Houston Texans still have limitations of their own – NFL feature
The Houston Texans have performed wonders this season. They have beaten some of strong units on the way to the playoffs. They have stayed atop the National Football League (NFL) AP Pro32 power rankings for consecutive weeks. However, their game, in fact
their loss to the New England Patriots, proved they still have certain limitations, and just cannot break free from them.
The 42-14 loss proved the game one-sided, a result that baffled many. It came from a team that had lost only a single game before that and retained the top spot in the American Football Conference (AFC) South.
It was an excellent display of teamwork, particularly of offensive line, throughout the entire regular season. Quarterback Matt Schaub, running back Arian Foster and wide receiver Andre Johnson’s performance were unmatchable.
Then, their suffocation by Patriots’ defence exposed them thoroughly. One view can be that it is second time in their history that the Texans will play in the playoffs. They first made the second round in 2011. So they somehow can get a benefit of being
minnows.
In reality though, they are a team that has beaten teams like Denver Broncos led by QB Peyton Manning. In this case there is no escape for them. They must answer why they could not perform in the same spirits and at the same level in one game while they
had consistently done in about a dozen other.
Some team’s circles attempted to get away with accepting the responsibility. They believe it was good to consolidate their position, which could inspire some thinking in players and coaches. This should benefit them in the longer run.
It was also a good test of their capability, as if they face some of tougher oppositions in the postseason, they should be aware of their strengths and weaknesses beforehand. It will be again challenging for them to beat the same side.
A particular point of the Texans’ performance throughout was that their offence was as effective as their defence, but in the Patriots game they failed themselves in both departments. Their offence could manage only 14 points while their defence allowed
42. So it was a total collapse, not just one department performing below the mark and other doing well.
At the end, coach Gary Kubiak tried to find an escape labelling it just one bad day but he too was probably baffled with the result. The official might be true in one sense that they did not have their expectations much higher in the first place and since
they started doing well, an atmosphere of hype and expectations was created by outside elements around them.
Whatever the final outcome of their effort this season will be, it is overall a good season for the Texans. They are still far better than many teams. It is not very often that a team has made the playoffs for two consecutive seasons.
Also, they have shown to be a matured side in other areas of the game. They did not fall to complacency at any level of the game, which is often a case with young sides. It is a remarkable achievement for them, although they certainly have a long way to
go yet to match the level of skills some teams like the Patriots have developed over the years.
Disclaimer: The views do not represent editorial policy of bettor.com
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