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A thrilling comeback victory on national television might have done wonders for the Texans’ perception among the rest of the NFL…if it hadn't come against the lowly Indianapolis Colts, that is. Still, it was good to see Bill O’Brien and company on the right side of a Sunday Night Football box score for once. We know that hasn't happened in way, way too long.
Houston still has a long way to go before they reclaim their status as a Top-10 team, but a good showing against the heavily-favored Denver Broncos on Monday night might be just the thing to get them there. In the meantime, here is what the top powerrankers in the national media had to say about the Texans after six weeks of action.
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Website
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Rank
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Last Week
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Comments
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| SB Nation |
17
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17
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N/A
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| ESPN |
17
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18
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The Texans brought in Brock Osweiler to be the franchise quarterback, but he hasn't lived up to that billing, at least not early on in games. He has thrown four touchdowns to eight interceptions in the first three quarters this season (four touchdowns, zero picks in fourth quarter).
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| NFL.com |
15
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16
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Raise your hand if three quarters of the way through Sunday night's game you were pleading with the Texans to feed Lamar Miller the ball (... and not have Brock Osweiler throw any more passes). Not you, Bill. This is a question for the fans ... the fans. Bill O'Brien's game plan got more conservative as the contest wore on. Then, when Houston had to have it, Osweiler, C.J. Fiedorowicz and especially Jaelen Strong, all rose up to make huge plays. That said, the W belongs to Miller (178 scrimmage yards) and a defense that halted the Colts at the end of regulation and again in overtime. Next up: at Broncos on Monday night. Juicy.
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| Bleacher Report |
14
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16
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I've already declared the Brock Osweiler experiment to be a failure. That opinion probably won't change. My opinion on this Texans team with a fully operating Lamar Miller is a different story, however. Miller can be electric if his offensive line opens holes for him. He can even be electric when six Colts defenders converge on him for a touchdown-saving tackle. Osweiler deserves no credit for this. Jadeveon Clowney was just as impactful on the other end. It won't show in his sack numbers, but Clowney wins on every snap he takes.
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| Fox Sports |
14
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16
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Brock Osweiler led the Texans to a shocking comeback victory over the Colts in what was his first truly impressive performance in Houston. Still, the Colts essentially handed the Texans that win with terribly conservative defense and the inability to produce a first down late in the game. The Texans are 4-2, but they’re not nearly as good as their record indicates. |
| USA Today |
16
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16
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Brock Osweiler signed with Houston in March, but we may look back on Sunday comeback as the night he became the Texans' quarterback.
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| Yahoo Sports |
15
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16
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Maybe, just maybe, that final flurry on Sunday night will turn things around for Brock Osweiler. If confidence was an issue — and it’s hard to believe that hasn’t been a bit of a factor — then a phenomenal comeback win could fix that.
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| CBS Sports (Prisco) |
14
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11
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That Brock Osweiler deal isn't looking so good. Now they face his former team in Denver this week.
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AVERAGE
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15.3
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15.8
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N/A
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Texans vs Broncos coverage