Fans’ frustrations are obvious after this loss
I can’t remember a regular-season game that infuriated Texans fans more than Sunday’s 16-10 loss to Carolina.
Since the game ended, I’ve been bombarded with angry emails from fans ranting against the team, specifically directed at coach Bill O’Brien.
You’re as angry and exasperated as I’ve seen. You’re spewing venom at O’Brien for his failed gadget play — the DeAndre Hopkins pass that was intercepted to set up the Panthers’ only touchdown — and running out of timeouts with 4:11 remaining in what was a three-point game at the time.
Now, in fairness to O’Brien, his gimmick play in the 27-20 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers — Deshaun Watson handing off to Carlos Hyde, who lateraled back to Watson to connect with Kenny Stills for a 38-yard completion — worked to perfection.
But some days you’re a
hero and others a goat, and he’s Billy Goat this week because O’Brien’s call against the Panthers backfired.
I think your frustration goes much deeper than the loss to Carolina. I believe it has more to do with being sky high after the exciting, come-from-behind victory over the Chargers, believing the Texans had finally turned the corner and were headed out of Heartbreak City, expecting a victory at home over the underdog Panthers and then getting crushed emotionally by another discouraging defeat.
It was déjà vu all over again. It’s one thing for the Texans to play well and lose to a better team. Those losses are easier to stomach. But playing so bad on offense one week after playing so well, the inconsistency is maddening, right?
You don’t believe in O’Brien. You want answers he doesn’t have. He provided some in the postmortem Sunday night and again at his Monday news conference, but there was nothing he said that helped you get rid of that sickening feeling.
Asked about the Texans’ performance against the Panthers at NRG Stadium, O’Brien wasn’t enlightening.
“It wasn’t very good,” he said. “It starts with me. We’ve got to do better. We’ve got to do a better job. That’s what we’re working on today.”
The theme for the day was “we’ve got to do better,” which was stating the obvious, of course.
Now, about that offense? “We’re working hard to get better, working really hard to get better, and that’s what it’s all about,” he said. “We’re just going to really try to improve.”
And they will improve offensively because it’s difficult to imagine the passing game being worse.
Watson was harassed by the Panthers throughout the game, some his fault. He completed 21-of-33 for 160 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions. His rating was 75.3 one week after he was magnificent against the Chargers with 351 yards, three touchdowns and a 135.8 rating, second-best of his career.
The 10 points the Texans scored are the fewest in a regular-season game with Watson as their starting quarterback. The only time they scored less was the 21-7 playoff loss to Indianapolis last season.
Another thing that boggles your mind is how the Texans continue to allow so many sacks. Only two in the conquest over the Chargers but six more against the Panthers, who were missing one of their best defensive linemen, injured end Kawann Short.
You want to scream every time Watson drops back and is under immediate pressure or holds the ball too long. He’s already been sacked 18 times. That’s a 72-sack pace, 10 more than last season. David Carr’s team record of 76 sacks in 2002 is within reach.
I said before the season, and I’ll repeat it at the quarter point — I believe the Texans will win a Super Bowl with Watson. Just not this season.
This isn’t a Super Bowl contender, and you know it. But the Texans are good enough to win the division for the fourth time under O’Brien, and if they reach the playoffs, they should be capable of winning a game.
I’m as confused as you over what team will take the field each week. I picked them to lose to the Chargers, and they won. I picked them to beat the Panthers, and they lost.
Now everyone is concerned with the next game against Atlanta, another losing team coming to NRG Stadium. Once you get over the disappointment of the Panthers, you’ll try to be positive about the Falcons, but it’s going to be hard based on Sunday’s perplexing performance.
Right now, you don’t have to be reminded the Texans are 4-5 over their last nine games, counting the playoff loss to the Colts. You don’t want to hear about the nine-game winning streak in 2018, the 11-5 record that won the AFC South and that the Texans’ 2-2 record is one game better than this time last year.
As O’Brien likes to point out, the past has nothing to do with the present. Unfortunately for Texans fans, it does. One week you’re up, but the next week you’re down. It’s a Texans tradition.