(AP Photo/Phil Coale; previous weekly reviews are here).
Jaguars 30 Texans 27 (OT)
If it isn’t one thing, it’s another for the Texans (0-3).
After pretty much stinking it up in the Texans’ first two games, QB Matt Schaub was outstanding in this one, leading the Texans to scores on their five consecutive possessions (three TD’s and two FG’s, including Kris Brown’s 51 yarder with a second left that sent the game into overtime). Schaub was 29-40 for 307 yds with 3 TD’s and no INT’s. WR Kevin Walter had two TD’s reception and rookie RB Steve Slaton caught 8 passes for 83 yds and a TD. Can’t ask for much more than that.
On the other hand, after playing a decent first half, the Texans’ defense was horrible in the second half and overtime. For the first three quarters of the game, the Texans’ defense inexplicably allowed the Jags to complete slant passes at will. Then, when the Texans’ defense finally took away the slant pass in the fourth quarter, they forgot to maintain containment on Jags’ QB David Garrard, who proceeded to make three key runs out of the pocket on the final TD drive in regulation. The poor defensive performance was punctuated by poor tackling in OT, which allowed the Jags to set up a chip shot field goal to win the game.
About the only good thing that can be said about the defense is that it may have been better than the Texans’ coverage teams, which were absolutely awful. They provided the Jags with good field position throughout the game.
Finally, how is it that the Texans’ coaching staff and players were the only ones watching the game who did not realize that the Jags had kept their offense on the field in their initial punting situation of the game? The gift-wrapped TD that the Texans’ punt-return team gave the Jags might have made a difference in the final score, don’t you think?
The Texans finally return to Houston for their first home game of the season next week against the well-rested Colts (1-2) and QB Peyton Manning, who carved the Texans’ defense up like a holiday turkey the last time the teams played. Ay, yi, yi.