Official Texans @ Patriots Game Thread, 9/24/2017

[chuck]

I thought Deshaun was incredible. The first touchdown throw I said Touchdown! just as he released it. Although you could see a very small part of the field, it was just blindingly obvious that he saw someone open and that he was throwing it to the end zone. By the way, how typical is it that the team has thrown all sorts of picks at the WR position and the best receiver on the team not named Deandre is a guy they signed off the street?

Despite some egregious clock management issues and some typically terrible play calling, I thought the game plan was more or less exactly what it needed to be. Play action worked great, the roll outs were great and I'd like to see more of them, you can do a lot with the split back sets and I'd like to see them use that formation more both for pass protection and for rushing plays. Other than the first possession we didn't see much running towards the sideline, and I think with Watson's legs you can use an option pitch out of the split back set to great effect once or twice a game.

In a similar concept to isn't it amazing how much smarter your father gets as you go from 17 to 25, isn't it amazing how much better the OL gets when you employ a decent game plan? Sure NE's front seven is at best nothing special, but still.

The bad news is the team's secondary is horrific. The good news is most teams don't have Tom Brady to exploit it.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by chuck

I thought Deshaun was incredible. The first touchdown throw I said Touchdown! just as he released it. Although you could see a very small part of the field, it was just blindingly obvious that he saw someone open and that he was throwing it to the end zone. By the way, how typical is it that the team has thrown all sorts of picks at the WR position and the best receiver on the team not named Deandre is a guy they signed off the street?

Despite some egregious clock management issues and some typically terrible play calling, I thought the game plan was more or less exactly what it needed to be. Play action worked great, the roll outs were great and I'd like to see more of them, you can do a lot with the split back sets and I'd like to see them use that formation more both for pass protection and for rushing plays. Other than the first possession we didn't see much running towards the sideline, and I think with Watson's legs you can use an option pitch out of the split back set to great effect once or twice a game.

In a similar concept to isn't it amazing how much smarter your father gets as you go from 17 to 25, isn't it amazing how much better the OL gets when you employ a decent game plan? Sure NE's front seven is at best nothing special, but still.

The bad news is the team's secondary is horrific. The good news is most teams don't have Tom Brady to exploit it.

I almost think Kareem Jackson should skip safety and move straight to LB. The guy is an amazing tackler. He made a beautiful tackle on a wide run that made me shout for joy, and then like 2 plays later he was called for holding. The past 2 weeks I've seen him up near the LOS so often and he's been awesome. But he still can't find the ball when it's in the air if his life depends on it. Make him a Nickle ILB like they used to do with Glover Quinn.

And yes, Watson is very talented. It's almost as if the QBs drafted early in the draft are more talented than if you sign an unwanted veteran backup.

[Arky]

The second guessing post-game has been through the roof on radio, TV and internet.

"Get better each day." "An improvement league." "Gotta coach better." "Gotta do a better job in that situation." While these mantras are OB's go-to expressions in post-game pressers, one assumes that one has a basic level of competence to start with.... So, hearing these mantras repeated over and over, it really gets annoying when Coaching 101 errors are made.... OB has been on the job for three years and change, now, so when he says, "it's on me", you better believe it......

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Would have been quite a feather in Watson's cap to be the one rookie who defeated the Pats at home. Next time the Texans play the Pats, win or lose, I hope they beat 'em up....

Bottom line: The game vs the Pats could have gone either way. The Pats just had the lead when time expired....

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Good news: We got a QB and (so far), a FG kicker.

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Three home games scheduled next: Titans, Chiefs (SNF) and Browns and then the bye. I'd take 3-3 before the break, of course, 4-2 would be better. I had no hope of a winning record after Week 1 but that now may be achievable....

[chuck]

Originally Posted by barrett

And yes, Watson is very talented. It's almost as if the QBs drafted early in the draft are more talented than if you sign an unwanted veteran backup.

You know what, I'm starting to lean in that direction.

KJ has always been very good in the slot and terrible outside. Ha- I was going to rehash what we could be doing if we had a competent GM but I won't bother; we all know.

Arky makes a good point I've been meaning to make - the team's coverage has yet to give up a long return when Fairbairn kicks off and the ball goes out of the back of the end zone. That's another weird rule that as a Texans fan I was previously unfamiliar with.

[Keith]

Originally Posted by chuck

some typically terrible play calling

There of course was some typically terrible playcalling. That series in the middle of the 4th quarter with three straight pass plays, at a time when it was unseasonably warm and the Pats D was gassed, at a time when the Texans finally had a late lead and you knew you didn't want to give Brady extra time, just inexcusable. Keep pounding with Foreman.

Honestly, I was pleasantly shocked until then at how the offensive playcalling was going. It accentuated Watson's talent. I really never thought O'Brien would open it up as much as he did in - gasp - the rookie's second start. As Watson's downfield accuracy improves, he will really elevate this team. It made everything look better on Sunday, from the OL to the running game.

But yes, some typically terrible playcalling might have cost the Texans the opportunity from winning.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by Keith

There of course was some typically terrible playcalling. That series in the middle of the 4th quarter with three straight pass plays, at a time when it was unseasonably warm and the Pats D was gassed, at a time when the Texans finally had a late lead and you knew you didn't want to give Brady extra time, just inexcusable. Keep pounding with Foreman.

Honestly, I was pleasantly shocked until then at how the offensive playcalling was going. It accentuated Watson's talent. I really never thought O'Brien would open it up as much as he did in - gasp - the rookie's second start. As Watson's downfield accuracy improves, he will really elevate this team. It made everything look better on Sunday, from the OL to the running game.

But yes, some typically terrible playcalling might have cost the Texans the opportunity from winning.

I don't have a big problem with the 3 passes other than it didn't work. I like being aggressive there. I would have had a bigger problem with 3 straight runs in that situation. And I have a much bigger problem running Lamar Miller on 3rd and 1 and then kicking the FG on 4th and 1.

[Keith]

It was an interesting strategy given how conservatively O'Brien called plays down the stretch in Cincinnati. I expected he would do something similar at New England once he had the lead to maintain time of possession, especially since it seemed like a 3-headed rushing attack of Watson, Miller, and Foreman would be tough to contain.

As for running Miller on 3rd and 1, agreed. Either run Foreman on that play or perhaps throw something short, esp if you plan to go for it on fourth down anyway.

I was absolutely in favor of kicking the FG though. What Brady had to accomplish to win that game was not a given; it was not easy. In fact, he nearly blew it if Corey Moore hangs on to that pick. And I'm still not sure the scoring catch is still ruled a catch outside of Massachusetts. The odds are in the Texans defense's favor to keep the Pats out of that end zone.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by Keith

It was an interesting strategy given how conservatively O'Brien called plays down the stretch in Cincinnati. I expected he would do something similar at New England once he had the lead to maintain time of possession, especially since it seemed like a 3-headed rushing attack of Watson, Miller, and Foreman would be tough to contain.

As for running Miller on 3rd and 1, agreed. Either run Foreman on that play or perhaps throw something short, esp if you plan to go for it on fourth down anyway.

I was absolutely in favor of kicking the FG though. What Brady had to accomplish to win that game was not a given; it was not easy. In fact, he nearly blew it if Corey Moore hangs on to that pick. And I'm still not sure the scoring catch is still ruled a catch outside of Massachusetts. The odds are in the Texans defense's favor to keep the Pats out of that end zone.

Against any team other than NE I kick the FG.

As for running Miller on 3rd down I cannot come up with any reasonable explanation. He's a terrible short yardage runner. Run Foreman or simply spread them out and go QB lead. But why run the guy who hates contact into the middle of the line on the biggest play of the game? That to me is far worse than staying aggressive and putting the ball in Watson's hands 3 times after he just marched down the field.

[Arky]

Sure miss Arian Foster. On short yardage plays, he always seemed to find a weak crack to dive through....

[chuck]

Originally Posted by Arky

Sure miss Arian Foster. On short yardage plays, he always seemed to find a weak crack to dive through....

At the time we all knew he was great but still I think he was incredibly underrated. A lot of that is his having only four great years, and a lot of that was his own fault having jerked around in college so much. Had he had his act together and come out of a big school after his junior year, who knows what he might have done. He was old enough his rookie year that you had to wonder if he'd spent time on a Mormon mission in Papua New Guinea or some shit. Good luck with that, by the way, Devin. Let's see you pedal that Schwinn through the jungle mud when Septugon and Iriputiz are hot on your trail, spears in hand.