Texans have a chance to earn some respect
Consecutivewinswouldmean a lot for team that has struggled in a tumultuous season
When the Texans play at Detroit on Thursday, they need to produce a performance similar to
2012 — the last time they played the Lions on Thanksgiving Day.
After the teams combined for 1,026 yards in one of the most exciting games in franchise history, the Texans left Ford Field with a 34-31 overtime victory and a 10-1 record.
Matt Schaub threw for 315 yards. Andre Johnson had nine catches for 188 yards. Arian Foster ran for 102 yards and two touchdowns.
Backup running back Justin Forsett ran for an 81-yard touchdown that shouldn’t have counted because he should have been ruled down, but he helped the Texans rebound from a 24-14 third-quarter deficit
Matthew Stafford threw for 441 of the Lions’ 525 yards, and his life was made miserable by
second-year defensive end J. J. Watt. In one of the best games of his career, Watt had three sacks, five quarterback hits, three tackles for loss, and two pass deflections.
The Texans won in overtime on Shayne Graham’s 32-yard field goal.
In Gary Kubiak’s seventh season as their coach, the 2012 Texans finished with a franchise-best 12-4 record and won a playoff game over Cincinnati before being eliminated at New England in the divisional round.
The 2020 Texans aren’t going to have a winning record, win the AFC South or even make the playoffs.
I’m pretty confident they won’t rush for 205 yards and three touchdowns, as the Texans did eight years ago on Thanksgiving.
But what these Texans can do in what’s been a disappointing and exasperating season for their fans is earn another modicum of respect like they did Sunday in the 27-20 victory over New England — the second time in two seasons they have defeated Bill Belichick’s Patriots.
Returning to Ford Field on Thursday for the first part of a Thanksgiving Day tripleheader is another opportunity for the Texans to impress a national television audience.
It’s not as if the Lions are anything special, of course. They have a 4-6 record after getting shut out for the first time since 2009 at Carolina.
But playing at Detroit on Thanksgiving is special because it’s an NFL tradition witnessed by so many players and fans across the country.
Players like Watt, quarterback Deshaun Watson, safety Justin Reid, tight end Jordan Akins and receivers Will Fuller and Brandin Cooks have a chance to show the Texans are not as bad as their record indicates.
A victory — especially an impressive victory — will help the Texans earn back some of the dignity they’ve lost in a
tumultuous season in which they’ve suffered seven losses to teams with a combined record of 50-20, including four division leaders.
If the Texans can play against Detroit the way they played against the Patriots, they’ll have back-to-back victories for the first time this season and increase their record to 3-1 since their open date.
A victory on Thanksgiving might give them a little confidence going into the first of their two AFC South games against the Colts, who are 7-3 and tied with the Titans for first place.
“I believe it’ll mean a lot to the players,” interim coach
Romeo Crennel said Monday about playing on Thanksgiving. “With the way the season has gone, I think the win (Sunday) gave them confidence and lifted them up. To follow it up with a win, I think (would) be special, particularly on Thanksgiving Day.”
Like millions of NFL fans through the decades, Crennel grew up watching the Lions play the Packers or Bears in the traditional Thanksgiving game.
“I think everybody has watched pro football on Thanksgiving,” he said. “That’s been a staple for a long time. A lot of these guys have watched the games, and I think it’ll be special for them to play a Thanks
giving Day game. I think they’ll be excited about it. It’ll mean quite a bit to go up there and play the game and, hopefully, come away with a victory.”
Crennel also knows he’s coaching a new generation of players, many of whom don’t devote a lot of time to the history of the NFL. They know more about Madden than Lombardi.
Some players might not fully appreciate the significance of playing the Lions on Thanksgiving. Crennel might have to give them a history lesson.
“Well, younger players are a lot different,” he said. “Sometimes you have to remind them the importance of some of the historic things that happen in the country and in the league.
“If I have to remind them and give them a few tidbits about playing on Thanksgiving and what it means, I’ll do that. Generally, if you give them a tidbit of information, they can quickly go to their devices and pull up information and follow it up.”
Since Bill O’Brien was fired after an 0-4 start, the Texans are 3-3 under Crennel, including two victories over Jacksonville. The coaches see signs of progress on both sides of the ball.
“I think the big difference is they’re understanding the system on defense and offense and how they fit in the system and what needs to be done to make the systemwork,” Crennel said. “As a result, we’ve gotten better.
“We’re a competitive team. We always play hard, but we haven’t been doing enough of the little things to put us over the hump.”
There’s one thing about Thanksgiving that teams expect: getting the best from the Lions.
Like the Texans, Detroit can’t run or stop the run, even though the Texans are coming off their most impressive defensive performance of the season, having allowed the Patriots 86 yards rushing. Thursday should be a shootout between Watson and Stafford.
After the New England game, Crennel had a message for his players about playing on Thanksgiving.
“We’ve got a short week (and a) game on the road, which is a challenge,” Crennel said. “We have to play the Detroit Lions at home on Thanksgiving. (They’ll) be pumped up and ready to go.
“We cannot assume anything. Let’s prepare like we prepared last week and play better than we played last week.”