Houston Texans quarterback Kyle Allen (3) is sacked by Miami Dolphins linebackers Duke Riley (45) and Jaelan Phillips (15) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla.
(Photo credit to Brett Coomer/Staff photographer)
The Houston Texans faced off against the Miami Dolphins in Miami, Florida, on Sunday, Nov. 27, at noon. The Texans made a change at quarterback this week, hoping it would give them a spark against the dolphins, but that was not enough to jumpstart the Texan’s dead battery.
On Wednesday, the Texans penciled Allen in as the starter, and on Friday, the Texans let the media know that Allen would get the start. Head coach Lovie Smith said, “You’re always looking for the best option that gives you the best chance to win; that’s where we are right now.” While Kyle Allen didn’t have the best game. Smith said he wouldn’t pull him as the starter. “not going to give him the first start and start yanking him.” Whether starting Allen was a good decision is yet to be determined.
One game does not determine if Allen will be the better quarterback for the rest of the season. Allen’s stats for the game were 26/39 with 215 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions with an average of 5.5 yards a throw. The Texans received the ball first, going three and out. The Texan’s defense comes, and out the gate, Tua finds Waddle on a short pass for a pickup of 11 yards. Immediately after, Tua finds his other best friend, Hill, for a 13-yard gain ending that drive with a touchdown making the score 3-0.
The Texans’ offense gets back on the field, where Allen finds Collins for an 11-yard gain; the Dolphins come up with a big sack on Allen Riley and hit him for negative 13 yards, ending the Texans’ drive. Tua and co. gets back on the field, and Tua passes to Sheffield for a 24-yard gain, then hits him again for a 9-yard gain.
During that play, Texans defensive rookie Christian Harris was hurt on the play and never returned to the game with a shoulder injury. To end the drive, Tua passes Smythe for a 4-yard touchdown making the score 10-0. On the Texan’s next drive, Allen tried to find Collins for a deep pass, but Howard broke it up.
On the next play, Allen hands it off to Pierce for a 9-yard carry; following that play, the Dolphins couldn’t get enough players off the field, resulting in a penalty giving the Texans a first down. However, the Texans couldn’t capitalize on the penalty and punted the ball away. The Dolphin’s offense runs back on the field and attempts a run, but it goes nowhere. Tua then hits Hill on a short pass, and he picks up 29 yards to end the quarter.
To start the 2nd quarter, Tua passes to Ingold for no gain, then throws an incomplete pass to Hill. Then another causing them to punt the ball away. Unfortunately, the Texans’ drive is cut short with Allen throwing an interception to Van Ginkel returned for 23 yards. The Dolphins immediately score a touchdown with a 3-yard run from Wilson, bringing the score to 17-0.
The Texans once again punt the ball away to the Dolphins. Tua throws a pass to Waddle for a pickup of 11 yards, followed by a deep pass to Waddle for a pickup of 34 yards. Tua finds Hill for a 9-yard gain, then Wilson runs for 2 yards. Tua throws two incomplete passes bringing up 4th down, but Sanders finishes the drive with a 23-yard field goal with the score being 20-0.
To begin the next drive, Allen throws a negative 3-yard pass to Collins, then gets sacked by Chubb for negative 7-yards. At 3rd and 24, Allen Throws to Akins, and he fumbles the ball. Howard scoops up the ball and returns it for a 16-yard touchdown. The score is now 27-0. On the next drive, Allen hands off to Pierce for a 4-yard pickup; Allen then passes to Akins for a 7-yard pickup extending the drive; Roberts then sacks Allen for negative 8-yards. The next Allen finds the rookie tight end Quitoriano for 7 yards bringing up the two-minute warning and ending the drive.
Tua and the Dolphins get back on the field, and Tua throws an incomplete pass intended for Hill; Tua then finds Craft with a 22-yard gain offense, goes no huddle and Tua hits gaskins for a 4-yard gain, and immediately calls timeout. The dolphins couldn’t hike the ball in time and got a delay of game penalty. After the penalty, they get more than double the yards lost with a Tua pass to Wilson for a 13-yard pickup. Tua then passes to C. Wilson for a 20-yard pickup, Tua going no-huddle, hits Cracraft for an 11-yard pickup calling a timeout.
Tua is then sacked but is saved by a costly face mask penalty by Okoronkwo. After the penalty, Tua throws an incomplete pass intended for Waddle, then Tua is sacked by M. Collins for negative 6-yards, Tua then spikes the ball, stopping the clock with 3 seconds left, and Sanders nails the 30-yard field goal to end the 1st half. To begin the 2nd half, the Dolphins get the ball.
Wilson runs for 7 yards and gets injured after the play. Gaskin centers the game, and with his first run, he loses 2 yards. On 3rd and 5, Tua finds Hill for a pickup of 16 yards. Tua again tries to find Hill but is intercepted by the rookie Pitre. A flag comes down, and it’s against the Texans. Nelson is guilty of defensive pass interference Dolphins’ ball still. With fresh downs,
Tua is sacked by Addison for negative 5 yards, and two plays later, Tua is sacked again Kirskey gets him down for negative 8 yards ending the Dolphin’s drive. The Texan’s drive quickly ends with a sack by Philips for negative 4 yards. The Dolphins again go three and out with a negative 5-yard pass to Waddle. The Texans get back on the field and get some things going. Allen hands off to Ogunbowale and gains 9 yards Allen then finds Ogunbowale in the passing game for 6 yards.
Allen hits Cooks with a deep pass for a gain of 17 yards. The Texans also get an unnecessary roughness penalty for a hit on Allen. Akins makes a catch for 11 yards, and then Ogunbowale finishes the drive with a 3-yard touchdown, Texans attempt 2 point conversion, but the failed score becomes 30-6. The Dolphins return on the field with a substitution at quarterback (Thompson) passes to C. Wilson for a 6-yard gain.
Followed by a 9-yard run by J. Wilson, the drive ends with a fumbled snap by Thompson, recovered by Stewart. The Texan’s offense hustles back onto the field, and Allen hits Akins for a 10-yard gain to end the 3rd quarter. To begin the 4th quarter, offensive lineman Howard’s false start moved them back 5 yards, and Allen found rookie tight end Quitoriano for a 13-yard pickup. To end the drive, Allen found Akins for a 25-yard touchdown; again, the Texans elected to go for two and failed, bringing the score to 30-12.
The Dolphins go a quick three and out, and the Texan’s offense gets on the field, Allen finds Cooks with a huge 39-yard pickup, and after a couple of incomplete passes, Allen passes to Collins for a pickup of 12 yards. Allen then hits Burkhead for 5 yards, followed by a 1-yard run and an incomplete pass ending the drive with a field goal bringing the score to 30-15.
Three drives end in a punt, and with the Texans, last drive Allen throws an interception to end the game 30-15. It was another bad game for the Texans in which they could not run the ball; rookie running back Pierce only got 8 yards rushing for the second week in a row. If the Texans want to be successful, they have to figure out the quarterback position, establish the running game, and be better on defense; the one thing the Texan’s defense was successful with was getting to Tua; they recorded five sacks in the game, and also got seven tackles for loss.
The Texans have a huge game next week with Deshaun Watson returning to Houston to play at NRG Stadium for the first in the Cleveland Browns’ jersey.
Can the Texans cause havoc on Deshaun Watson and the browns? I will have the answer to that question after the Texans vs. Browns game; stay tuned.
