Houston Texans: Are There Any Questions?
By Bob Dove
Unfortunately, healthy players are as much a source of the Texans’ problems as are the injured.
It all starts with Brock Osweiler. He has now started 14 NFL games. He has a complete offseason, a full preseason, and 7 games of a regular season under Bill O’Brien’s system. Yet, Osweiler still appears as the flawed quarterback Jason La Canfora and Jayson Braddock predicted.
I doubted La Canfora and Braddock. Surely, I reasoned, Rick Smith and Bill O’Brien were in a better position to evaluate Osweiler’s potential. They must have watched more film, talked to more people and done more brainstorming than two pundits working individually. No doubt they did, but it appears that with far fewer resources La Canfora and Braddock are closer to getting it right.
It’s still too early to completely give-up on Osweiler. No less an expert than the legendary Bill Walsh said it takes 20 starts to determine if a young quarterback has what it takes to be successful. Osweiler still has time, but it is fair to say the needle is not pointing up.
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As shaky as he has been, Osweiler’s supporting cast has to take some of the heat. The offensive line has not opened the running lanes and created the clean pocket that Osweiler appears to require for success. In fact, before Monday night I believed the line was the primary culprit in the Texans offensive woes. However, against Denver the line was decent, but Osweiler and the offense were no better.
The Texans receivers create little separation. It seems that DeAndre Hopkins has a defender draped all over him whenever he ventures down field. Will Fuller creates only slightly better separation and again reached his drop quota, one per game. Throw in the occasional inaccurate pass to open tight ends and you have what you got against Denver…an almost historically anemic passing game.
The passing game plan consisted of the usual pattern of dinks and dunks to supposedly explosive receivers and running backs. In the past 4 games Osweiler is 4 for 28 on passes over 15 yards. His accuracy is suspect, but 4 for 28? It’s not his fault that his receivers aren’t getting open.
Of course, the offense wasn’t the only problem against Denver. The Texans defensive line can’t stop the run and, unless Jadeveon Clowney has his hand in the dirt, they create little pass rush. Opposing linemen have a free pass to the linebackers, and, as with the Colts, that created another 100 yard rusher and 190 yards rushing overall.
With the defensive line underperforming and only flashes from the linebackers, the secondary has had to carry the defensive burden. Overall, the secondary has performed well, but they are getting beaten up…too many tackles, too much pressure. The Texans continue to field a competent defense, but not the dominant defense required to overcome the offensive shortcomings.