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Takeaways from Patriots game.

Texansphan

Football connoisseur
Well a bitter pill to swallow but you gotta play the full 60 minutes in the NFL. They went to sleep in the 4th quarter while the Patriots smelled blood in the water.
My takeaways:-
Mills looked much improved this game - other than holding it too long on those two sacks, he generally got rid of it pretty quick.
I also like his accuracy.
Texans badly need to establish a run game. It is is very obviously lacking. You only have to look back to Arian Foster to get my drift.
They also need more pass rush.
 

OptimisticTexan

2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
Mills had a really nice game. He did it while Cooks and the running game were being shut down. I hope this performance is an indication of things to come. If so…..maybe the Texans strike drafting a QB early in the 2022 Draft off the list.

OL is still questionable.
TE’s continue to be under used simply b/c the OL cannot get their job done.
Running game is atrocious!!! Is the OL just not getting the required push or do the running backs lack the required vision?
DL continues to give up big runs while offering little to no pass rush.
LB’ers still don’t cover well in passing situations and are late in tackling runners…..usually 4+ yards late.
DB’s are lacking in every facet of their required duties.
ST’s didn’t do the team any favors in this games. Why is Fairbairn still the Texans kicker. His misses always seem to be daggers.
 

TheRealJoker

Hall of Fame
Fairbairn is injured. @CloakNNNdagger let us know he should not be out there. But the Texans released Joey Slye anyway instead of giving Fairbairn the time he needs to rehab his injury. That decision may have cost them this game.

Penalties. 2 penalties with goal to go turns a possible td drive to a fg drive. Also, it seemed anytime there was a chunk play in the running game a penalty would take the team back. Running the ball well is about momentum. The Texans can’t generate momentum when they are rotating the backs as often as they have been along with penalties putting them behind the sticks and forcing the offense to call pass plays or concede the drive will be over shortly.

The defense, no surprises here. They forced the Pats to drive the field to get points and came up with some timely turnovers (great goal line forced fumble). The defense has its warts but aside from not generating a tremendous pass rush against an undermanned Pats OL they performed as expected. And even the lack of a pass rush is expected at this point. Greenard had some flash plays at least.

Mills took a tremendous step forward today in his development. Say what you want about the opponent but the Pats pass d has been lights out so far this season and he had his best performance of the season. The thing about Mills that may be his greatest strength is he has the memory of a goldfish (10 second memory). So while the performance against the Bills affected everyone else’s perception of his ability, he was unaffected. Lets hope the improvements he made this week don’t go to his head as well and he focuses on the fact that even though he played great he still left opportunities on the field that could have been the difference between winning and losing.

We can point fingers on individual plays or players that caused the loss. But the fact is it was a 3 point loss and the Texans were ahead for almost the entire game. Focus on the individual areas of improvement and don’t let the game come down to one bad player or bad playcall (weird punt play allowing them a free FG attempt!)
 

Speedy

Former Yeller Dweller
I’d say they tried to win today. They just aren’t very good at it.
Been preaching that all summer. Just because they added a bunch of new talent doesn’t mean it’s talent that’s good enough.

And them competing goes to show that players play. They don’t tank. The team builders and coaches do that. Of course, not sure what they’re tanking for. Maybe there’s an OL or pass rusher out there worthy a top 3 pick, but there certainly isn’t a QB worthy of it.

They went from being aggressive to doing dumb squats, and then went conservative. Clearly they wasn’t trying to win this game.
They did almost everything right in building a 22-9 lead, then coaching must have gotten the call from upstairs.

“Coach. Nicky C here. We seem to be in total control of this game. What the hell are you doing? Rectify this good sir.”

And just like that, stupid punt play and calling timeouts every 4th down, just things that make no damn sense.

Being facetious of course, but man, they really make you wonder if it isn’t so.
 

Thorn

Dirty Old Man
The Texans showed up for a while, got everyone excited, then did their usual thing.

I still don't understand why everyone is so upset and flustered by what they see. This is the kind of **** that happens when you turnover the roster and the administration at the same time with no draft choices and a collection of has-beens and castoffs make up your team. What did yall think you were going to see this year?

And you know, I'll probably still be saying this in December. :lol:
 

Texansballer74

The Marine
Been preaching that all summer. Just because they added a bunch of new talent doesn’t mean it’s talent that’s good enough.

And them competing goes to show that players play. They don’t tank. The team builders and coaches do that. Of course, not sure what they’re tanking for. Maybe there’s an OL or pass rusher out there worthy a top 3 pick, but there certainly isn’t a QB worthy of it.



They did almost everything right in building a 22-9 lead, then coaching must have gotten the call from upstairs.

“Coach. Nicky C here. We seem to be in total control of this game. What the hell are you doing? Rectify this good sir.”

And just like that, stupid punt play and calling timeouts every 4th down, just things that make no damn sense.

Being facetious of course, but man, they really make you wonder if it isn’t so.
Yeah they made it look so obvious on today. Like I said the other day, the Patriots are not a good team. But the agenda was to look competitive and then shut it down in the second half.
 

Texansballer74

The Marine
The Texans showed up for a while, got everyone excited, then did their usual thing.

I still don't understand why everyone is so upset and flustered by what they see. This is the kind of **** that happens when you turnover the roster and the administration at the same time with no draft choices and a collection of has-beens and castoffs make up your team. What did yall think you were going to see this year?

And you know, I'll probably still be saying this in December. :lol:
Because it’s football and every fan should want to see their team win.
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
Contributor's Club
They went from being aggressive to doing dumb squats, and then went conservative. Clearly they wasn’t trying to win this game.
I find it interesting how we interpret things sometimes.

I didn't see any difference between what the Texans did vs Carolina & Buffalo other than compensation for the weather.

But many here who were high on the Texans turned sour after Buffalo.

& here, you interpret aggressive in the first half to not trying to win in the 2nd. I saw crazysht that "worked" in the 1st half didn't work in the 2nd.

Fan the way you want, I'm not trying to say you should do any different. There was some good, some bad. I'm hoping as the season goes the team gets more consistent with the good.
 

Thorn

Dirty Old Man
Because it’s football and every fan should want to see their team win.
I know that, and I want them to win. I thought for a while today they were going to pull one out. But when the team is basically bereft of any real talent from the start of the season, it shouldn't be like a shock or anything when they play poorly.

Gotta admit today had some real head scratchers though. On the bright side, we probably got the best 4th down percentage in the league right now. LOL
 

dream_team

Hall of Fame
I know the Texans didn't play great, Culley made some questionable decisions, and there were some really bad plays by the STs... but that roughing the passer call pretty much decided the winner. The refs handed a 1st down to the Pats when they were on 3rd & 17! These are the type of plays that make me question why I watch the NFL.
 

Norg

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
good game it was like patriots vs patriots

if healthy mills should be the starter for rest of season but anyway this season is a wash intill we get chips for watson or he decides to come back ....
 

Texansballer74

The Marine
I find it interesting how we interpret things sometimes.

I didn't see any difference between what the Texans did vs Carolina & Buffalo other than compensation for the weather.

But many here who were high on the Texans turned sour after Buffalo.

& here, you interpret aggressive in the first half to not trying to win in the 2nd. I saw crazysht that "worked" in the 1st half didn't work in the 2nd.

Fan the way you want, I'm not trying to say you should do any different. There was some good, some bad. I'm hoping as the season goes the team gets more consistent with the good.
We never seen a team show fake punt, then have the punter try to hurry up and get back to actual punt the ball. You punt the darn ball and attempt to pin them at the goal line. Play the field position game. It's call complementary football.

To top that off, you have 100% on fourth down plays and now you decides to nut up and not go for it.

The play calling was not the same in the second half on offense. They went with a more conservative approach. Verses what was actually working in the second half.

So what I saw was a team that was told to dial it in because we're not trying to win.
 
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Yeah they made it look so obvious on today. Like I said the other day, the Patriots are not a good team. But the agenda was to look competitive and then shut it down in the second half.
Did we have any key injury losses on the team today that did not play the game. I was not able to watch the game so I ended up watching the Packers vs the Bengals game. It was a good game.
 

TexansFight

Veteran

Any idea why the **** Omenihu was a healthy inactive today. Complete clown show. Now Omenihu, one of best young players on this team, doesn’t even get activated because they want to see some other scrub play and are trying to implement some bullshit Easterby culture. They played mind games with him in the preseason putting him 3rd string when he clearly is 1st string.

Loser coaches lose games in the 4th Qtr. Going for a 57 yard FG with a kicker who missed a combined 3 PATs & FGA in the 4th qtr while you lose the lead. Instead of declining the penalty on the illegal shift, which would have allowed time to come back theoretically but accepted to allow Patriots to grind the clock to kick the FG.

Culley is who we thought he is - a 3rd rate coach who lacks the brain power to be a head coach. Stupid game decisions. We could have had Bieniemy or Brady but pick this clown. Texans continue to find new ways to embarrass our city.
 
The Pats had four of their starting OL out and also depleted at CB. Mills started out playing well enough to win and took advantage of a litany of Pats mistakes. But holy cow, that coaching by Culley...
 
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banned1976

sleeper mode
It is what it is. They actually did better on offense than I expected in this game and the defense was exactly what I expected. Even against a makeshift offensive line they were incapable of putting pressure on the quarterback. It’s a problem most of us knew was going to be there before this season even began.

The warts on the coaching staff was also evident today.

Nothing to be surprised or upset about.
 

Earl34

Hall of Fame
It is what it is. They actually did better on offense than I expected in this game and the defense was exactly what I expected. Even against a makeshift offensive line they were incapable of putting pressure on the quarterback. It’s a problem most of us knew was going to be there before this season even began.

The warts on the coaching staff was also evident today.

Nothing to be surprised or upset about.
Exactly. After the head punt, I said typical Texans. After the 56 yard FG attempt, I figure they would lose the game because the margin of error is too small for the 2021 Texans to make these unforced errors and give up field position like they did today.

So the takeaway from today's game? Nothing to be surprised or upset about.
 
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TexansFight

Veteran
It is what it is. They actually did better on offense than I expected in this game and the defense was exactly what I expected. Even against a makeshift offensive line they were incapable of putting pressure on the quarterback. It’s a problem most of us knew was going to be there before this season even began.

The warts on the coaching staff was also evident today.

Nothing to be surprised or upset about.
Nothing to be surprised or upset about - the Texans are who we thought they were. The average caller on the 610 post game show is smarter and would run this team better than Tommy Boy, idiot Culley, throw draft picks away like pennies Caserio and the diabolical chaplain in charge of everything. This team is as bad and dumber than what it looked like on paper, yet they have the hubris to think they have a culture and method that means a damn.
 

Dejaview

All Pro
Throw out the Bills game and Mills has made noticeable improvement every game. Those announcers made it sink in for me. This is only the 14th game DM has started since HS. He has already more than made his third round pick a good pick. He just needs time to better read defenses which he certainly has the ability to do. Love his extremely quick release. I’m betting he will be special in time. He needs to improve into TT’s next start then carry the clipboard and let it assimilate.
 

CloakNNNdagger

Hall of Fame
I find it interesting how we interpret things sometimes.

I didn't see any difference between what the Texans did vs Carolina & Buffalo other than compensation for the weather.

But many here who were high on the Texans turned sour after Buffalo.

& here, you interpret aggressive in the first half to not trying to win in the 2nd. I saw crazysht that "worked" in the 1st half didn't work in the 2nd.

Fan the way you want, I'm not trying to say you should do any different. There was some good, some bad. I'm hoping as the season goes the team gets more consistent with the good.
The players never quit..............some screwed up with stupid penalties...............Some, like Britt, had their WTF moments...............Johnson didn't punt into the back of his man's helmet on purpose...............the D was worn out by the run game, this time at least in the latter part of the game, much like in the other games, with solid tackling deteriorating into sad attempts at arm tackling .............our STers needed to counter their Ambien with a bottle of No-Doz..............but the players never quit.............maybe not good enough to consistently play a whole game well...............but the players never quit.
 

leebigeztx

Keep it Movin!
Throw out the Bills game and Mills has made noticeable improvement every game. Those announcers made it sink in for me. This is only the 14th game DM has started since HS. He has already more than made his third round pick a good pick. He just needs time to better read defenses which he certainly has the ability to do. Love his extremely quick release. I’m betting he will be special in time. He needs to improve into TT’s next start then carry the clipboard and let it assimilate.
What throw or throws today warrant you to say that?
 

Texansballer74

The Marine
Did we have any key injury losses on the team today that did not play the game. I was not able to watch the game so I ended up watching the Packers vs the Bengals game. It was a good game.
No, but Tunsil injured his wrist around the third quarter. Charles Omenihu was a healthy scratch before the game started. The thing was we were dominating the first half, went for it three times on fourth down and was 100% successful. Then they started doing dumb stuff as well as nutted up on a fourth and two.
 

CloakNNNdagger

Hall of Fame
Throw out the Bills game and Mills has made noticeable improvement every game. Those announcers made it sink in for me. This is only the 14th game DM has started since HS. He has already more than made his third round pick a good pick. He just needs time to better read defenses which he certainly has the ability to do. Love his extremely quick release. I’m betting he will be special in time. He needs to improve into TT’s next start then carry the clipboard and let it assimilate.
With the season expected to have low expectations, and watching Mills perform and learn each game win or lose, I feel that in his case, a clipboard would only slow down his development. He needs and, it is evident in how he handles himself, craves more in-game experience.
 

Texansballer74

The Marine
During the broadcast, they mentioned the Texans are +9 against their opponents in the first half. In the 2nd half, they are -61!

So what we saw today in the 2nd half has been the norm this year.
Bro they completely stop being aggressive and started doing dumb crap along with playing undisciplined football. Coach killed the momentum as well. When you coach scared your players tend to follow.
 
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Dejaview

All Pro
With the season expected to have low expectations, and watching Mills perform and learn each game win or lose, I feel that in his case, a clipboard would only slow down his development. He needs and, it is evident in how he handles himself, craves more in-game experience.
I’ll agree that his expression and body language showed increasing confidence throughout the game. But TT is a Culley guy. I think I know where this is headed. But to be fair, TT has been a great signing. But I have a very unscientific approach to learning. In college I would study for an exam but would not study the night before. Cant explain it but for me that rest period had a way of assimilating and organizing my thoughts on test day. Same with presentations at work. I’d prepare then set it aside for a day. Maybe? It might help to slow the game down for DM to let it just sink in for a few games watching TT’s approach now that he has some basis of comparison from game experience.
 

Texansballer74

The Marine
The disappointing thing is they don’t appear to have any idea how to fix it.
Having a mobile running quarterback would help the running game tremendously. Unfortunately we have a joker who basically quit on this team and another one who just can’t stay healthy.
 

xtruroyaltyx

Hall of Fame
Didn't watch any of the game, but sounds like Mills is improving. That's good to hear. I liked what I saw from him on film before the draft. I'm guessing the Texans will say that they didn't do a good enough job...whoever is talking will take a part of the blame and let us know they've got to do better going forward. :yawn:
 
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