Texans-Falcons Final Score: Another Loss, Another Blowout, Another Swap At Quarterback

Texans 21, Falcons 48

With one second left in the game, the Texans had the ball on the 17-yard-line. Brian Hoyer, in relief of Ryan Mallett, threw a short pass to Cecil Shorts, III. He took the pass one way, another way, futilely looking for away to bring the score a little closer before the close of the game.

The red jerseys of the Falcons swarmed him and knocked the ball loose, with 0 seconds on the clock. A Falcons defender then proceeded to scoop up the fumble and return it 80+ yards for a touchdown, bringing the score into full blowout status despite 21 4th quarter points by the Texans.

Oh, and Shorts was injured on the play, holding his left arm close to his body as the two teams exited the field.

These are your Houston Texans.

This is a team that is...

• led by two quarterbacks who play like they can't wait to get off the field,
• led by a coach that vehemently defended said quarterbacks before the season,
• led by a porous offensive line that somehow forces fumbles against its own running back,
• led by a defense that can't cover or tackle or generate useful pressure,
• led by a special teams squad that yields field position against any team that wants it.

Mallett was benched after throwing for just 150 yards on 12/27 passing and an interception. Hoyer relieved him and managed to bring the offense into the end zone three times before that embarrassing last play put the exclamation point on a depressingly terrible (also terribly depressing) team performance.

Full credit to the Atlanta Falcons, of course; they're a dangerous team. Just like we wanted them to, the Texans focused a lot of coverage on Julio Jones, limiting him to four catches and 38 yards on six targets, but Matt Ryan and his running backs made them pay for it all over the field.

A team fielding Vince Wilfork, J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney and Brian Cushing let Devonta Freeman and Terron Ward run for 140 yards and four touchdowns. Freeman added another 81 yards through the air out of the backfield.

The weaknesses we foresaw in this team are a lot weaker than we thought, as are the strengths.

Discuss the loss down below, Texans faithful. We didn't do nothing to deserve this.

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