O’Brien says fault coaches for final play
When Texans quarterback
Deshaun Watson took an inordinate amount of time Sunday before connecting with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins ona game-ending pass over the middle, the lengthy sequence ended the game.
Seventeen seconds remained on the clock at the start of the play. The Texans had no timeouts and trailed the Tennessee Titans 20-17 Sunday during an eventual road loss. Watson scrambled around inside the pocket trying in vain to regain the lead.
The 31-yard completion over the middle wasn’t what the Texans were hoping for as the game ended without the chance to run more plays.
Texans coach Bill O’Brien insists the failure of the play is on the coaching staff.
“I think we have to call a better play there,” O’Brien said Monday. “I think we have to call a better play, put him in a better situation. Tennessee did a good job on that play. I think we have to do a better job of designing that play.”
After a slow start, Watson played well. He completed 22 of 32 passes for 310 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for a 107.6 passer rating. He fumbled once but recovered the loose football. He also rushed for 44 yards.
There’s been a recurring trend with both of his interceptions this season, though.
In both instances, Watson launched the football into the end zone into coverage and was picked off.
“A couple of those interceptions, I think that he’s trying to make a play,” O’Brien said. “I’m trying to make a play, so we’re trying to be aggressive there and it just hasn’t worked out.
“Put the blame on me for that. We’ve got to do a better job timing those up better when those plays are called, but we’re both just trying to make plays right there.”
Ejiofor in line to play more
Ever since he was in high school, Duke Ejiofor has displayed a knack for rushing the passer.
That skill was on display
Sunday when the rookie outside linebacker and former Alief Taylor standout recorded his first NFL sack on Tennessee Titans quarterback Blaine Gabbert.
“It was nice to get my feet wet,” Ejiofor said. “Unfortunately, we lost.”
Ejiofor didn’t play a ton of snaps, but he impressed the coaching staff and could be in line for increased playing time after this performance. He finished the game with three tackles.
Ejiofor has made a full recovery from surgery on a torn labrum that prevented him from practicing during the offseason. He is also back from a strained hamstring that kept him out for the season opener.
“I thought he did some good things,” coach Bill O’Brien said. “Really had a plan in the pass rush and did a nice job in the running game. I think he had about 12 plays. He needs to probably play more. He did a nice job and I was really happy to see that.”
Said Alief Taylor coach Brian
Randle: “I couldn’t be prouder of Duke. “It didn’t come natural for him. He wasn’t a varsity player until his senior year. He was always overshadowed, but it’s his time now.
“Duke has never complained. We used to call him, ‘The Quiet Storm.’ He’s out there balling.”
Clowney goes silent on taunting call
Outside linebacker Jadeveon
Clowney got bumped on the sideline after a catch by Titans tight end Luke Stocker.
That triggered a verbal altercation that prompted a taunting penalty on Clowney, which led up to the Titans’ game-tying field goal.
Clowney declined to discuss the penalty Monday, saying he wasn’t talking and is moving on to Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.
“Not too much information on that, just that Stocker caught it on the sideline and went out of bounds and he was bumped and there were words exchanged,” coach Bill O’Brien said. “So, they called taunting on Clowney.
“The taunting rule is a big emphasis. It is what it is. That’s a good crew. Pete Morelli does a good job. They saw it, they called it.”
Caught ‘by surprise’ on fake punt for TD
By the time Natrell Jamerson reacted, it was far too late.
The Texans defensive back saw Titans safety Kevin Byard tossing the football to gunner Dane
Cruikshank on a fake punt, but he couldn’t make it over in time to prevent a 66-yard touchdown.
Cruikshank was lined up outside and left completely uncovered, a costly mistake.
“We had a plan in our mind, but they caught us by surprise,” Jamerson said Monday. “We practiced it all week. We thought they were going to bring their gunners in. They caught us by surprise.”
Giving up such an easy score can make a big difference in the final outcome.
“That was a bad play call,” said coach Bill O’Brien, whose special-teams units are coached by veteran special teams coordinator Brad Seely. “I felt like, studying that during the week, we felt like they would handle that differently. We showed them a certain look and we felt like it would be handled differently, and they did a good job. They handled it differently than we thought and that’s a mistake on my part.”