Houston Texans: Problems arise with 0-3 start
Maybe the most unexpected winless team in the NFL through the first three weeks of the 2018 season is the Houston Texans.
Fixing the problems of the Houston Texans through the first three games this season isn’t just as simple replacing a player or two. It seems to go deeper within the franchise as that was evident when the Texans lost to the New York Giants on Sunday, 27-22.
The Texans have gifted two games the past two weeks to their opponents that should be wins for the Texans, but it didn’t happen and the past can’t be changed. What can be changed is the fact the Texans are making way too many mistakes on the offensive line, and the rushing game wasn’t what the stats said they were entering Week 3.
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When Lamar Miller gains just 10 yards on 10 carries, and knowing the fact he hasn’t had a 100-plus yard rushing game since the 2016 season, one has to not only look at the running back, but all take a look at the offensive line. There is also the fact the Texans didn’t score a touchdown until the fourth quarter on Sunday and most times when that happens a win isn’t within reach.
What is being said about the Texans on this fallout Monday? Here are some headlines about the Texans following Sunday’s loss.
• Foti Kallergis of ABC13.com in a post game article quoted fans of the Texans, but also quoted defensive end J.J. Watt who didn’t hold back following the loss. Watt was quoted as saying:
"“All of us need to look in the mirror, analyze ourselves, and figure out what we can do better every single day to win games.”"
Watt finished the game with three sacks, his first sacks of the 2018 season, but the defensive end is correct in his assessment of the Texans. This team should not be 0-3 after three weeks and there needs to be a way to figure out what is wrong with them. No game can be described as winnable for the Texans from here on out until they prove the can win a game.
• Drew Dougherty of HoustonTexans.com wrote how the Texans described how to correct their mistakes following the loss to the Giants. Dougherty quoted wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on Sunday:
"“We’ve got to pay better attention to detail. It hurt us big today. So we’ll just come out this week at practice and lock in.”"
Again it is a veteran of the Texans who is speaking up and speaking out about the overall play of the franchise. The issue is in Week 3 it wasn’t the fault of Hopkins as he totaled six receptions for 86 yards, averaging 14.3 yards per reception. Hopkins’ top reception went for 24 yards against the Giants, though he didn’t have a touchdown.
• Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle had some positive from Sunday and that was the combo of Deshaun Watson and Will Fuller connecting for a touchdown. Wilson wrote of the Texans duo:
"“Every time Texans wide receiver Will Fuller has played a game with quarterback Deshaun Watson he has scored at least one touchdown.”"
These two have played in six games together and Fuller has nine touchdowns in those games. This is what makes the losses by the Texans frustrating to the fan base and most likely the team too. It is the fact they have two very good wide receivers in Fuller and Hopkins, plus a solid quarterback in Watson, but the wins aren’t coming.
Both wide receivers are producing and doing a good job, but the rest of the offense seems to be behind them and it has caught up to the team in the standings. As for the positive of Fuller, it is great he’s back on track this season after missing most of last year, and Fuller is proving he’s everything the Texans believed he was when they drafted him.
• Tweet of the Day
This tweet rings true for the Texans from Sunday. The fumble by Miller and the interception from Watson came at the worst time for the team in the second half. Granted, those two instances weren’t the complete reason for the loss, but they sure didn’t help matters.
Next. Texans: Mistake prone offense leads to loss vs. Giants. dark
The Texans need to regroup fast because they are on the road again for the third time in four weeks this coming Sunday in a game against the Indianapolis Colts.