The Houston Texans may have given up just 363 yards total offense to the Chicago Bears, but the ground game comprised 281 of those yards.
When an offense is churning over 200 yards on the ground, typically the indication is big plays are afoot, not that an offensive coordinator is running the Wing-T offense. Chicago’s 7.0 yards per carry as a team definitely underscored the Bears were getting chunk plays with their rushing attack.
While missed tackles are generally the culprit for a run game getting to the second level and beyond, Texans coach Lovie Smith knows there is more to it than that.
“I think tackling is some of it, but there’s discipline that goes along with containing the quarterback when he’s passing,” Smith told reporters after the 23-20 loss to the Bears Sunday at Soldier Field. “There’s discipline that goes along with maintaining good gap integrity, and we didn’t do that at times.”
According to Smith, part of the defense’s problem has been players trying to do too much.
Said Smith: “Normally when you see a big play, there is a bust or somebody just not trusting the defense and assuming that they have to do somebody else’s job, too. That’s what was happening a little bit today.”
The Texans fall to 0-2-1 on the season. Houston still has time to turn things around, but will have to buy in to the defensive philosophy and assignments quickly as the 1-2 Los Angeles Chargers visit NRG Stadium for Week 4 on Oct. 2 at 12:00 p.m. Central Time.
