As I logged into my computer this morning and began surfing X for some Houston Texans-based updates, I was hit with what I considered to be a perfectly articulated summation of how many perceive the job performance of offensive coordinator Nick Caley through 22 games at the position.
In short, the skepticism surrounding the former Los Angeles Rams tight ends coach is only growing louder by the botched snap, and he and the team are at another crossroads (in only his second year) because of a second consecutive slow start to a season. Except this time, the expectations are all the higher because of the legitimate--and team stated--goal of contending for a Super Bowl in the franchise's 25 anniversary campaign.
Chris Long, who is not only the host of the Green Light Podcast, but also a former 11-year NFL veteran defensive end, a two-time Super Bowl champion, the 2018 Walter Payton Man of the Year and who was a member of the 2008 NFL All-Rookie Team, succinctly assessed the problematic state of Houston's offense after their first two games on Monday, specifically laying the responsibility at the doorstep of the embattled Caley.
"Caley, it's year two. I gotta see something," began Long's potent diagnosis.
OC Nick Caley and the Houston Texans are at a crossroads again after another poor offensive showing
On Caley's decision making to force runs at the improved rush defense of the Cincinnati Bengals, Long said,
"The definition of insanity yesterday, running into odd fronts. You have Dexter Lawrence head-up on your center, and he's just whoopin' 'em. They're building a wall, they're gapping people out. To me, the stubbornness to continue to run the football into those fronts. I thought they needed to get into lighter personnel and affect box counts that way and affect fronts that they. And they actually had some positive plays running the football out of the gun, but they just went away from it. I hated some of the decision making, like that fourth down [the 4th & inches stop in the second quarter] was terrible."
While one has to give credit to the Bengals for successfully swinging for the fences in their acquiring of All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence from the New York Giants in the offseason, Caley and his offensive schematics should be rightly under fire for what many have deemed "stubborn" and "unaware" play calling since his arrival.
Even with star players like wide receivers Nico Collins, Jayden Higgins and Tank Dell all being out due to their respective injuries, there's simply no excuse for how anemic the offense tends to be when Caley is faced with adversity. He runs when he should pass, he passes when he should run, he opts for A-gap or B-gap schemes when the outside lanes are open or he's just straight up ignoring tight ends and running backs in the passing game in favor of players like Xavier Hutchinson (wide receiver) and Jared Wayne (wide receiver).
Because of Caley's offenses, the team has now gone a combined 0-5 across the last two seasons within the first five games to open the respective campaigns. Because of that, Houston is now faced with a potential doomsday scenario as they head into a must-win match up against a just as urgent Indianapolis Colts squad who also doesn't want to fall to 0-3 to open the year.
Nick Caley and the Houston Texans might be facing a 'doomsday' scenario heading into week three
The "Jekyll and Hyde" Texans will be playing their first road game of the year against a fellow 0-2 competitor, and AFC South counterpart, in the Colts this Sunday afternoon from Lucas Oil Stadium.
Fresh off of a heartbreaking 33-30 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football, the Colts' defense comes into the game having allowing a combined 74 points and over 1,000 yards (1,029 to be exact) of total offense across their first two games against the Baltimore Ravens and the aforementioned Chiefs. For all intents and purposes, that lays out perfectly as the exact kind of defense that should allow for Caley and co. to get the ball rolling on securing their first win of the season.
However, that also plays as a potential nightmare circumstance for the team. If Caley and his game plan fails yet again--this time against what appears to be a porous defensive through two games--and Houston falls to an abysmal 0-3 for a second consecutive year, where does that leave head coach DeMeco Ryans in terms of the kinds of changes that must be made early in the season?
At that point, the chants for Caley's dismissal will presumably be at a fever pitch, and I don't know if Ryans will be able to talk his way out of having to confront that issue. If the offense falters yet again and causes another failure of an afternoon, Ryans may have no choice but the reevaluate the job security of his most recent coordinator hire, while also still picking up the pieces for their next game against the incoming Dallas Cowboys (and the rest of the campaign as a whole.
It's a tough situation to be in if you're Caley and/or Ryans, but 22 games of evidence suggests that the hard conversation may be an inevidability if things don't improve.
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