More defensive woes
The score was tied when Russell Wilson skittered right, planted, then gunned a 55-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Lockett with 52 seconds left before halftime.
A recently disciplined Texans defense unraveled in a 33-13 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday at NRG Stadium. Defensive coordinator Lovie Smith’s defense had tightened since reconfiguring the secondary that surrendered three touchdown passes in a 38-22 loss to the Rams in Week 8. But old problems flared up again when the Seahawks scored touchdowns off three explosive plays of 32 yards or more.
Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny supplied the first punch on a gashing first-quarter run in which he outran several Texans defenders and stiff-armed safety Justin Reid on the way to a 32-yard touchdown that gave Seattle a 10-7 lead.
Penny, who finished with a game-leading 137 yards on 16 carries, burst through the line again late in the fourth quarter and ran through the outstretched arms of defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson and cornerback Lonnie Johnson for a 47-yard touchdown that set the final score.
A Texans defense that improved its crumbling run stopping by allowing just 3.65 yards per carry in the last three games gave up a season-high 238 rushing yards to the Seahawks at 4.95 yards per attempt.
“(It was) just us being undisciplined at times,” said linebacker Christian Kirksey, who led the Texans with 10 total tackles. “Knowing that we have a responsibility, and we just didn’t do it all game. We wish we could get some of those plays back but we have to play better football.”
Wilson finished the game 17of-28 passing for 260 yards and two touchdowns. Beyond his 55-yard completion to Lockett, he also connected a 22-yard deep pass to DK Metcalf in the third quarter. Two plays later, Wilson threw a 23-yard touchdown to Metcalf that was negated due to offensive holding, a penalty that eventually limited Seattle to a 38-yard field goal.
The Texans (2-11) went into the game knowing both receivers had the capability to beat them deep. But Lockett still found a way to weave his way past cornerback Terrance Mitchell and Reid, who, after moving toward the right side of the field, couldn’t recover late by running back toward the left.
“We knew that these two guys that they had could get behind them,” coach David Culley said. “If you think they’re not behind you, they’re going to get behind you, because they’re both very explosive and very fast. We didn’t do a good enough job of keeping them in front of us.”
Grugier-Hill’s status TBA after injury
Texans linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill’s knee injury is considered to be less severe than initially thought, people with knowledge of the injury said, and, while the team is awaiting more information Monday morning, early signs show he could possibly return this year.
Grugier-Hill was carted off the field after he sustained his noncontact injury on the first drive of the third quarter in Sunday’s loss against the Seahawks. He dropped back in coverage, planted his feet to change direction, then went down gripping his right knee. The injury was a significant blow for both a defense that lost its leading
tackler and a six-year veteran playing on a one-year deal who was having his best season yet.
Grugier-Hill, 27, broke the franchise’s record for single-game tackles with 19 against the Colts last week, and, against the Seahawks, he had seven tackles and two tackles for loss when the injury occurred early in the third quarter. Most of the Texans team and coaching staff embraced the linebacker before the cart reached the end zone tunnel.
“Any time you have one of your teammates not being able to get up on their own and have to be assisted and carted off, you never want to see that,” linebacker Christian Kirksey said. “That’s just part of the game, sadly, but all we can do as a team is put our prayers out there, keep encouraging him.”
Neville Hewitt replaced Grugier-Hill and finished with three
Fairbain kicks his way into club’s record book
Ka’imi Fairbairn set the Texans' franchise record for longest field goal by nailing a 61-yard kick just before halftime.
The five-year veteran, who signed a four-year, $17.6 million contract last year, had a previous career long of 55 yards. The 61yard field goal was also the longest kick in the history of NRG Stadium, which has hosted bowl games and two Super Bowls.
“Yeah, it was pretty sweet,” said Fairbairn, who finished the game 2-of-2 on field goals and made a 21-yarder earlier in the game. “Felt good coming off the foot. Wish we got the win, and it would’ve been that much sweeter.”
Fairbairn is now 9-of-12 on field goal attempts in 2021. He struggled earlier this season with three missed point-after attempts, and his instability peaked in an Oct. 10 loss to the Patriots, when a missed field goal and two missed PATs marked the difference in Houston’s 25-22 loss.
Fairbairn has since delivered in two key moments. In a torrential rain slog during an 22-13 upset of the Titans, Fairbairn’s kicks from 43, 24 and 37 yards marked the difference. Then, against the Seahawks, Fairbairn kicked the longest field goal in the history of the franchise and stadium.
“I think just riding the waves, the ups and downs, learning from each opportunity, whether it was make or miss, try to learn more from the misses,” Fairbairn said.