What would have made the difference today?

[keyser]

Like many of you, I looked at today's game, and saw lots of strong performances on our team. Yet, at the end, it wasn't enough to win vs. a very good, but beatable, Ravens team. So, it leaves me wondering what it would have taken to actually win. The weak points, as I saw them:

1. Jacoby Jones. His fumble basically cost us a touchdown, and he did nothing on the other punt returns. I don't think he caught a ball as a receiver. About the only positive thing is that he covered Arian Foster's fumble. I've actually been pretty supportive of Jacoby in the past, and unlike many others, I was in favor of keeping him this year. But, I think it's clear that it's time to move on iwthout him. He did nothing as a receiver, and when it mattered most, he was a liability rather than a benefit as a punt returner. As bad as his performance, though, I don't think the loss is solely on him.

2. TJ Yates. I hate saying this, because I'm actually pretty impressed with him overall. He exceeded expectations, helped us get to the postseason and win a playoff game, and today played a game that wasn't bad. At the same time, though, today's game wasn't good, and at this point, that's what we needed to win. Two of his interceptions were killers. He had several other throws that could've easily been intercepted, also. I know everyone throws interceptions sometimes, but I can't help thinking that with just a bit better QB play, this game could have turned around. Not much more we can do when we lose our first and second string QB for the season, though. This part really frustrates me, because it's one area that I don't feel there's much the Texans could have done better in terms of drafting/FAs/etc., and yet I think it was the biggest factor in our loss (even more than Jacoby).

3. Receivers. This one is tougher for me to judge, but it was about the only other area that I felt was really holding us back. This might be due to good defense (I think this was a big factor), poor QB play (also a factor), or poor receiver play (I think this was part of it). I know AJ caught several balls at key times, but overall, it seemed that the receivers (both WR and TE) were not getting open the way I've come to expect, and other than one drive, weren't making the clutch plays that we needed. We also seemed to get almost no yards after catches. None of the receivers (including AJ) had a "good" game. I think this is an area that we're going to have to address next year; I don't think receiver play like we saw today is going to get us where we want to be.

Overall, just kind of a frustrating day for me. I felt that we played about as well as we could (except for Jacoby), and yet it still wasn't enough. I had really thought that if we played up to our capabilities (which for the most part we did), we'd end up winning.

[Pantherstang84]

Matt Schaub

[DocBar]

Yates looked like what he is today. I'm butthurt about the loss, but dammit, we made a game out of it and had our chances. We lost the game, Baltimore didn't win it.

[TEXANRED]

Someone to not throw 4 int's.

[DownByContact]

Originally Posted by TEXANRED

Someone to not throw 4 int's.

Than Yates is your man, cause he only threw 3 int's.

[welsh texan]

You know, it came down to the playmakers on special teams. Rackers hitting the crossbar from 50, Turk shanking the punt, Jacoby muffing the punt.

Manning the only one of them who did anything worth turning up for today, and that says a lot.

TBF, the season was truly brutal to us re. injuries, and given this franchise's history, for it to come down to poor ST play against a really good Ravens team given all that we've been through is frankly a triumph.

I'm still absolutely stoked about this teams potential for the future, I can't wait to see what they can become next season.

Only small criticism on offense was why are we calling a hail mary on 4th & 2 with plenty of time for a spike after the completion. I felt that playcall came down to a lack of trust in TJ on the part of Kubiak, should have gone for a good crossing pattern giving TJ plenty of options at different levels of the D there and given him the chance for a spike and 2 more attempts, but nevermind.

[HJam72]

Originally Posted by Pantherstang84

Matt Schaub

Two words.




So true...

[Playoffs]

Originally Posted by Pantherstang84

Matt Schaub

^This.

[Pantherstang84]

Originally Posted by HJam72

Two words.




So true...

Sorry It was a no brainer for me.

[Texan_Bill]

If we wouldn't have signed Jacoby Jones to a ridiculous contract!!

I take that back!! we shouldn't have re-signed Jacoby Jones at all!!!

[welsh texan]

Originally Posted by Texan_Bill

If we wouldn't have signed Jacoby Jones to a ridiculous contract!!

I take that back!! we shouldn't have re-signed Jacoby Jones at all!!!

Worst thing about Jacoby's contract? Its worth $10.5mill over 3 years with $3mill guaranteed, yet the cap hit was only $600k in 2011. Thats means your 4th string WR next season (we will be upgrading in the offseason, not like there are many other holes to fill) will hit our cap to the tune of ~$5m next year. Ouch.

[clutch]

Jacoby not touching the ball after the punt.. that is all.. if he lets the ball go.. we would have won the game...what a dumb***!!!

[fiasco west]

Originally Posted by clutch

Jacoby not touching the ball after the punt.. that is all.. if he lets the ball go.. we would have won the game...what a dumb***!!!

Also that ball probably bounces into the endzone. Not sure what he was thinking when he tried to catch it.

[DBCooper]

If my grandmother was on punt return duties!

Oh and a better QB.

[amazing80]

8 more points

[thunderkyss]

What would have made the difference today?

Kubiak. Here's my thing. I wanted to see this team in the AFC Championship game before Kubiak would get an extension on his contract. My thinking, is that it would take an excellent job by the head coach to get us there.

This team has got talent, you know that. The reason we lost this game today, imo, is because Kubiak expected too much from a 5th round rookie.

I understand, that he was thrown into the fire & I don't believe Jake Delhomme would have done as well.

I thought we lost the last three games of the year to work on "our game" running the ball, regardless what the other team's defense does, & getting good smart play from the QB.

Look at the numbers from the last three games.... Tj Yates has QB ratings over 100, & if you saw what we did to the Bengals & Ravens in the play-offs, you can see we got the run thing down.

I also thought we were going to need a big game from Tj Yates to beat the Ravens so I expected to see more throws from Tj, I expected to see him take more chances. So I did not have a problem with what I saw in the first half.

Jacoby Jones... seriously I think there was a lot more to this game than 1 bad play by Jj....

At the half, I think we got all the jitters & what not settled... we were down by 4 points, not a bad game from a young team.

But, at that time I'm thinking we've got the Raven's number. Put the ball in Arian's hands, get smart play out of the QB position, & let the defense do what they do.

That's why we lost the game. Kubiak needed to have a one on one with Tj, settle him down & get back to that boring football we don't like to watch but wins football game.

We lost the first half, 17-13

We lost the second half 3-0

That's not on Jacoby. That's not on Neil Rackers. That's not on Tj Yates.

Forcing the ball in the first half, I can understand. But in the second? Like I said, I understand coming into the game thinking Tj has to take more chances. But at half time it was obvious that it wasn't necessary.... That's where Kubiak should have stepped in & told Tj to go back to the safe play that got us this far, convert 3rd downs, protect the ball, & score.

That's on Kubiak.

[amazing80]

Kubiak did not make the throws, Yates did, for every deep receiver there was one underneath too. Its not like Gary and Dennison called hail mary's every play.....Yates forced the ball to AJ too much just like Sage use to do.....Yates played bad, nothing more nothing less. terrible feeling for all of us, but with a rookie that is what you get, inconsistency.

[DocBar]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

What would have made the difference today?

Kubiak. Here's my thing. I wanted to see this team in the AFC Championship game before Kubiak would get an extension on his contract. My thinking, is that it would take an excellent job by the head coach to get us there.

This team has got talent, you know that. The reason we lost this game today, imo, is because Kubiak expected too much from a 5th round rookie.

I understand, that he was thrown into the fire & I don't believe Jake Delhomme would have done as well.

I thought we lost the last three games of the year to work on "our game" running the ball, regardless what the other team's defense does, & getting good smart play from the QB.

Look at the numbers from the last three games.... Tj Yates has QB ratings over 100, & if you saw what we did to the Bengals & Ravens in the play-offs, you can see we got the run thing down.

I also thought we were going to need a big game from Tj Yates to beat the Ravens so I expected to see more throws from Tj, I expected to see him take more chances. So I did not have a problem with what I saw in the first half.

Jacoby Jones... seriously I think there was a lot more to this game than 1 bad play by Jj....

At the half, I think we got all the jitters & what not settled... we were down by 4 points, not a bad game from a young team.

But, at that time I'm thinking we've got the Raven's number. Put the ball in Arian's hands, get smart play out of the QB position, & let the defense do what they do.

That's why we lost the game. Kubiak needed to have a one on one with Tj, settle him down & get back to that boring football we don't like to watch but wins football game.

We lost the first half, 17-13

We lost the second half 3-0

That's not on Jacoby. That's not on Neil Rackers. That's not on Tj Yates.

Forcing the ball in the first half, I can understand. But in the second?

That's on Kubiak.

I must've missed the part where Kubiak threw passes today. Yates simply made some poor decisions against a badazz defense. I wouldn't really criticize the play calling. I would've liked to see a little razzle-dazzle and/or a trick play or two. THAT would've caught everyone off gaurd since it's so out of character for Kubiak. With as well as we controlled the LOS, a flea-flicker could've been sweet.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by welsh texan

You know, it came down to the playmakers on special teams. Rackers hitting the crossbar from 50, Turk shanking the punt, Jacoby muffing the punt.

Throw Jason Allen, Sherrick McMannis, & Jason Allen in there. On punt returns, those are the guys that cover the gunners & keep them off the punt returner. If they don't do their job, the returner has no chance.

Jacoby never had a chance.

The Gunners were free on every punt.

[amazing80]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

Throw Jason Allen, Sherrick McMannis, & Jason Allen in there. On punt returns, those are the guys that cover the gunners & keep them off the punt returner. If they don't do their job, the returner has no chance.

Jacoby never had a chance.

The Gunners were free on every punt.

i suppose the gunner muffed the punt twice too