HOUSTON – Stonewalled at every turn, the Texans’ offense struggled mightily to budge a formidable Denver Broncos defense in close quarters.
The red zone has become a season-long dead zone for the Texans’ offense as the second-worst red-zone offense in the league in terms of scoring efficiency.
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At no point this year, during an increasingly frustrating season for the defending AFC South champions, was this glaring weakness on fuller display than Sunday during an 18-15 last-second loss to the Broncos at NRG Stadium.
One yard. Three feet. So close, but yet so far away for the Texans’ offense. The Texans failed to score from the Broncos’ one-yard line despite a first-and-goal situation in the first half and were also stuffed during a first-and-goal from the two-yard line.
They finished 0 for 3 in the red zone, and failed to score a touchdown as they were held to five Ka’imi Fairbairn field goals. The Texans have converted just 42 percent of these prime scoring opportunities this season and are 1 for 8 in the red zone over the past two games. Plus, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud suffered a concussion and was replaced by backup Davis Mills as the Texans went 3 for 17 on third downs.
“It wasn’t good enough,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “We were in the red zone multiple times as an offense there at the one-yard line. We had multiple opportunities to get it in. That’s just about sheer willpower to me. It’s the one-yard line. We got to find a way to displace at the line of scrimmage and punch the football in. That is what it takes in that situation. We didn’t get it done.
“Multiple other opportunities in the red zone where we came up short. I’d like to see us convert and get in the end zone versus a really good Denver team. They did an outstanding job. We didn’t play well in the red zone, we didn’t play well on third down. If you don’t win in those situational, critical moments of the game it’s going to be hard to win it.”
Time and time again, the Texans failed to capitalize on promising drives.
After a 47-yard pass to tight end Dalton Schultz in the first quarter followed by two runs, the Texans reached the Broncos’ one-yard line.
Running back Nick Chubb was stuffed by linebacker Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga for zero yards on first down followed by running back British Brooks shut down for no gain on two consecutive runs on dive plays as Greenlaw got in on both tackles.
Then, rookie left tackle Aireontae Ersery committed a false start on fourth down on a Stroud quarterback sneak. That led to Fairbairn’s first field goal.
“Dude, it’s execution,” Schultz said. “Credit to them, they played lights-out, especially down there. We had the ball at the one, we ran it four times. One was a false start, but I mean we couldn’t get a yard. So, they came to play in those situations and we just weren’t able to execute.”
After Stroud left the game with a concussion, they reached the Broncos’ two-yard line on a 10-yard pass from backup Davis Mills to Nico Collins.
Then, wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson was flagged for holding on a Collins jet sweep as the Texans went backwards to the Broncos’ 12-yard line. After rookie Woody Marks was stopped after gaining just one yard by Zach Allen, Mills was sacked by Jonathon Cooper on third down and the Texans kicked another field goal.
“I thought we controlled the line of scrimmage,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “If you want to know one thing, we controlled the line of scrimmage. We felt like there was a big advantage for us in this game, our front versus their offensive line.”
How can the Texans be unable to move the Broncos one yard and three feet, 36 inches?
Obviously, the Broncos have a stout front seven. Nonetheless, the Texans, who allowed four sacks to the NFL’s top pass rush with 40 sacks for the season, have to perform better.
“Honestly, I think it’s just across the board, man,” Ersery said. “We gotta go look at the film and see what what was going on. Coach was just preaching the whole week, everybody just do their job.
“It’s tough, man. Tough opponent, great defense. We knew that coming in here and try to set ourselves up to be in a great position to go out there and win, kudos to them, they got it done. Man, it’s football. It’s the National Football League, man, and everybody’s good.”
Regardless of who’s playing for an overhauled offensive line that rotates left guards Laken Tomlinson and Juice Scruggs and lost right tackle Tytus Howard to a concussion Sunday, the lack of creativity from offensive coordinator Nick Caley and muscle in the red zone is hurting the team.
The Texans dropped to 3-5 and their playoff hopes are on life support.
“We just got to do our jobs,” Tomlinson said. “Everyone’s got to buy into doing their 1/11th and be able to execute in those situations.”
What’s the message from team leaders like Schultz to the younger players.
“Dude, don’t change, don’t try to do more, don’t try to do too much,” Schultz said. “Don’t try to, all of a sudden, like you feel desperate. You gotta go, dude, You cannot start freaking out when s--- doesn’t go your way."
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com