The Texans lost their tenth straight game of the season on Sunday, losing 34-31 to the New England Patriots. They took at 17-7 lead into the second half but were unable to hang on against a superior team. They are now first in the race for the #1 pick in the 2014 NFL draft. Although they lost, this game showed that the Texans are not as bad as their record indicates.
The Good:
The Texans started the game strong. Keshawn Martin had a great kickoff return. After punting, the Texans forced a three and out and then were able to score a touchdown. The offensive line played well, opening monstrous holes for Ben Tate and only allowing one sack. Ben Tate had a big game with over 100 yards and three touchdowns. The defense was also able to keep the Texans in the game in the first half. Johnathan Joseph had a nice interception that led to a field goal for the Texans. Overall, the Texans showed they are capable of hanging with the Patriots and even had a lead in the fourth quarter.
The Bad:
Case Keenum threw a bad interception that cost the Texans a field goal attempt. They ended up losing by three. While Keenum didn’t play terrible, he probably needs to be upgraded. He only completed 50% of his 30 passes and has been accused of holding onto the ball too long. There were also drops by receivers that stalled drives for the Texans.
The Ugly:
After playing extremely well in the first half, the defense fell apart in the second. They allowed 27 points. The Patriots scored on every one of their possessions in the second half until they were just trying to run out the clock at the end of the game. It seems like the Texans are outplayed in the second half of games on a regular basis. Other teams make adjustments while the Texans do not.
