‘The start of everything’
Not quitting against Colts got Texans going on their way to a nine-game winning streak
It all hinged on an ill-fated, aggressive coaching decision, an errant pass and a pivotal field goal.
The dramatic turning point of the Texans’ epic turnaround season began in wild fashion against the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 30 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
When Colts coach Frank Reid decided to go for it on fourth down in overtime in Indianapolis territory and quarterback Andrew Luck threw an incomplete pass intended for Chester Rogers to turn it over on downs, it set the stage for kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn’s game-winning chip shot. That launched the Texans’ franchiserecord nine-game winning streak.
Since a gloomy 0-3 start, the 9-3 AFC South leaders haven’t lost a game and own the longest current winning streak in the NFL heading into Sunday’s game at NRG Stadium against the 6-6 Colts.
“Being around each other, we weren’t panicking, and when we got a win finally, guys realized the guy next to you isn’t going to quit on you no matter what,” Texans nose tackle D.J. Reader said. “We realized guys could relax and that everybody is playing for each other. I think it brought us closer together. There is no ego too big for our locker room.”
No longer desperate for victories, the Texans have transformed their outlook through upgraded play from dual-threat quarterback Deshaun Watson, dazzling catches by All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and a strong running game led by running back Lamar Miller to go with a stingy, opportunistic defense headlined by three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year defensive end J.J. Watt.
After yielding three touchdown passes in the second half to Luck and 464 passing yards to him for the game, the Texans finally put the Colts away.
Luck threw a low pass to Rogers that skidded across the turf. Hopkins gained 24 yards on a catch-and-run. And Fairbairn connected on a 37-yard field goal to put the Texans’ rival away.
“I think that win definitely changed our season,” cornerback Kareem Jackson said. “It definitely helped boost our season into the right direction.”
The win provided the Texans with confidence and provided a springboard to their status now as the hottest team in the NFL. It was a catalyst to the Texans’ season.
“Oh, for sure,” Watson said. “The first few games were some ups and downs, and some big bumps and bruises, but that game of being at the highs of high and being up 28-10 and then letting them come back and being down in overtime and pulling through the adversity, it kind of slingshot us to where we are now.
“That was one game where we went through all types of phases and situations that kind of put us through this nine-game win streak. It was the start of everything.”
Since that huge first win, the Texans have gained steam throughout the season.
Led by coach Bill O’Brien, the Texans have improved exponentially in every area of team play, including special teams.
Watson has 12 touchdown passes in the past six games, connecting with Hopkins for 80 catches, 1,115 yards and eight scores. He has been intercepted only twice during that span. The Colts game marked the Texans’ first win under Watson since he tore his anterior cruciate ligament as a rookie last season. The victory also put distance between the Texans and a dismal 4-12 season a year ago.
“I know it was big for us to get a win, for this team to learn how it feels to win,” Hopkins said. “A lot of these guys hadn’t won, hadn’t played in the NFL, so it was a lot of people’s first NFL win. It gave a lot of people confidence.
“We’re definitely not overlooking what we accomplished, but we know that’s not all we want to accomplish. It’s a bittersweet feeling, honestly, because we know there’s still more out there for us.”
Watt leads the Texans with 11½ sacks and five forced fumbles.
In the past eight games, the defense has surrendered just 15.9 points per game. They’ve given up only 19.6 points per game to rank third in the NFL in scoring defense.
The game where the Texans had the most problems defensively set them on this course.
“Obviously, it was a wild game,” Watt said. “A lot of things happened in it, but we needed one to get started. That was the one to get us started on this streak. Bit of an unorthodox way to get it, but we got it. So, here we are.”
Watt and Pro Bowl outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney have combined for 18½ of the Texans’ 34 sacks.
The only team to score more than 23 points against the Texans this season is the Colts.
Along the way, veteran safety Tyrann Mathieu has emerged as an emotional leader during his first season with the Texans and made a series of fiery speeches and printed up “Glory Boyz” and “DWA: Defense With Attitude” Tshirts for his teammates. Known as the Honey Badger, the feisty former Arizona Cardinals All-Pro has learned a lot about his new teammates. And it started against the Colts after losses to the New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans and New York Giants to begin the season.
“I think we’ve got a lot of guys willing to put their hand in a pile,” Mathieu said. “Everybody is going to fight until the last whistle blows. I thought the Colts game resembled a lot of what we did in the first three weeks, trying to win a football game at that point. The most important thing was to get one win. We were able to regroup, settle down and look at our goals and try to attack them.”
Since that win over the Colts, the Texans have emerged as a more confident team with better pass protection for Watson and strong play in the secondary from Jackson, Reid and rookie Justin Reid.
The Texans have remained humble, listening to O’Brien’s reminders about not drinking KoolAid or eating the cheese and staying focused on one game at a time.
Since the win over the Colts, the Texans have changed a lot as they’ve defeated the Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, Washington, Titans and the Cleveland Browns.
“That was a long time ago,” O’Brien said of the win over the Colts that started it all. “We’ve come a long way since then. The Colts (6-6) have come a long way since then. We were 0-3 and we’re 9-3, so I think we’re improved, but are we where we need to be? No. We can always improve.”
The Texans have a chance to end the Colts’ playoff hopes and position themselves for an AFC South division title as they compete with the Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs for the top AFC seed and home-field advantage in the playoffs
It’s been a long climb, but they’re almost there.
“I just want to go out there and win on Sunday,” Watt said. “I think it’s the one-day-at-a-time mentality. I think it’s when you start to look ahead, or you start to get overly excited about accomplishments that, not don’t mean anything, but winning nine in a row, winning a division, you take things one day at a time.”
After Sunday, the Texans’ remaining games are at the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles, followed by a regular-season home game against the Jaguars.
The Texans have bigger goals in front of them after winning nine in a row.
“It’s a small accomplishment,” Clowney said. “We still haven’t even won the division with winning nine in a row, we have no playoff spot, nothing right now locked up.
“It’s a small accomplishment, but hopefully it will lead to bigger things for us. We’re playing for much more than just the division right now.”