When the Houston Texans stormed into Baltimore, they did so as underdogs. Unfortunately for them, no alternative narrative can be claimed here, with the expected loss happening via a 25-9 defeat, the first of its kind according to NFL Scorigami.
HOU 9 - 25 BAL
— Scorigami (@NFL_Scorigami) September 10, 2023
Final
That's Scorigami!! It's the 1076th unique final score in NFL history.
A large part of this Houston Texans loss was due to a lack of offensive output. Rookie signal-caller C.J. Stroud turned in a solid debut, throwing for 242 passing yards without turning the ball over. His top two wideouts, Robert Woods and Nico Collins turned in solid season-opening performances. Outside of those three, the rest of the offense was missing in action.
Previously on Toro Times, we discussed the game-changing impact that the Baltimore Ravens defense has against opposing rushing attacks. In 2022, that unit finished as the third-best rushing defense in the league. They picked up right where they left off against Houston.
For the game, the Texans accumulated a measly 72 rushing yards, with 20 of those coming via Stroud on four carries. Lead man Dameon Pierce amassed 38 yards on 11 carries (3.5 yards per attempt), while newly signed backfield mate Devin Singletary turned in 15 yards on his seven attempts.
As a whole, the rushing unit turned in a very inefficient performance. The loss of offensive tackle George Fant did not help matters. As a whole, the Texans' offensive line was the victim of routine pressure and critical mistakes, making it nearly impossible for the offense to establish any kind of rhythm.
These performances were large factors in why there were no touchdowns recorded on the day for the Texans. In the NFL, not being able to find paydirt simply is not going to cut it if you want to win football games. The team will get their first opportunity to right the ship at home against the Colts.
Grade: C-