benched. He’s the kind of guy you want to root for — down to earth, positive and well-respected by his teammates and the coaches.
But Sunday, Savage left a lot to be desired on the field. He finished the day 19-of-44 for 219 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.
By the time he found his footing and looked comfortable in the offense, it was too late. The Texans were down 20-7 in the fourth quarter when Savage started to show promise.
Savage isn’t the answer
He led a touchdown drive, completing his first career touchdown pass (after 138 career attempts) and giving the Texans some life. Then he led them on another drive that looked like it might end with a score before he was sacked to end the game.
Savage isn’t the answer — especially not after the recent stellar play of Watson.
A win — even an ugly one — would have been a big lift for the Texans. Now, they face an uphill battle without two of their best defensive players — J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus — and Watson.
At least they do have the chance to move on without so much drama packed into a small time frame this time.
“It’s all part of the game,” Johnson said. “You have to take all of it, come in and control what you can control.
“We come together as a team. These are my brothers. I am proud that this team fought day in and day out through everything happening.” The madness of last week is finished. The Texans have a new reality on the field and a tough schedule coming up.
They’ll have to move on quickly and successfully to save this season.
“We just have to come back Monday and get to it,” Jadeveon Clowney said. “We have to start fresh.”