Official Texans @ Steelers Game Thread, 10/20/2014

[Keith]

Originally Posted by barrett

Did Cushing have injury red flags coming out? I honestly have no idea. If he did then it's on Smith.

Iirc, he was basically healthy enough to play his final season at USC, but prior to that, he had various knee and ankle problems, not to mention the myriad of steroid rumors.

Cushing's speed is gonzo. As I've said in earlier game threads this season, it is really sad seeing this version of him on the field. The comparison to DeMeco's decline is a good one, though DeMeco had nowhere near the ceiling Cushing had pre-injury.

As for the game... obviously, the meltdown in the final 2 mins before halftime cost the game. Bad teams do that. Good teams do not. And this wasn't the first time this team has had a meltdown. Time for BOB to adjust. I figure he will, but he will be hamstrung until this team has a real franchise QB.

- Daniel Manning... WTH is he still returning kicks in the 2nd half?? So much for accountability.
- Following that 4th Q fumble, DeAndre Hopkins isn't going to shed that tag he started earning after failing to go after that loose ball at the end of the Colts game.
- Arian Foster had a bad fumble, which I can excuse since it is pretty rare despite how cavalier he carries the football in space sometimes. His vision is unique. There is and has been a serious dropoff in talent when someone else is toting the rock in his place.
- TE play is really sub-par in the passing game, which is a little surprising. Maybe these are still TE types for the Kubiak system and Fido is just a rook. Something to address in the offseason even if Fido improves.
- Not sure if it's D.J. or Cush or what, but there is some leadership missing in the middle of that defense. It's still a pretty solid D mind you - there's like 17 points in this game that are basically the fault of the offense - but there's some miscommunication going on back there.
- Icing the kicker before a FG may be a good idea, but giving him a second shot at an onsides kick is dumb. And the Steelers' decision to throw the ball on 2nd (and really 3rd) down late in this game was even dumber.