Darned Luck
Come the postseason, play like this isn’t going to cut it
Elite?
The best team in Texans history?
A rising contender for the AFC crown?
Not if you watched Sunday’s game.
It wasn’t the 0-3 Texans. But it also wasn’t the crew that found a way to win a franchise-record nine consecutive games, alternately blowing out opponents and somehow surviving at the final second.
Sunday’s Texans couldn’t beat the Indianapolis Colts, who fell 6-0 to the fractured Jacksonville Jaguars a week ago.
The Texans also couldn’t stop Andrew Luck, cover T.Y. Hilton — a disturbing trend that dates to the Gary Kubiak era — or capitalize on a stunning New England Patriots defeat.
It could have been 10-3 Texans, in second place in the conference with just three contests to go and pushing for a firstround playoff bye with secondround home-field advantage.
It was 24-21 Indy on Sunday at NRG Stadium, which wasn’t as close as the score says. The game was pretty much over the moment Luck started shredding the Texans’ secondary.
As the wins stacked up, coach Bill O’Brien publicly begged his team not to eat the “cheese.” Don’t buy into the mounting hype, O’Brien said. Remember where you started (0-3) and how far you still have to go.
The Texans (9-4) were often allergic to smart football Sunday — despite opening a 7-0 lead and initially shutting down the Colts’ offense — and left us asking the same serious questions that shadowed this team after 0-3.
Indy sacked Deshaun Watson five times for 41 yards.
The Texans’ young franchise quarterback also spent too much time holding on to the ball, overextending plays that should have died. In the playoffs, a fumble or interception on just one of those could change a game and end the Texans’ season.
The off day for the Texans’ leader was evident during another failed second-half drive. Pocket pressure led to a quick, forced throw, which was followed by a punt. A frustrated Watson, whose confidence and rhythm captured the Texans during their rise, slowly walked off the field by himself with his head down.
“Sometimes I know I need to throw it away. But sometimes, when things aren’t going, somebody needs to make a play. I try to make a play,” said Watson, who was 27-of-38 for 267 yards, one TD and a 99.3 rating but was often forced to keep surveying the field and missed a couple potential scores.
Watson’s broken-play brilliance can lead to sudden inspiration. But with the playoffs drawing near, it’s almost impossible to imagine the in-game drama show constantly working in the Texans’ favor from the first opponent to the final stage.
“We have to find that balance, no doubt about it,” O’Brien said. “Obviously got a little out of whack (Sunday). Some of it’s the blocking; some of it’s the route running. It’s not just one thing. There are times when he needs to get rid of the ball. We’ve got to continue to work on that.”
At least Watson owned up to his mistakes.
Jadeveon Clowney, the former No. 1 overall pick who’s yet to receive a contract extension, committed his obligatory weekly neutral-zone infraction with 2 minutes remaining and the Colts facing third-and-1 at their 48.
Get a stop, and maybe Watson creates winning magic again. At the least, the Texans would get a shot at a game-tying field goal.
Clowney jumped. The flag created an Indy first down, sending the Colts into a victory formation. Then Clowney disappeared from the locker room before the media could ask a single question.
O’Brien answered the one about his team’s following up nine straight W’s with a disappointing home defeat.
“Look, I don’t like what happened (Sunday). But I’m fine with where we are,” he said. “This is the NFL. We did not do a good enough job. … The Colts did a much better job than us. There’s a lot of football left.” Three games, to be exact. Can the Texans get more out of their offense in time for the second season that defines?
Can this franchise finish a season strong and enter the postseason with momentum for the first time in team history?
And can this secondary cover anybody?
“We have to do a better job,” said O’Brien, after Luck torched the Texans for 863 passing yards and six TDs in two games.
It’s not the fact they lost for the first time since Sept. 23. It’s how they gave it up.
The 4-9 Jets are up next. If the Texans fall at New York, then it’s time to freak out and shout same ol’ Texans.
Right now, this is a good team trying to be something more.
Sunday’s Texans aren’t winning a playoff game. They have three games left to prove they can be dangerous in January, when wins really count.