Just curious. The first half they were doing a really good job of stifling our offense and generating pressure. Was it a mix of an effective pass rush and some oline play that was suspect? I know Sewell was really disappointed in how he played that game. We figured it out in the 2nd half but I would anticipate teams that are built similarly to the texans to try and do the same thing.
1 Like
In game adjustments
That’s what differentiates the good from the great at this level
1 Like
sorry what I mean is when the game started what were the texans doing that was so different? honestly it didn’t look like any other game for us, our offense was just confused and stymied.
It really wasn’t what the Texans were doing as much as how our Oline was playing. Skip had a rough start. Once he settled in things got better.
1 Like
Texans opened the roof and made it an outside game. Goff struggles outside……
Almost got the dub.
7 Likes
Based on just observations live (no rewatch), they were able to generate pressure without blitzing. They shut down our run game (not sure if that was just bad O-line play or what they did specifically defensively), which eliminated play action effectiveness. The Houston defense is very quick, so they were able to contain on the edges and not allow our RBs to break runs on cutbacks/outside.
Without an effective run game/play action and being able to drop 7 into coverage while getting pressure with just 4 guys, that was pretty much all she wrote in the first half. Goff had little time to throw. The tip on the first drive was just good defense, and the other interception was a result of pressure. I think it was a combination of Houston’s defense playing well, and our o-line just having an off night. But any defense that can rush 4 and get that kind of pressure, not many offenses are going to succeed. That’s a dream scenario for any defense.
Their players played better than our players.
I know it sounds dumb, but that’s what it felt like happened.
Our guys just flat out didn’t play well in the first half. Especially up front.
1 Like
The Texans cheated but got away with it. All week we practiced against scout team DBs wearing red gloves. The Texans secondary came out wearing white and black gloves. This was very confusing for Goff until he figured out what was happening. Our receivers were wearing white and black gloves as well, so there was no other way for Goff to be able to differentiate who was playing DB and who was playing WR/TE.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! 
This is the real answer. They wanted the game and played good football. Nothing extra special outside of that. They had a little extra time to prepare so they were slightly fresher. Look at this tackle of LaPorta on 3rd and 15. Having 8 guys rally to make a routine tackle short of the sticks on 3rd down is Detroit Lions type ish.
3 Likes
They have a fast defense. Their speed rush was beating our Oline guys who were not playing up to their normal standard. And their linebackers were really fast filling the run lanes.
When our Oline picked up their play in the second half the Texans quickly lost their stamina on D and things started opening up.
Minnesota wasn’t able to do that to us.
It was also in the road in Texas after a few highly emotional games. It’s very difficult to get up for each game. They came out flat. They adjusted. Just part of the long season. Be encouraged that we’re winning even the games we don’t show up for right away.
2 Likes
It was really energy and desire that drove most of it from my vantage point. That and this dude was playing like a man possessed for them
2 Likes
It was a combination of things:
- Luck. For them. Bad luck for us.
- They had ten days off to prepare for us and give us new looks. (Ryans dug pretty deep into his bag of tricks).
- They were hyped after a bad loss, national TV game, crowd going nuts.
- They played great. Especially Pitre, who easily had his best game of the year (especially against the run).
- Our OL came out flat. It happens. Kudos to them for turning it on in the 2nd.
- Our timing was off. Whether it was due to subpar execution or the Texans players, I don’t know. Almost surely a product of both. But we rely heavily on timing offensively.
3 Likes
Pitre was someone I wanted before the draft, but I’m glad we have Kerby.
1 Like
I would love him in the big nickle role as a third safety alongside kerby and branch
Two key factors are.
**The Texans run a wide 9.
**Their defense has a lot a speed.
What they did was beat us in the trenches, mainly off the edges. They did this by stretching out the line. Their speed on the edge was more than what our OT’s could handle and they consistently were beating us with their speed.
The Lions offense runs a lot of swing and bubble passes and this played into the Texans wide 9. From the wide 9 the Texans consistently had an edge guy in those throwing lanes. The way you beat the wide 9 is by vertical passes like slants and by attacking the middle. Which the Lions did later in the game. Those adjustments were crucial to our success.
The Texans LBers have speed and range. They played hard and did a great job of swarming to the play which stifled our run game early on.
In the game chat people were complaining about the Lions running when the Texans continued to stuff our run game repeatedly…… I spoke up and said we had to establish the run if we wanted to slow that defense down.
Another way you beat the wide 9 and defenses with that much speed is by establishing the run. Eventually that speed wears down and that’s exactly what happened as the game wore on.
5 Likes
That and they were going up against Skipper at LT instead of Decker.
3 Likes
#1 turnovers
Pitre and also gotta give Azeez Al-Shaair his flowers he was the best player on that defense
Another FAU alum
Like DPOY Trey Hendrickson
Pitre & his teammate Terrel Bernard who’s been good for the Bills
They were all over the field on that Baylor Defense that year
This was the big surprise of the 1st half, that they were able to stop our run from the formations they used.
A lot of that was due to Pitre playing out of his mind against the run, but they also regularly ditched the 2-high shell they usually play to bring an extra DB into the picture. Another reason why - as you said - we needed to hit them with slants and deep crossers. Which is usually another strength of ours, but with the way their ends were killing our tackles, the way they tackled and flew around, plus some bad luck, we weren’t able to.
For a little bit.
But we are inevitable.
That fell under the luck category for me. I mean they made good plays, but it was lucky the first pass bounded straight into the air, lucky Goff’s “fumble” pinged around without hitting the ground, etc…
1 Like