In a wild shootout, the Texans lost to Seattle in a game we won't forget for a long time.

With all the talk surrounding the team heading into the contest, it was anybody's guess as to how things might play out on the field. But the players were up for a big day. They just couldn't get the finishing kick they were looking for.

Deshaun Watson looked magical again. He nearly willed the team across the finish line. Four more touchdown passes left his hand as the hottest start for a rookie quarterback in league history continued.

It was a gutsy performance in the face of a fierce Seattle pass rush that the Texans somewhat solved with a mix of pass and run that produced 38 points. Yet it wasn't enough to win.

It's hardly breaking news that Houston's defense is undermanned. And the good quarterbacks, given time, are going to be a problem for anyone. Russell Wilson was every bit as surgical as Watson, and then some, throwing four TDs and only one pick. A late Marcus Williams interception almost put the game away. But the Texans could not get more than one first down, leaving two much time for the Seahawks.

The inventory after this one continues to reveal that the Texans have one of the league's most electrifying offenses. But it also shows that they need to heal up fast on defense. Every available body is crucial to get stops. And with an offense like this, you won't need nearly as many as you had last year to win games.

That's the thing. It's five games in a row now with 33 or more points scored. Yet the Texans have won only two of them. They need to get better overall, fast, especially with Tennessee and Jacksonville a game ahead of them in the division right now.

There are nine games to go in the regular season. And, with everything the team has been through, it feels almost surreal that there is still the majority of the season to play. That's the reality, though. And the table is set for more excitement and, more importantly, opportunities to win.

Somehow, someway, Houston has to find a way into the postseason. Because no one will want to play this team once it gets there.