Houston Texans Week 1 Grades

The Houston Texans defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 37-21 Sunday afternoon at NRG Stadium in Houston.

It was a complete team effort from the Texans that saw production from various members on the offense, impact plays on the defense, and consistency in the special teams. Head Coach David Culley and company clearly came in with a game plan and executed it to a tee.

This was a much-needed win for a franchise that will be looking for any way to boost confidence in their locker room. The Texans walk away from Week 1 being 1-0 and atop the AFC South. It is a good feeling around the stadium and each facet of the team performed very well to earn this Week’s victory.

When it comes to grading their Week 1 win, it’s just the Jaguars who went 1-15 last season. However, an NFL team doesn’t get steamrolled by an opponent by being bad or inept. It takes planning and focus by the players and coaching staff to get the job done.

OFFENSE (A)

The Houston Texans offense, led by Tyrod Taylor‘s 291 yards and two touchdowns, compiled a total production of 449 yards and 37 points to propel Houston to their Week 1 victory.

The Texans offense came out swinging, rattling off 27 points before halftime. They were able to keep Jacksonville’s offense off the field with their 35 plus minutes of possession.

Many were unsure on how Offensive Coordinator Tim Kelly’s offense would come together but it looked in good form on Sunday. Brandin Cooks stole the show through the air, hauling in five receptions for 132 yards. His ability to get open downfield helped the Texans run game improve throughout the contest.

Mark Ingram led the way with 26 carries for 85 yards and one touchdown. He proved to be the number one option in the run game and the coaches were able to use all of their running weapons effectively to keep the Jaguars defense guessing the entire contest.

A 37 point outburst with no turnovers and only allowing one sack on their quarterback is the reason this offense is rewarded with a grade of A this week.

DEFENSE (B)

This defense didn’t skip a beat from the preseason. Defensive Coordinator Lovie Smith showed early in the preseason that this defense would make plays and force opposing teams to make mistakes throughout their matchups. Today was no different.

The Texans forced the former number one overall pick Trevor Lawrence to throw three interceptions that helped propel the Texans to the Win.

Free Safety, Justin Reid got the party started with an interception in the second quarter. This play kickstarted the Texans defense and ball-hawking skills as cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III got a second interception that led to a field goal that moved the needle further in Houston’s favor.

What held this Defense back was their inability to sack the quarterback. They brought pressure throughout the game which led to interceptions. Sacking the quarterback is the one stat missing from Sunday’s game, and if the Houston Texans can turn some of those throwaways and broken plays into sacks, that will pay dividends against opposing quarterbacks down the road.

The fact the Texans defense created turnovers is a huge factor in helping this team win games. If they can find consistent pressure they will be a force to deal with this season. For this week they are awarded a grade of B for their performance against the Jags offense.

SPECIAL TEAMS (B)

Special teams are not always looked at as an impactful part of a football game. But they absolutely should be, and on Sunday the special teams played a very important role in the outcome for the Houston Texans.

Kicker Joey Slye who was recently activated from the practice squad was stellar in his season debut. He went 3/3 in field goal attempts with the longest being 40 yards and was also a perfect 4/4 on extra points. His timely field goal makes gave the Texans offense constant growing confidence throughout this matchup.

If the Texans can tighten up their special teams blocking, that will open up many more opportunities for their returner (Andre Roberts) to do some damage on the field. He was handcuffed on making plays due to the lack of space he was given on the field.

Houston will need this consistency from the kicking game every week if they want to stay competitive in games. Once they hone in their kick and punt return schemes this special teams unit has the ability to be game-changing for the Texans. Overall, it was a good first week for a special teams unit that came in with low expectations.

COACHING STAFF (A)

Head Coach, David Culley absolutely excelled in his head coaching debut for the Houston Texans. Handling all of the off-field distractions that have piled up this season so far is not an easy task, and Culley has handled it with class and professionalism.

Tim Kelly had the Texans offense buzzing around the field in the first half. He was able to get their number one wide receiver Brandin Cooks plenty of touches and allowed him to make a monumental impact in today’s game.

It was also a fantastic showing by the running back group for the Texans as Kelly’s offensive schemes allowed both Mark Ingram and Phillip Lindsay to find the endzone.

Defensive Coordinator Lovie Smith has created confidence throughout the defensive unit for Houston. He was able to rattle Lawrence early in the pocket which helped create an early lead. The defense created three turnovers and that number could have easily been higher today. If the Texans can continue this pressure with their defense, many of their games this season may be closer than expected.

All in all, this coaching staff was on the same page with one another and it showed. They outcoached the Jaguars staff and kept the opposition guessing throughout the four quarters of play. These coaches definitely deserved the game ball after this opening week victory.