Battle Red Blog
The Day After the Day After…when the raw, immediate emotions from the aftermath of a game diminish into the realm of clarity and the proverbial (or literal) hangover no longer haunts the mind. With that, a review of Week 7:
Maybe it WAS the opponents: When Houston outscored the Titans and Ravens 70-10, it did beg the question whether Houston’s offense was coming into its own or was the offense benefiting playing two of the worst teams in the league. Based on Monday’s result, it was the later. Granted, Seattle brings one of the best defenses in the game, particularly its defensive front. They were sans two top DBs, but it didn’t matter much. Stroud couldn’t get much going in the passing game (23-49, 1 TD/1 INT), sacked three times and faced constant pressure. The passing game received no help from the running game, only rushing 17 times for 56 yards. When you subtract Stroud’s team-leading 25 yards on 2 carries, the numbers are even worse (15 rushes for 31 yards). The Texans did have their chances in the 2nd half to make this more of a game, but overall, the offense looked more like the hapless unit that went 0-3 vs. the juggernaut that went 2-0. Matters are not going to be helped much with the news that Nico Collins suffered a concussion during the game, likely sidelining him for a Sunday or two.
Where the Game Turned: Short yardage disaster in the 2nd half:
After Anderson’s play cut the deficit to 5, Seattle did scored a FG on the subsequent drive to go up 20-12. Houston got the ball back at their 32-yard line after a solid kick return. Two plays netted a -1 run by Marks and a 10-yard completion from Stroud to Schultz. Marks had played well the previous two games, hence his getting the majority of the carries, but was he the right back for that particular short-yardage play? Also, did Ryans envision going for it on 4th down if they didn’t convert and didn’t suffer a major lost yardage situation? If so, you could maybe understand the run on 3rd, but then why run it again on 4th? Seattle, after receiving the ball at the HOU 39, took the gift and drove down the field for the TD, going up 27-12. While it wasn’t the coup de grace, given the way that the game unfolded, Houston’s short-yardage buffoonery (along with a strong Seattle defense) effectively ended Houston’s chances to get its first win in Seattle.
The defense did enough to win the game, but they were not perfect: 2 sacks,...
