The Day After the Day After (plus a day): The Houston Texans’ season ends in Kansas Metropolis

The Day After the Day After…when the uncooked, speedy feelings from the aftermath of a sport diminish into the realm of readability and the proverbial (or literal) hangover now not haunts the thoughts. With that, a overview of the Divisional Spherical:

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Houston can really run apart from to the left? This season, the formulation for fulfillment operating noticed Joe Mixon run/reduce to the left aspect of the Houston Texans’ offensive line, the place some mixture of Tunsil/Inexperienced/Scruggs/Patterson/Howard might help, together with a TE/FB. If nothing else, that was the closing formulation for the Texans this season. But, towards Kansas Metropolis and their fearsome protection, the Texans really discovered success within the operating sport going to the best. For the sport, Houston logged 149 yards on 29 carries. Of these carries, 14 of these went to the best aspect for 115 yards. Granted, 42 of these yards have been a results of Stroud scrambling to the best, however even nonetheless, most of Mixon’s carries went proper, which positively went towards tendencies this season. For reference, the left aspect of line solely mustered 24 yards on six carries. Apparently sufficient, Dameon Pierce rushed to the left as a lot as Joe Mixon on this sport (three every).

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Frank Ross’ worst sport as Particular Groups Coordinator: If there was a relentless for the Texans since 2021, it’s that they may play high quality particular groups. You possibly can even argue that Frank Ross is one of the best total coordinator on the group (between himself, Matt Burke, Bobby Slowik). Or, a minimum of you possibly can till this sport. It was as if the Texans secretly changed Frank Ross with late-stage Joe Marciano. The sport opened with a 63-yard kickoff return that turned a 76-yard acquire after a dumb private foul penalty. Then, as to indicate up the Texans, the Chiefs subsequent kickoff landed in need of the endzone, however bounced within the touchdown zone and into the endzone, forcing the Texans to take a touchback on the 20 yard line vs. the 30. The ten-yard distinction might need been sufficient to stop a TD on the opening drive. The kick protection, which is often a energy of the squad, allowed 131 yards on 4 returns, which did a lot to clarify how Kansas Metropolis beat Houston, regardless of being outgained by over 100 yards in offense.

Then the place-kicking. Fairbairn had a sport to neglect. He badly shanked a 55-yard FG, a distance vary (50 yards+) that he set NFL-season information at, then misses one other third quarter further level that would have tied the sport, then the blocked FG on the finish of the sport to finish any final hope. That block was extra on the safety than Fairbairn, however all in all, a nightmare of a day. Sure, the seven factors that Fairbairn left on the sphere didn’t finally matter within the margin, however the strategic course of the sport, particularly the missed second quarter FG (that was a 10-point swing), and the missed PAT, actually set Houston again.

All of that, after which Frank Ross and Kris Boyd (who changed Laremy Tunsil because the participant Andre Ware most desires to beatdown) made the spotlight reel with Boyd shoving Ross, considering he was celebrating an enormous play, solely to appreciate that he precipitated a private foul with the ill-timed helmet removing.

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The play that ended the Texans’ Season: Within the fourth quarter, with the Chiefs up 20-12, and Houston, with 10:05 left within the sport, confronted a fourth and 10 on the KC 40. The 2 performs prior noticed KC convey strain up the center that the offensive line couldn’t deal with, forcing two incompletions. The Arrowhead crowd, already one of many loudest within the US was full-on insane. Given the sphere place, it was not a nasty thought to go for it on fourth down. HOWEVER, the arrange was an unmitigated catastrophe for Houston. The huddle didn’t break till below 9 seconds left on the play clock, and gamers scrambled to get into the right formation. Stroud was frantic to attempt to get the snap off.

Whereas the Texans didn’t need to waste a timeout, that was a wanted name there. Both take the timeout otherwise you take the five-yard delay of sport and punt, counting on a robust protection to mitigate the Chiefs’ efforts. Sadly, the chaos and uncertainty of a rushed snap with no thought of a stable play led to an enormous 16-yard sack. Sure, the Texans protection did maintain to a three-and-out, nevertheless it flipped discipline place. Kansas Metropolis bought a FG on the following drive, and at that time, it was all concerning the betting line. For a group that appeared to deal with the Chiefs’ crowd much better than they did the Ravens the yr prior, and for all of the precise playoff expertise, that was a large teaching mistake, maybe the worst in Ryans’ profession.

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About Travis Kelce: At this level, most determine Travis Kelce is the straight man to his brother Jason Kelce on his podcast and Taylor Swift’s boy toy. But, even after 12 years, Travis Kelce can be recognized to play TE, and play it nicely. As efficient as Houston was shutting down the Okay.C. wide-receivers (5 whole receptions for 45 yards), and the operating sport (not counting the bettor’s delight from Araiza, 21 rushes/68 yards), they someway didn’t scheme for one of the best postseason TE in NFL historical past. Seven receptions for 117 yards and a what-the-[KITTEN] TD. On the 49-yard catch and run, he outran and outmaneuvered a number of Texans’ defenders. That is likely to be the one flaw within the defensive scheme, however that’s like saying that the Demise Star solely had that one little weak point in its design.

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FUN WITH NUMBERS

0:00: Period of time the Houston Texans have led within the second half of all six of their Divisional Playoff video games. Houston not solely has by no means gained a Divisional Spherical playoff sport, they’ve by no means led for a single second within the second half of any of their video games. Once they trailed by one going into the fourth quarter (13-12), it was their finest end in a divisional playoff sport ever.

10: Consecutive losses for Houston-based NFL franchises within the Divisional Spherical. Not since 1979 has a Houston group gained within the Divisional Spherical (17-14 over the Los Angeles Chargers). The Oilers, earlier than the Titans corruption, went 0-4 within the Divisional Spherical after that. With the Saturday loss at Kansas Metropolis, the Texans fall to 0-6 within the Divisional Spherical. To make issues even worse, Houston-based NFL franchises have gone 16 straight playoff journeys with out even making it to the convention championship. Dallas will get some well-deserved grief for his or her 0-13 streak since 1996, however don’t snicker an excessive amount of in case you are the town of Houston. Truly, the state of Texas has seen a mixed 21 playoff journeys finish with out a group within the convention sport.

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GAME BALLS:

DE Will Anderson, Jr: If the Texans had a playoff MVP, Anderson may simply get the nod. On this present day, he logged two sacks on Mahomes to go together with 4 tackles and three TFLs. He terrorized the Chiefs’ tackles all sport, and whereas he did decide up a roughing-the-passer penalty, it was a reasonably ticky-tack name which may not get known as exterior of Arrowhead. Anderson completed with 3.5 sacks for the post-season and proved that he was well worth the #3 total decide in 2023.

RB Joe Mixon: 18 carries for 88 yards and a TD. Robust operating from Mixon was wanted and he delivered. That the sport and play-calling bought away from the operating sport in the long run damage, however he has little to be ashamed of on this sport.

TO ALL OTHER NON-KANSAS CITY FANBASES: We welcomed the entire inputs and help y’all supplied. Sadly, we couldn’t ship on the upset, shut as we got here. Nonetheless, thanks for taking part. Maybe one other time.

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SHOULD BE FORCED TO ONLY EAT STALE KC-BASED PRODUCTS FOR THEIR BBQ MEALS FOR A FULL YEAR WHILE LISTENING TO STATE FARM ADS WITH PATRICK MAHOMES ON FULL REPEAT

PK Ka’imi Fairbairn: Sorry. Not the only cause for the defeat, however a nasty time for a nasty sport.

Offensive Deal with Blake Fisher: How per week makes a distinction. From a sport ball final week to getting blasted this week. The Chiefs bought EIGHT sacks on Stroud and plenty of got here alongside the best aspect. Maybe you possibly can give it to the whole line within the fourth quarter, who someway couldn’t deal with blitzes proper up the center. Few will miss OL coach Chris Strassuer’s leaving the group (introduced Monday evening).

The Refs: Sufficient stated.

With that, the Houston Texans bid farewell to the 2024-25 season. Now comes the low season, and whereas there’s a lot to be optimistic about, there are many areas for addressing for the Texans because the low season commences.