Surprisingly, the game started out well on special teams for Houston as rookie wide receiver Keith Mumphrey took the kickoff up to the 42 yard line. It was one of the few times this season Houston started the game with great field position.
Unfortunately, that’s all the good that came out of their first possession, as they quickly went 3 and out against a strong defensive effort by Miami.
The Texan’s defense got burned quickly as well, giving up a 53 yard catch and run to Rishard Matthews against the rookie cornerback Kevin Johnson, as Kareem Jackson is out with an ankle injury. Miami held a quick 7-0 lead with 11 minutes remaining in the first quarter.
Hoyer didn’t do anything redeeming again on the second drive, as they went backwards and through two drives had actually a negative yardage total. He didn’t complete a pass in either drive.
If the Texans can’t sustain drives, the defense will have no chance in any contest they’re in.
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The defense came out and shut down the offense of Miami for their second drive, and got the ball back to the stagnant offense.
Hoyer finally completed his first pass for 7 yards on an angle route to Arian Foster. Unfortunately again, the Texans quickly exited the field on yet another 3 and out. There was some questionable contact made by the secondary on DeAndre Hopkins, but that’s the only way he can be stopped…if you literally take him to the ground. Should have been an automatic first down, but the Texans got glazed over by the refs again, and were forced to punt early.
Miami jumped on Houston with a 1 play drive touchdown by Jarvis Landry. It was simply an out route that he took 50 yards for another long catch and run touchdown. Miami took an early 14-0 lead with 6:45 to play.
Houston can’t play defense with such softness if they want any hope of surviving in 2015. So far, the moxie they showed against Jacksonville has been nonexistent.
Houston got thoroughly destroyed in all facets through the first quarter, with Hoyer completing only one pass on 4 drives, and the defense giving up huge chunk play after chunk play. It looked like it was going to be a very, very long afternoon early.
The defense couldn’t stop the run, couldn’t tackle, and couldn’t cover. It looked like the same ole Texans we saw through the first 5 weeks of the season.
Jarvis Landry and Ryan Tannehill dominated the Houston defense early, as they connected on 2 first quarter touchdowns. 2015 is going to be a long year. Miami took a massive 21-0 first quarter lead with 3 minutes remaining in the 1st quarter.
Yet again, the Texans through 5 possessions went 3 and out every single time. Hoyer only completed 1 pass on all of those drives COMBINED, and the Texans gained NEGATIVE 1 yard. It was truly embarrassing to watch again.
The defense was just as pathetic, giving up a perfect quarter to the Miami offense. Ryan Tannehill was 8 for 8, for 147 yards and 3 touchdowns. Lamar Miller had 8 carries for 69 yards (a whopping 8.625 yds/carry), and they couldn’t stop anything.
Lamar Miller then took a 54 yard screen pass untouched into the endzone for a touchdown. It went from bad to worse early, as this ballooned the lead to 28 points in the first minute of action in the second quarter.
This defense couldn’t even stop a nosebleed if it wanted to.
The offense couldn’t quit being awful either, as they gifted a pick 6 to the Dolphins on a fluke drop by the Texans tight end.
The Texans looked as if they wanted to give up 100 points. They still hadn’t got a first down, and had 4 total yards going into the second quarter. It was just pathetic.
They did manage to “stop the leakage” on defense, as they surrendered only one touchdown over the remaining time in the first half, but it was an 85 yard touchdown run by Lamar Miller right up the gut of the defense.
The offense didn’t manage much, as they couldn’t score. Hoyer just looked lost from the start, and made poor decisions. He also wasn’t aided by the tight ends, who consistently dropped perfect passes and one even caused a pick-six for Miami.
The Dolphins entered halftime up 41-0 and looked poised to cruise for an easy victory. Houston amassed a total 46 yards of offense in the entire first half, and Miami had 182 yards in only rushing. It was lopsided to say the least, and Murphy’s Law was in full effect.
When they came out in the second half, the defense forced a 3 and out, and the offense actually mustered a first down. They turned it around! (Not really – they punted shortly thereafter)
The defense finally forced a turnover on a fumble, and breathed some life into the team so they could get salvage some pride points.
The Texans responded, and Brian Hoyer finally got something done. He tossed a touchdown pass to Arian Foster to get on the board. Miami led 41-6 with 8:13 to play in the 3rd quarter.
The Texans defense actually had life to start the second half, as they forced a 3 and out, a turnover and then a punt. J.J. Watt in particular came out with his hair on fire, registering 2 sacks in the first 10 minutes of the third quarter.
The offense also had life, as they instantly drove down inside the 10 yard line and scored another touchdown. Arian Foster had a receiving touchdown and rushing touchdown to put the Texans on the board in the 3rd quarter.
Hoyer looked pitiful all afternoon, making terrible choices and inaccurate throws. He needs to be more consistent if they have any hope of making a run the second half of the season.
The Texans were able to post 20 points fairly quickly to open the second half, and held Miami scoreless. It was 41-20 with 11:27 left to play.
The Dolphins tacked on a 53 yard field goal to pad the lead, it was 44-20 with 7:41 remaining.
Arian Foster was injured yet again, and at first glance to me, looked like an Achilles. He was untouched and just dropped to the ground in agony.
The Texans did tack on another touchdown, by way of Nate Washington. He had two touchdown grabs on the day. They narrowed the gap to 44-26, a much more respectable line than 41-0.
The Texans season unbelievably isn’t “over.” I just don’t believe anything can be salvaged.
Texans fall to Miami in embarrassing fashion, and look on to Tennessee next week.