Texans get commanded by Heinieke and Washington

(Photo credit to Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle; staff photographer)

The Houston Texans continue to struggle with playing good/watchable football. The Texans hosted the Washington Commanders on November 20 at noon, where they lost 23-10. The Texans extended their losing streak to five games in a season where people didn’t expect much from this Texans team, but this team is very concerning, and I will break down this game to show why. In the first quarter, the Washington Commanders received the ball first, and the Texans’ defense got off the field fast with a three-and-out. Davis Mills and the offense touches the field with their first drive, and Mills goes for 0-2 for an interception; Kendall Fuller for the Commanders take it back 37 yards for a touchdown. Dameon Pierce’s first two carries go for negative five yards, which led to a punt for the Texans’ offense. The defense again forces the Commander’s offense to punt the ball away. The Commanders’ third drive got some things going. Taylor Heinicke was able to find Terry McLaurin 19 yards, followed by a 10-yard reception, but that’s when the drive for the commanders ended. The commanders tried a reverse with Curtis Samuel that only gained 1 yard, followed by a 3-yard rushing attempt by Antonio Gibson and an incomplete pass from Heinicke, causing the three-and-out. The Texans were able to get a few things going on their drive; Mills finds more for four-yard reception, then Collins for five yards making it third and one. Davis Mills was able to pick up two yards for the first down to extend the drive. The drive ended rather quickly with a two-yard pickup, an incomplete pass attempt, and a nine-yard loss sack; the Texans punted the ball. The Commander’s offense takes the field and, in nine plays, extends their lead. Brian Robinson picked up fourteen yards in his carry, then picked up five more, Heinicke found Jahan Dotson for thirteen yards, Gibson picked up nine yards, and Samuel picked up eight yards right after him. Gibson picks up five yards, and Heinicke finds Thomas for a sixteen-yard pickup. Samuel finishes the drive with a ten-yard rushing touchdown. That touchdown ends the 1st quarter with the score being 14-0. The Texans started the second quarter with the ball, but they still couldn’t find any points. Mills was sacked twice during that drive, causing the Texans’ offense to jog off the field again. Heinicke and the Commanders’ offense march back on the field, where Heinicke finds Thomas for nineteen yards, and Gibson picks up a gain of thirteen yards. Heinicke also finds Gibson with an eighteen-yard pass. The Commanders could only come away with three points on the drive but extended their lead to 17. The Texans’ next offensive drive was cut short due to a penalty. On third down with only seven yards to gain, Mills was able to find Dare Ogunbowlae, but due to a holding call by rookie Kenyan Green, the play was called back and led to a punt. The Commanders get back on the field, and on the drive’s first play, Turner gets a holding call making it first and eighteen; Heinicke then passes to Gibson for a four-yard gain, then finds McLaurin for a big seventeen-yard gain. Heinicke hits McLaurin again for a nine-yard gain, then Thomas for a big seventeen-yard gain. Gibson runs but can only get back to the line of scrimmage, then Heinicke again finds a receiver for a seventeen-yard gain. That drives ends with a field goal by Slye, extending the lead 20-0. That ended the second quarter with the Commanders leading the Texans 20-0 at halftime. That half of football was the Texans’ worse half this season. That half also was the first time the Texans went scoreless in the first half of the season. They ended the half with six yards, while the Commanders ended with two hundred and forty-six yards. For the second half, the Texans started with the ball. To start the third quarter, Mills finds OJ Howard for nine yards, Pierce carries for three yards to get the first down, and Mills finds Brandon Cooks for a huge forty-one-yard pass followed by a seven-yard pass to Pierce. The Texans were able to extend their drive with a costly penalty by Commander defensive tackle Ridgeway. A negative seven-yard sack by Sweat forces the Texans to kick a field goal. Texans finally get on the board, cutting the Commanders’ lead down 20-3.The Texans’ defense got a three and out forcing the Commanders to punt the ball. The Commanders’ defense also caused the Texans’ offense to punt the ball away with a negative twelve-yard sack by Allen. The Commanders found themselves back on the scoreboard with a field goal by Slye extending their score 23-3. That score ended the third quarter with the Texans starting the fourth quarter with the ball Mills hitting Collins for a six-yard gain and Cooks with a nineteen-yard pass that extended the drive, Mills then attempted to hit Moore deep, but it was picked off. The Texans’ defense is back on the field where they get the three and out. Davis Mills and The Texans offense get back on the field, where Mills hits Collins for a twenty-two-yard pass; he hits Collins again for an eight-yard gain, then Akins for eight yards. Mills pass to Moore for six yards, then cooks for ten yards; Mills finishes the drive by scrambling for a six-yard touchdown. Fairbairn makes the extra point, with the score being 23-10. The Texans attempted an unsuccessful onside kick. Heinicke and the Commanders get back on the field with one thing on their mind, “close out the game.” Robinson gets the handoff gaining six yards, followed by a two-yard gain; Gibson, with a big run, gains eighteen yards; the Commanders ran four more times after that, closing out the game, the final score being 23-10. Texans finished with a total of one hundred forty-eight yards, while the Commanders finished with three hundred yards. The Texans face off against a pretty good Miami Dolphins team, where they will be tested by the rushing and passing attack of the talented Dolphins. How will they fair? We’ll find out next week.