The Houston Texans offense not only hung with the Kansas City Chiefs offense, but they outlasted them to a 31-24 win Sunday afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium.
Houston committed one more turnover than the Chiefs, but they piled up 35 first downs to their 20, and had a combined 7-of-15 third and fourth down efficiency, compared to Kansas City’s 4-of-8. The Texans churned 472 yards to Kansas City’s 309, and possessed the ball 39:48 to the Chiefs’ 20:12.
With that said, here are the grades from the fourth win of the season.
quarterback
Deshaun Watson may not have had the pretty numbers, though he did complete 30 passes on 42 attempts for 280 yards. However, those two interceptions were an ugly mark, and they outnumbered his lone touchdown pass of the game. However, where Watson could not find a way through the air, he found it on the ground with 10 carries for 42 yards and two timely touchdowns. The first put the Texans up 23-17 at halftime, and the second put the Texans up for good 31-24 to win the game. The type of play from the Pro Bowl quarterback was the kind of play the franchise has needed since its inception: the never say die, never quit attitude that produces similar results.
Grade: A
running back
When Carlos Hyde fumbled the opening possession of the game for the Texans, it looked like it was going to be the story of the game, especially since it was the first Texans drive after receiver Tyreek Hill’s amazing touchdown grab over safety Justin Reid. Instead of running timid, Hyde ran angry and churned 116 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries. Furthermore, complementary back Duke Johnson rushed five times for 34 yards and caught two passes for 20 yards and Watson’s lone touchdown. The fumble was inauspicious, but the effort thereafter made for a great performance.
Grade: A
receivers
Will Fuller had three huge drops in the game that will probably be forgotten by Tuesday because of the nature of the win, but they were part of a pattern of disconnection that has plagued the Texans’ passing game going back to the Carolina Panthers loss in Week 4. This week, instead of it being Watson on an overthrow, it was Fuller dropping a sure touchdown in the first quarter and two other chunk plays that could have changed the momentum for Houston at that moment. At the end of the game, receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who also had a drop on a touchdown on a slant, caught an 8-yard pass on fourth-and-3 from the Kansas City 27-yard line that sealed the deal for Houston. Hopkins also came up huge for the Texans on their two-point conversion. It wasn’t a good start, or even a good mid-game, but the receiving corps finished nicely with Hopkins grabbing nine passes for 55 yards, Fuller catching five for 44, and Keke Coutee producing four for 39.
Grade: B-
tight end
Darren Fells has caught 15 passes for 159 yards, besting his 2018 total in just six games with the Texans. However, it has not just been Fells who has been productive as it has been Jordan Akins, who caught three passes for 39 yards. Fells’ 69 yards were a team-high, and his six catches were second-highest on the Texans for the afternoon. It may not have been the big performance from the tight end group as was the case in Week 5 versus Atlanta or even in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Chargers, but it was well enough to help Houston secure victory.
Grade: B+
offensive line
The offensive line’s play can be summarized with two stats: zero sacks for Deshaun Watson and a 100-yard rusher in Carlos Hyde. The line has found its best combination with left tackle Laremy Tunsil, left guard Max Scharping, center Nick Martin, right guard Zach Fulton, and right tackle Tytus Howard. Even though Howard left the game in the third quarter, the swing tackle play from Roderick Johnson once again proves it’s a new dawn for the Texans offensive line.
Grade: A
coaching
Offensive coordinator Tim Kelly had a good game plan, and the play-caller had a good feel to the flow of the game. It proved that coach Bill O’Brien made the right call in elevating someone he trusts and groomed in Kelly as opposed to taking someone on the same branch of the coaching tree O’Brien is from and grafting them onto a new tree. Kelly has been in Houston since day one of the Deshaun Watson era and knows what he is capable of. Furthermore, he has been there since the second season of DeAndre Hopkins, and knows what we does best. The offense finally seems to play to its playmakers’ strengths rather than force them into roles they’re not made for.
