Houston Texans: studs and duds from Preseason Week 3 loss vs. Cowboys

Dud: The Coaching Staff

Did the Houston Texans looked prepared to play in a preseason game, much less the third and most important one? No they didn’t. Do the Texans look like they are prepared for the start of the 2019 regular season in less than two weeks against the New Orleans Saints? Again, judging solely by the performance on Saturday against the Dallas Cowboys, the Texans didn’t look prepared whatsoever.

Houston is gambling by not having a general manager this season, but it is understandable they are waiting for the guy they really want, and not just hiring someone they don’t believe in like what happened before.

Even so, the coaching staff for the Texans — and the blame goes to head coach Bill O’Brien — didn’t have the players ready for action. It was that or the Cowboys are just 34 points better than the Texans are when it comes to overall depth to the roster.

Following the ACL injury to Lamar Miller the offense of the Texans struggled, especially the starting unit. It will be interesting to see how Duke Johnson does with this offense once he’s 100-percent healed up from his hamstring issue, and once wide receiver Keke Coutee is healed up as well.

Again, the offensive line looked lost out on the field against the front line of the Cowboys, Deshaun Watson had issues of holding onto the football too long, but so did Joe Webb. Nothing was crisp about the Houston offense, and to be just the second team this preseason to be held scoreless for the entire game is inexcusable to say the least.

Houston better hope it was just a bad night all-around, because if they play like they did on Saturday night once the regular season starts, then Drew Brees and the Saints will do whatever they want to against the Texans, and that would be a very tough way to start the season.