There are gut punch losses and then there's what happened on Saturday in Kansas City.
The loss on the field to the Chiefs certainly stung, but the loss of beloved WR Tank Dell stung 10 times worse. Prayers up for Tank for sure.
Here is my Big Play Breakdown from the 27-19 loss to the Chiefs.
2nd Quarter - Texans ball
10:18 remaining
Chiefs led 7-3
1st and goal
+10 yard line
The Texans lone touchdown from inside the red zone came right here. QB C.J. Stroud took the snap with two receivers to his right side and one receiver to his left. Stroud had good protection early in the down as the receivers to his right side and RB Joe Mixon sprayed out into their routes. No one was open when Stroud decided to leave the pocket to his right side. Stroud outflanked Chiefs DE George Karlaftis and kept his eyes down the field. Just as Karlaftis dove at Stroud's ankles to make the sack, Stroud saw TE Dalton Schultz WIDE OPEN at the goal line and let fly. Somewhere, somehow, Schultz shook free of the clutches of the Chiefs defender and made the catch for the Texans' first TD of the day.
3rd Quarter - Texans ball
11:51 remaining
Chiefs led 17-10
2nd and eight
+30-yard line
This one is tough to talk about. The Texans had Andrew Beck in a stack alignment with WR Jared Wayne on the left side. WR Tank Dell lined up in a condensed split on the right side. Beck went in short motion and set up just outside of LT Laremy Tunsil. Stroud faked an outside zone to the left to Mixon with Beck continuing on to block the back side on what appeared to be a split zone run. But, Stroud rolled right with eyes on the throwback - the play that Dalton Schultz scored on in the playoff game against the Browns last year. But, there were only two route runners - Tank and Wayne. Tank ran the DEEP over and Stroud saw him and launched. Tank made one hell of a catch but as made the catch, Wayne, diving for the pass he thought was meant for him, collided with Tank just as he caught the pass. The most gut punch touchdown I can recall.
3rd Quarter - Chiefs ball
9:58 remaining
Chiefs led 17-16
4th and one
-49-yard line
On the drive right after Tank's touchdown, the Chiefs picked up a couple of first downs that put them just about at midfield. On third and one, the Texans stuffed Isiah Pacheco to set up a key fourth and one and I was fairly certain that the Chiefs would go for it. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid didn't bat an eye. He put 12 personnel on the field (one RB, two TE) and tried to run inside zone again. But, DT Mario Edwards Jr shot into RT Jawaan Taylor with some serious violence and knocked him straight back into the backfield. LB Neville Hewitt stung Chiefs RG Trey Smith, knocking him back into Pacheco too. Mario then darted underneath Taylor and tackled Pacheco for a loss. What a huge freakin' play on fourth and one, but the Texans' offense couldn't capitalize after the stop, keeping the game at 17-16 for the time being.
