The Texans play against their opponent and themselves. That is a lot to overcome. The game today "didn't have to be" close.
That Commanders hail mary win just reinforces how much I love our defensive call on Richardson's hail mary attempt. You can't let the QB have time if you can help or crazy stuff can happen.
But there was an overwhelming feeling from many players in the locker room that although the Texans won, there were still a few things keeping them from playing up to their potential — or what they thought was their potential. No. 1 among their concerns was the pass protection. It was a problem against the Packers and a problem again against the Colts. At halftime, Stroud had been pressured on 20 of his 28 dropbacks (71.4%), according to Next Gen Stats. He was sacked twice. Left guard Kenyon Green, a former first-round pick, got benched for backup Jarrett Patterson. Green gave up seven quarterback pressures and a sack, looking like a player who had lost confidence. "I wasn't playing well, so they had to make changes," Green said. Green returned after Patterson suffered a concussion one drive later. The mistakes continued to pile up, but Green improved late in the game. When asked what he needs to do to keep his position, Green responded, "Just do my job. That's what I need to do." He's not the only one. Several players struggled in protecting Stroud, though Green was the most noticeable. Last week, Stroud was pressured on 48.3% of his dropbacks, a career high at the time. On Sunday, the offensive line shattered that mark, allowing Stroud to be pressured on 57.5% of his dropbacks. Though Stroud still managed to have success when under pressure — he was 11-of-21 for 148 yards and a touchdown when pressured — he can't continue to function like that on a regular basis. At some point, the hits pile up. Many of Stroud's throws were simply the result of pure talent.
I’m actually curious. Not trying to argue. Would you have another AFC team on that list other than KC?
