Breakdown
John McClain analyzes the loss to the Steelers in the season’s home finale.
If I ever complain about a 9-7 record again, please knock me out, tie me up and dump me in Galveston Bay. Never again. Watching the Texans sink closer to the AFC South basement on Christmas Day during the 34-6 loss to Pittsburgh made me want to slap myself and remember they used to be in the playoff race at this late point in the season. Just not this season. After three consecutive 9-7 finishes, including AFC South titles the last two seasons under coach Bill O’Brien, the Texans appear headed for a 4-12 record and a six-game losing streak to close the season unless they can end with a victory at Indianapolis on New Year’s Eve.
Are they capable of defeating the Colts, who are 3-12 but own a victory over the Texans in NRG Stadium?
Not the way they’ve been losing players and losing games.
Bad outweighs the good
The Steelers dominated the Texans from start to finish. They improved their record to 12-3, earned a first-round bye in the playoffs and have an outside chance to earn home-field advantage in the playoffs.
This lopsided Monday afternoon game was a case of the superior Steelers against the interior Texans.
Before we analyze what transpired at NRG Stadium, which looked like Heinz Field because of all the Steelers fans wearing black and gold and waving Terrible Towels, let’s take a look at three highlights for the Texans.
And, yes, there were three highlights, so, please, no jokes before we get to the low lights.
First, guard David Quessenberry played in his first regularseason game after being drafted in the sixth round in 2013 when Gary Kubiak was the coach.
Quesseberry, who spent three years beating non-Hodgkin lymphoma, made his debut as a tight end, becoming an extra blocker.
“For him to come back and play in a game is an incredible thing,” said O’Brien, who designated Quessenberry as a team captain.
The second highlight was DeAndre Hopkins making an incredible catch in the corner of the end zone on a 3-yard pass from quarterback T.J. Yates.
On a fade route, Pittsburgh cornerback Joe Haden provided excellent coverage, but Hopkins jumped over him, extended his arm and tipped the ball to his other hand.
While coming down on top of Haden, Hopkins somehow managed to control the ball and get both feet down for his NFL-high 13th touchdown.
“Pretty unbelievable,” Yates said. “For him to gain possession and get two feet down with traffic underneath him and secure it with one hand (and) tip it to himself — the guy never ceases to amaze.”
The third highlight was the Texans rushing for a season-high 176 yards, including 108 by Alfred Blue, against a Pittsburgh defense that ranked eighth in the NFL against the run coming into the game.
The offensive line couldn’t protect Yates, who was sacked six times and had to leave to pass the concussion protocol before returning to finish the day, but the linemen sure did a splendid job of run blocking.
Because of injuries, there were three more changes in the line: Julién Davenport at left tackle, Greg Mancz at center and Chad Slade at right guard.
“We probably should have run it almost every down,” O’Brien said.
That’s because the passing game was pathetic, netting 51 yards after the sacks. Yates had only seven completions. On a fourth-down play from the Pittsburgh 1-yard line, O’Brien called a pass play, and Yates threw it behind Will Fuller and was intercepted in the back of the end zone by Steelers cornerback Artie Burns.
Taylor Heinicke, who briefly replaced Yates before suffering a concussion, connected on one pass.
How bad is that? In this era designed for quarterbacks to throw the ball, the Texans had eight completions. Hopkins was the only player with more than one reception.
“It’s extremely frustrating,” Yates said about the inability to throw the ball.
‘It’s a terrible feeling’
The defense did a good enough job against Pittsburgh’s running game, allowing just 104 yards. Playing without injured receiver Antonio Brown, Ben Roethlisberger still threw two touchdown passes.
The Texans didn’t help matters when a fumble and punt return allowed the Steelers to start two drives in Texans territory, producing a field goal and touchdown.
Linebacker Brian Cushing put this game in perspective when he was asked what it was like to get crushed at home?
“It’s horrible,” he said. “It’s a terrible feeling, and it’s beyond embarrassing.”
Which has been the case during the current stretch in which the Texans have lost eight of nine games, including five in a row.
Bring on the Colts in a battle for last place in the AFC South.