Official Texans @ Ravens Game Thread, 10/16/2011

[Big Texas]

I have come to accept what I always knew...the offense is clearly NOT as good as everyone made them out to be...you can blame it on the Andre injury all you want but the truth is our offense is just not that good...dare I say our defense is better than the offense...and that's not saying much...

[Arky]

Kickoff goes out of the endzone so Texans ball at their 20.

Pass to Mason gets 4. 2nd and 6 coming up.

Pass to KW for 3. 3rd and 3 coming up.

Pass to Mason goes inc. Texans face 4th and 3.

Foster for 2 is short of the 1st down. Ravens takeover on downs. 1:17 left in the game.

Ravens kneeling it out.

Final score:

Ravens 29, Texans 14

[NBT]

Same results so far as last year, only reversed. The D is playing beautifully. The O is floundering. Well, the D did give up those long passes, but usually stiffened to only give up FGs. We have got to move the ball better.

[Nconroe]

Singing the 4th quarter blues in another tough game.

[Fonz the Boss]

Boy was I wrong about this game... Ravens put a double digit old school whopping on us. Terrible way to finish the 4th quarter. This game was competitive but the final score won't show it.

[barrett]

Definitely not a whipping. We are down a score inside of 5 minutes. We just got beat by a better team today. The truth is that we played really well and caught some breaks in the turnover game just to be in this one (2 TO and one of ours turning into our own TD). I didn't see a 4th quarter collapse, I saw a shorthanded bunch hold it together with ducktape and twine for 3 and a half quarters before the better team won. We simply aren't winning at Baltimore without AJ.

As for our offense, I will make it all about AJ being out. The most interesting thing to me is how bad our running game has looked without him. the announcers today mentioned how Randy Moss's coaches talked about how he was worth 5o ypg in the run game just by standing on the field. Well, after 2 weeks, AJ is worth at least that much in the run game. Not to mention the more obvious value in the passing game.

We are not an elite passing offense. And we are also not an elite rushing offense. But when all hands are on deck we are probably the most well balanced team in the NFL. That is clearly our strength. How all the pieces fit and compliment each other. Without the lynchpin (AJ) we are seeing that the other players are complimentary and not guys who are just going to whip people in the 1-on-1 battles (our OL especially). So with a very mortal running game and nothing to scare anybody in the passing game, and an OL that struggles to protect on straight drop passes without the PA game working, and an imobile QB who is a sitting duck without the moving pocket that a great run game provides...

Add it all up and you have the 2011 Houston Texans. A team that should win between 6 and 10 games (most likely 6 with our coach). Add AJ back to the equation and you are looking at 9 wins minimum considering our remaining schedule. He is worth at least that much. He is our Peyton Manning and there should no longer be any doubt that he is worth more than any 2 of our other players.

[TheMatrix31]

Perhaps Dennison is a problem? I don't know.

Coaches AND players are awful right now.

Front seven was AMAZING and the secondary blew. Walter and Jacoby were solid. I need to mention Cushing by name. That dude is a big game plaer.

[HPF Bob]

We got through the wicked part of our schedule, battered and bruised but still a 1/2 game out of first. If we don't go 6-4 at least the rest of the way, we should fire the coaches and start over.

I'm also beginning to give up on Schaub as a playoff-caliber QB. He racks up the stats well but he always folds in the end. I'd love to sucker some other GM into giving up a pair of first-rounders for the guy then maybe flip all three for Andrew Luck if that's possible.

[TheMatrix31]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

We got through the wicked part of our schedule, battered and bruised but still a 1/2 game out of first. If we don't go 6-4 at least the rest of the way, we should fire the coaches and start over.

I'm also beginning to give up on Schaub as a playoff-caliber QB. He racks up the stats well but he always folds in the end. I'd love to sucker some other GM into giving up a pair of first-rounders for the guy then maybe flip all three for Andrew Luck if that's possible.

Here's a thought....

If we end up truly being dismayed of Schaub, and if St. Louis sucks enough to get the #1 pick, how about we try to pull off a deal for Bradford? I cant imagine any team can pass on Luck even if they have a QB. Like what happened in SD a few years ago. Trade Schaub to a team that needs a QB, get a pick or two, then flip them to St. Louis? I don't know. Just thinking "out loud"

[nunusguy]

I thought Schaub played pretty well today, with a couple exceptions his accuracy seemed solid. Foster dropped 2 or 3 passes by himself. Speaking of Foster, I still think Tate is a better pure runner though not as versitile as Foster.
The Ravens don't have an outstanding offense, so it was disappointing that our defense folded on that last drive with 4 minutes when Rice was running crazy. When push comes to shove, apparently we still can't play with the big boys.
Hopefully there's no big boys in our division because we start our real intra-division competition next week in Nashville. No more margin for error guys.

[TheMatrix31]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

I thought Schaub played pretty well today, with a couple exceptions his accuracy seemed solid. Foster dropped 2 or 3 passes by himself. Speaking of Foster, I still think Tate is a better pure runner though not as versitile as Foster.
The Ravens don't have an outstanding offense, so it was disappointing that our defense folded on that last drive with 4 minutes when Rice was running crazy. When push comes to shove, apparently we still can't play with the big boys.
Hopefully there's no big boys in our division because we start our real intra-division competition next week in Nashville. No more margin for error guys.

Tennessee is a MUST win.

I thought Schaub played well. He got his ass beat but at least he didnt make any mistake throws or anything else. He was MUCH worse against Oakland.

Can't believe Foster missed a few of those catches. There were a couple other drops too.

Secondary was beat up badly. The reason the Ravens had success on the run later in the game was that they were abusing our secondary. Other than the latter stage of the game, the front seven was unbelievable. Especially against a "smash mouth" team like Baltimore.

I really, really hope Andre's back against Tennessee. If he plays, and he and the team start to get on a roll, then he needs to get MVP consideration.

[Arky]

Just some random thoughts:

1. It's been said (and I agree) Foster doesn't look 100%. I dunno, maybe 90%? I thought Tate was hitting the hole with more authority today... (note: I don't think Tate got any more carries after his fumble... maybe one or two?) I sure am getting tired of typing "Foster for 2" in the gameday threads...

2. D Manning and GQ led the team with tackles with 11 and 7, respectively. JJo also had 7. What's the saying? When your safeties lead the team in tackles, you've got problems. So, let's look at the linebackers: Reed had 6 tackles and Cush had 5 and I thought both played well. Barwin had just 2 tackles but had some pressures and 3 QB hits. DeMeco had 4 tackles. Sharpton had 2 tackles.

3. Secondary play was worse when it counted the most. Not sure why KJ got the whole game - did Allen even play? Cause he didn't make the stat sheet...

4. They lost a game no one thought they could win. They were in it for the longest time but couldn't take the reins and bring it home. Absolutely, positively have to beat the Titans next week....

[chuck]

If this team had competent leadership it would be 6-0.

I get tired of beating this drum but the fact that the one long pass was plainly not a catch but no one in the Texans brain trust thought to challenge the call is absolutely appalling but sadly completely familiar.

On another note I was wistful tonight watching the Bears. They have two players that illustrate the habitual stupidity of the Texans: Julius Peppers and Amobi Okoye.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by Arky

They lost a game no one thought they could win. They were in it for the longest time but couldn't take the reins and bring it home. Absolutely, positively have to beat the Titans next week....

What happened yesterday is typical in a lot of games that are played in the NFL on Sundays. The superior team just matchs the competition stride for stride most of the game, and then at the end it turns loose it's "kick", pulls ahead and wins. Playing at Baltimore without Andre, no way we were gonna win that game. Now I'm still commiserating a bit about the Raiders game, because that's the one we should have won and might come back to bite us on the butt in the final W-L record for the division crown.
Anyway the season starts for real this Sunday in Nashville. And those other divisional road games to Indy and Jacksonville aren't gonna be easy either because they are starting to play the competition closer. If we lose next Sunday, guaranteed the "fire Kubiak" chant will be for real.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by chuck

If this team had competent leadership it would be 6-0.

I get tired of beating this drum but the fact that the one long pass was plainly not a catch but no one in the Texans brain trust thought to challenge the call is absolutely appalling but sadly completely familiar.

On another note I was wistful tonight watching the Bears. They have two players that illustrate the habitual stupidity of the Texans: Julius Peppers and Amobi Okoye.

On a connected note, it appears the Rams are trying to destroy Sam Bradford like we once destroyed David Carr. Not only is Bradford getting hit on almost every snap, he is starting to duck and scatter when he doesn't get hit.

[TheMatrix31]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

What happened yesterday is typical in a lot of games that are played in the NFL on Sundays. The superior team just matchs the competition stride for stride most of the game, and then at the end it turns loose it's "kick", pulls ahead and wins. Playing at Baltimore without Andre, no way we were gonna win that game. Now I'm still commiserating a bit about the Raiders game, because that's the one we should have won and might come back to bite us on the butt in the final W-L record for the division crown.
Anyway the season starts for real this Sunday in Nashville. And those other divisional road games to Indy and Jacksonville aren't gonna be easy either because they are starting to play the competition closer. If we lose next Sunday, guaranteed the "fire Kubiak" chant will be for real.

If we lose next Sunday, he should be fired before the sun goes down.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by TheMatrix31

If we lose next Sunday, he should be fired before the sun goes down.

But you don't really think McNair would do that do you ?
I would think that there's no way McNair would fire Kubiak before he'd be mathematically eliminated from a chance at the playoffs, and even then he'd probably wait until the season was over ?

[TheMatrix31]

Probably not. Pretty much all teams generally wait until the end of the season anyway.

But going on a 3 game losing streak this early and losing to a divisional rival who, let's be honest, isn't very good....unacceptable.

[barrett]

If AJ plays and is himself and we lose, put me out of my misery. If he doesn't play and we lose then don't kill me right away, just take my shoelaces.

[chuck]

Originally Posted by barrett

On a connected note, it appears the Rams are trying to destroy Sam Bradford like we once destroyed David Carr. Not only is Bradford getting hit on almost every snap, he is starting to duck and scatter when he doesn't get hit.

I've been monitoring that situation, yes.

We'll never know whether a non-shellshocked David Carr could have been a good NFL QB. Many think so, I think not. (I'm sure as hell nostalgic for his mobility right about now. And further, at least that idiot could complete a short pass fairly reliably.) But I am quite convinced that Bradford has the tools. It will be a shame if he gets his poise beaten out of him in St Louis.