:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51064865/usa-today-9558402.0.jpg)
Well, we all anticipated a giant tumble down the power rankings after last Thursday’s debacle on national television, and that’s exactly what has happened. The Texans have plummeted an average of nearly seven spots in every single major power ranking, with SB Nation’s own list docking them by a full 10 spots. Ironically enough, Bleacher Report – who has been notoriously low on the Texans for years – is tied with CBS Sports for the second highest ranking of the bunch at 11th overall.
This team needs a huge win, and it needs it now.
|
Website
|
Rank
|
Last Week
|
Comments
|
| SB Nation |
18
|
8
|
N/A
|
| ESPN |
16
|
6
|
The Texans might have hit rock bottom in Week 3, getting shut out and losing to the Patriots' third-string QB in his first start. The good news is the Texans are still 2-1 and will have two home games against division foes in the next three weeks. Houston could be sitting pretty following that stretch.
|
| NFL.com |
13
|
6
|
The Texans appeared so awful Thursday night that they probably deserved to be lower. Check that, they didn't appear anything ... they were plain awful versus the Pats. If this team is ever to take the next step, it must be able to win in New England against a fully equipped Patriots outfit, much less one without their QB1, QB2 and their top offensive weapon limited to just 14 snaps. The sad deal here is that New England didn't even need an obligatory Gronk catch, much like Houston doesn't need an obligatory Will Fuller drop.
|
| Bleacher Report |
11
|
9
|
What's Bill O'Brien's excuse? His offense is basically New England-lite. He saw almost every defensive look as a former Bill Belichick disciple. And yet he made zero meaningful adjustments. When the Patriots took the long ball away, the Texans had no Plan B. They couldn't rely on Lamar Miller to pick apart a five-man defensive front. Pass protection didn't hold up. And they crumbled. Defensively, they were outwitted. New England ran enough misdirection and motion to get them going one way. Put simply: One Bill was always ahead of the other.
|
| Fox Sports |
17
|
8
|
The Texans lost to a Jacoby Brissett-led Patriots team, which is far worse than the Cardinals falling to Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 1. This should have been a game Houston won, or at least remained competitive in. However, Brock Osweiler became the dink-and-dunk king and turnovers were a huge issue. |
| USA Today |
10
|
7
|
Not hard to imagine John Elway telling Gary Kubiak over a beer last Thursday, "This is why we didn't pay Osweiler $72 million."
|
| Yahoo Sports |
13
|
7
|
What a face-plant. Everyone is allowed to have bad nights, especially on a short week, but the loss at the Patriots showed they’re not ready yet. Back to trying to beat up the junior varsity.
|
| CBS Sports (Prisco) |
11
|
6
|
Just when you think it's time for this team to take a big step forward, they lay an egg like they did at New England last Thursday.
|
|
AVERAGE |
13.6 |
7.0 |
N/A |
Titans vs Texans coverage