Defense performs vanishing act
Oakland comes alive in fourth quarter after being stifled early
MEXICO CITY — Standing in front of his locker late Monday night, Texans defensive end Jadeveon Clowney shook his head in disgust.
It was an expression of frustration felt through the Texans’ locker room following a 27-20 loss to the Oakland Raiders that included some controversial officiating calls.
“We can’t blame nobody but us,” Clowney said. “Don’t put the game in the refs’ hands to take it from us. We should have taken the game.
“Man, I felt so confident about us winning the game. It just slipped away from us at the end, and we lost it. Very tough, we should have won this game. We gave this away. It slipped out of our hands.”
The dominant ways of the Texans’ defense vanished at the most inopportune moments in the fourth quarter.
After manhandling the Raiders for the majority of the night at Estadio Azteca, the Texans’ defense committed a pair of costly lapses late in the game. The Texans lost despite holding the Raiders to 30 rushing yards on 20 carries.
“We just beat ourselves, man,” Texans cornerback A.J. Bouye said. “That’s the main thing. I feel like I could have done better. We’re going to learn from our mistakes. We’re going to take this personally and come back strong next week.”
The Texans had the Raiders on the ropes for most of the game, but Pro Bowl quarterback Derek Carr was absolutely clutch in the fourth quarter. He now has nine touchdowns and one interception combined in the fourth quarter and overtime this season.
Carr ‘too comfortable’
A trendy MVP candidate, Carr completed 21 of 31 passes for 295 yards, three touchdowns and one interception for a 117.0 passer rating. He was never sacked.
“He was getting too comfortable back there,” Clowney said. “It was pitch-and-catch. He was just throwing quick outs and receivers were making plays.”
First, Raiders fullback Jamize Olawale wasn’t accounted for during a 75-yard touchdown catch out of the backfield where he eluded free safety Andre Hal to tie the score. The Texans looked confused by wide receiver Amari Cooper lining up in the backfield at running back as Olawale ran a seam route and Hal flubbed on his open-field tackle attempt.
“It was an unusual alignment,” Bouye said. “We just got to be ready for that. The coaches showed us that all week. It was good call against our defense. Kudos to them.”
Cooper put the Texans away on their ensuing possession as inside linebacker Benardrick McKinney overpursued the gifted wide receiver during his 35-yard game-winning touchdown catch. Cooper scooted into the end zone as the Raiders capitalized on a failed fourthdown run by running back Akeem Hunt that was upheld by an instant-replay review.
Earlier in the night, Clowney used the element of surprise to penetrate the Raiders’ backfield.
It was a well-executed gambit from the former top overall pick as he and outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus switched sides and caught the Raiders’ blockers off guard.
As Clowney harassed Carr in the third quarter Monday, the pressure triggered a hasty, deep throw that was intended for Cooper but intercepted by Bouye.
Clowney stands strong
The contributions of Clowney, an oft-criticized and oft-injured former consensus All-American from South Carolina, led the charge for a resurgent Texans defense.
The key turnover spurred the Texans to a 13-play, 65-yard drive capped by running back Lamar Miller’s touchdown run that provided them with a 17-10 lead. The Raiders rushed for just 11 yards on their first 12 carries.’ Clowney recorded five solo tackles, including two for losses. Clowney kept pace with Raiders All-Pro defensive end Khalil Mack, who has had a more successful NFL career than Clowney after being selected fifth overall three years ago in the same draft class as the Texans’ converted outside linebacker. Mack had one sack and three tackles Monday night.
“It ain’t about me,” Clowney said. “It’s about the team. We didn’t do what we wanted to do to win the game.”
By halftime, the Raiders had gained just 81 yards of total offense and just five first downs. Unable to budge Clowney off the line of scrimmage at the point of attack, the Raiders rushed for a paltry seven yards on 10 carries as their power running back Latavius Murray rushed for just 12 yards on six carries by halftime.
The Texans played some inspired defense, including a pair of goal-line stands where Clowney and the front seven kept the Raiders out of the end zone.
For a while, the Raiders looked out of answers against a stout Texans defense.
During the first half, Carr completed 10 of 15 passes. However, it generated just 74 passing yards and one touchdown.
“We played a solid game,” said Texans outside linebacker John Simon, who left the game with a chest injury. “We made a couple of mistakes that cost us. They’re a good team. You can’t afford to give up big plays late in the game.”
‘We beat ourselves’
Clowney flashed his dominance immediately in the first quarter.
He stuffed Raiders rookie running back Jalen Richard in the backfield for a loss of four yards as the Raiders went threeand-out during their opening drive.
Following a fumbled kickoff lost by Texans rookie Tyler Ervin, the Texans’ defense stiffened as they held the Raiders to a field goal.
However, the Raiders’ offense wouldn’t remain stuck in neutral for the entire game.
Spurred by some sharp throws by Carr, who entered the night with 17 touchdown passes and three interceptions, the Raiders eventually overtook the Texans.
The Raiders finished the game with 327 yards of total offense and 14 first downs after gaining just 120 yards of total offense and nine first downs through three quarters.
However, the Raiders’ running backs combined for 11 catches for 199 yards.
“They had what?” Clowney said. “I didn’t know that. We need to do much better and do our part and help the team.”
Behind the strength of a huge fourth quarter, the Raiders managed to defeat a stingy Texans defense that had shined throughout the night in the thin air and high altitude of Mexico City.
“Carr’s a great quarterback, but I believe we beat ourselves,” Bouye said. “That’s how I feel. I’m looking forward to seeing them again.”