Houston Texans Final Score/ Post-Game Recap: Steelers 28, Texans 21

Pain. Just...absolute pain. The Texans are now 0-3 and completely lost. Aimless in their search of the solace of victory in the first quarter desert of a season. Leading 21-17 at the half, the Houston Texans looked primed to finally get things going this season. The offense looked exciting, Randall Cobb was contributing in big time plays, Will Fuller caught a touchdown, and everything was as it was prescribed in those delicious rumors that defined the offseason. Then...the second half...

The Texans went straight back to feeding David Johnson the ball over and over and over again to no avail. The defense got progressively more exhausted as the Steelers wore them down drive after drive4 they eventually just gave in to the will of the Black and Gold. The few times they saw the field, Houston’s offense looked abysmal. What we had seen just a few minutes ago was now just dust in the wind. Only for a moment, and the moment’s gone.

Of course, as mentioned a few times before, I grew up in the Pittsburgh area. I’m a Steelers fan, and have spent nearly all my life a Steelers fan. That first half, however, pulled the Texans fan in me to the forefront. They were everything I wished them to be before the season started. The defense was smart, manufactured pressure, and exemplified bend but don’t break. The offense was talented, pass-heavy, and methodical. A ridiculously good Steelers defense didn’t have an answer to their monstrous level of talent at wide receiver.

But upon entering the third quarter, everything was gone. Establishing the run was the name of the game, and the game was lost. The disgusting front seven reminiscent of the Steel Curtain era fed upon every run up the middle offered to the hesitant arms of David Johnson. Deshaun Watson was placed in seemingly endless third and longs, to which Pittsburgh’s pass defense was able to take advantage at the worst time possible with an interception. Watson did everything he could, but he could not save the Texans from Bill O’Brien.

David Johnson had an absolutely embarrassing game. 13 carries for 23 yards. 23 yards. He was the focal point of the offense in the second half, mind you. I’m unsure what O’Brien and Kelly saw in halftime that made them think “Let’s take the ball out of our best player that has got us this far,” but they did. I saw what I was hoping to see in the first half, thinking Houston had finally turned the corner, but they succumbed to their old, destructive habits even when victory seemed assured.

I’m not sure if anything positive can come out of this. Even when accomplishing what I had so desperately wished for, the Texans showed an unbelievable willingness to change their tune from failure.

Welcome to 0-3. Again. See you next week.