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The Captain's Log 2014, Game 4: "The Intrepid"

Capt Ron chronicles the Texans' latest game against the Bills and the amazing determination of J.J. Watt.

By Capt Ron
Career Stats: 2 interceptions, and 1 offensive reception, for 3 touchdowns!
Career Stats: 2 interceptions, and 1 offensive reception, for 3 touchdowns!
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

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Captain's Log Supplemental

My family was in town from Austin this weekend, and my sister and her friend both revealed that they had never been to an NFL game.  Her friend recently relocated to Austin from Washington state, and she is quickly embracing life in Texas.  I checked online and found seats at a very reasonable price, so we spontaneously decided to attend the Texans-Bills game.

After more than a decade of never missing Texans' home games, I only attended the Patriots game last year.  It felt odd not to be making that regular trip over to Kirby last season, so this year I am determined to find two or three games that we can attend.  We left early yesterday so that we could tailgate with some old friends, and we ran into several others inside the stadium who we haven't seen in a long time as well.  It was great to be there, and I look forward to a few more visits this year.  There is a lot to be said for the stadium game experience with the Texans.

The game was a close-fought battle, and the crowd was electric all the way to the end.  I decided to use a decibel meter application on my phone, and here are the results:

  • Average noise while on offense: 64 decibels
  • Average noise while on defense: 97 decibels
  • Average noise during 3rd-down on defense: 103 decibels
  • Peak noise during the J.J. Watt pick-6: 118 decibels

I'm pleased to report that my sister, who is already a Texans fan, and her friend REALLY enjoyed their first NFL game experience.  It was fun to see them getting into the celebrations throughout the day.  We may have ourselves a newly converted Texans fan after Watt and the team earned her respect in an exciting win over the Bills.

GO TEXANS!

Summary of Key Stats


 TEXANS BILLS
First Downs 19 17
Net Rushing Yards 37 96
Net Passing Yards 264 220
Total Net Yards 301 316
Passing ATT-COMP-INT 25-37-2 21-44-2
Third Down Efficiency 5/14 (35%) 5/16 (31%)
Touchdowns 2 2
Field Goals (made/attempted) 3/3 1/1
Fumbles / Lost 2 / 1 1 / 0
Turnovers (lost) 3 2
Penalties (QTY / Yards) 8 - 90 8 - 40
Sacks (defense) 2 2
Interceptions (defense) 2 2
Fumbles Recovered (defense) 0 1
Time of Possession 30:56 29:04
Red Zone Efficiency 0/1 (0%) 1/3 (33%)
Goal To Go Efficiency 0/0 (0%) 1/1 (100%)
Points From Turnovers 7 14
FINAL SCORE 23 17


Around the AFC South...

The Colts ruined the Titans' afternoon in a 41-17 blowout as Andrew Luck notched his second consecutive game with 4 touchdowns.  They are now 2-2 on the season and will host the 3-1 Ravens next week.

The Titans, now 1-3 after being routed by the Colts, host the Browns next week.

The Jaguars flew to San Diego and continued their winless season in a loss to the Chargers with a score of 33-14.  In Blake Bortles' first NFL start, he twice had the Jaguars leading in the first half before Philip Rivers rallied back to victory.  Bortles' final stats: 29/37, 253 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions.  Jacksonville hosts the 2-2 Steelers next week.

Sick Bay

"I'm a doctor!  I have no knowledge regarding the rules for offensive linemen flagged for pass interference."

INJURY UPDATES THIS WEEK:

  • Jadeveon Clowney is still recovering from knee surgery.
  • A.J. Bouye was inactive this game for a groin injury.
  • Andre Johnson suffered an unknown injury late in the game yesterday, but returned to action after receiving attention by the training staff.  We'll monitor this one closely and provide updates.

Movie Quote (name it):

"Yea, there were horses and a man on fire and I killed a guy with a trident."

Bravo Zulu -  J.J. Watt

100px-bravo_flag 100px-zulu_flag

(Bravo Zulu is a naval signal, conveyed by flag hoist or vocal, for "Well Done")

There really are no words to describe what we are watching each game as this man fills the NFL record books.  I suspect someday I'll have grandkids, and even great-grandkids, who will stare blankly at me with dropped jaws as I reflect on what it was like to be in the stadium both times (so far) when J.J. Watt took interceptions to the house.

Watt had 3 tackles, 1 pass defended, the interception returned 80 yards for a touchdown, and an unbelievable 9 hits on the QB.  Just for reference, a defensive player is having a great day if they get a couple of hits on a QB in a game.  The pick-6 came at a crucial point, as Buffalo was driving into the red-zone while leading 10-7.  This play flipped the momentum completely, by instantly giving Houston a 14-10 lead in front of a high-energy crowd.  The Texans were fueled to finish from that point on.

I looked up the word "intrepid" to describe Watt, and I found this definition:

characterized by resolute fearlessness, fortitude, and endurance

Synonyms:

bold, courageous, dauntless, doughty, fearless, gallant, greathearted, gutsy, gutty, heroic, brave, lionhearted, manful, stalwart, stout, stouthearted, undauntable, undaunted, valiant, valorous

So I stand corrected.  I guess there are words to describe J.J. after all.  Incredible!

Honorable Mention: 

Cornerback Darryl Morris

With A.J. Bouye inactive due to a groin injury, San Antonio native Darryl Morris stepped up and had an amazing day to help the Texans' defense.  He was in position for three critical passes defended, four tackles, one tackle for a loss, and nearly enabled the downing of a punt inside the two-yard line on special teams.  He ended the day with an interception with 1:07 remaining in the game; that ensured the Texans' victory over the Bills.

Kicker Randy Bullock

He kicked 41, 55, and 50 yard field goals in this game and is 8 of 9 so far this year.  The 55-yarder in this game is his longest of the season, and it looked like it could have gone for 65!  After a shaky rookie season with inconsistent results, Bullock has really become a weapon for Houston.  Given the challenges this team has on offense, he is critical to success in what will likely be many close games in 2014.

Stories From The Brig

What impresses me with the Texans under coach Bill O'Brien in 2014, is that we really don't see a player (or two) who we can nail to the wall for failing bad enough to toss into "The Brig" as we review the game.  There are mistakes made, but none so egregious as to warrant flame-worthy ire as in years past.

If anything, I'd direct attention back to the NFL for the continued frustration we have regarding inconsistent officiating from crew to crew and game to game.  Again, how can there be such great variance in application of the rules?

Movie Quote II (a/k/a the hint):

"Boy, that escalated quickly. I mean that really got out of hand fast!"

Fun With Twitter

Ship's Galley

Chicken Kiev

In the same week I was asked to provide a friend with a new chicken recipe, I saw this tweet by Jamie Oliver.  I tested it and loved it!  This would easily travel well for tailgating and Texans watching parties.  Give it a go!  To save you from scrolling endlessly in this article, here's the tweet with the link to his website:

On The Horizon...

Next up, the Texans travel to Dallas to battle for bragging rights in Texas.  This October 5th game starts at 12 p.m. CDT.

Last week's Captain's Log: Week 3 v. Giants

Bills vs Texans coverage

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