The loss to Tennessee answered some questions and sparked some new ones.
The Answers:
The Texans have found a running back and his name is Steve Slaton. He ran furiously, made big plays and converted on some short-yardage situations that were not supposed to be his forte.
The Texans' defense showed some strength in the second half, holding Tennessee's offense to just three points and consistantly getting off the field to give the offense a chance to catch up.
* The Questions: *
Quarterback Matt Schaub looked shaky and failed to rally the team despite numerous opportunities to get his sqaud into the end zone.
Andre Johnson didn't look sharp. Schaub's troubles and the Titans' defense certainly had something to do with it, but the overall passing game through two contests looks stalled.
The coaching staff admits they had two bad games in a row. Challenges are way too, well, challenging. Justin McCarrin's would-be incompletion needed to be challenged, and the team needed to kick a field goal on fourth-and-four at the 10 with over five minutes left in the third quarter. The Texans may have lost anyway and coaches are entitled to "feel" their decisions, but their gut reactions must yield positive results more often.
Glass Half Full:
The Texans battled until the end and, although stymied in the red zone, showed major signs of life in the running game and on defense that could produce good things to come. The 2004 team started 0-2 and won four of its next five to go 4-3 for the only time in team history. This squad has that capability.
* Glass Half Empty:*
The Texans stumbled again to go 0-2 and get into an early hole in what was supposed to be their greatest season ever. Their passing game is not clicking, and too many fans are jamming up talk radio lines with quarterback controversy talk.
Bottom Line:
The year is still young and there is plenty of talent on this young team to play better games and make something special happen. But they better get going in a hurry or their fans will lose patience faster than they lost power last week.
