Post-Game Thread: Chargers 29, Texans 23 -- Questionable Calls And Kareem Jackson Deep Balls

It's almost hard to write a Texans recap these days because effectively half of the game is irrelevant. This is what we've become used to. Kareem Jackson allowed two deep touchdowns and was not benched or reprimanded in any way, he's learning though. Or at least I think that's the reason you've anchored one of the best offenses in the league down to mediocrity. Bernard Pollard, Zac Diles, and your usual cast of bad pass coverage culminated in letting backup Chargers tight end Randy McMichael catch two touchdowns and sixth string WR Seyi Ajirotutu become a fantasy waiver wire darling. At this point, it almost doesn't matter whether the scheme or the players are more at fault: it's time to take Antonio Smith, Mario Williams, Brian Cushing, and Glover Quin aside and let the wrecking ball strike this thing down. Every opponent's possession against the Texans that ends in 0 points is met by surprise by the fanbase. Every last one.

Now, to the part of the game that was actually in question:

Gary Kubiak, perhaps having figured out that maybe Arian Foster was a great running back after all, rode his hoss in the first half to 20 points and a 6 point halftime lead. It could've been more if not for the silly Calvin Johnson rule robbing Foster of a touchdown catch. 

Kubiak then apparently forgot that Arian Foster was on the field for the bulk of the second half. The Chargers started stacking the box a little more, but it seemed like every bad carry was an excuse to go right back to the pass game. This combination led to Foster getting just six carries on the last four Texans drives. 

As much as people were calling for it tn the game thread, the combination of me biting my tongue and me getting the fourth quarter thread up led me to not say anything about the fourth and one call to lead off the fourth quarter. The Texans were winning by two, and a field goal would've had the Texans in field goals length after the Chargers scored the touchdown that we all knew was coming. Instead, the Texans were forced to drive the length of the field in the final two drives. They were barely in the red zone, but Kubiak opted to go for it. A good play call, mind you, but one that ultimately ended up costing the Texans.

That, combined with the curious at best decision to use Derrick Ward on 3rd & 2 on the San Diego 5, Matt Schaub's impromptu decision to quick QB sneak on 4th & 1 (didn't we have a good running back for that?) and the ridiculous intentional grounding call, put the Texans behind the eight ball. Andre Johnson's kicked interception was a heartbreaker, but it was one that the Texans could have easily avoided with better game planning.

Nevertheless, your Houston Texans are back to .500, there are still games to play in the season, and while a playoff run is certainly looking more and more unlikely every week, you can't completely rule anything out with 8 weeks to go in the season.

Except for the Texans defense being good. You can definitely forget about that.