Mental health is a thing for football fans. Yes, we aren’t actually participating in the game, but for many fans, their week rides at least in part on the outcome of that Sunday’s game. So, for three hours, the dedicated Texans fans is a bundle of nerves. Sure, it makes us feel more alive, but it takes a toll. Every once in awhile you need a palate cleanser that can help settle the soul. This Sunday was one of those days. The contest was literally never in doubt. The closest it ever got was ten points which was a definite departure from the gauntlet of close games they played during the six game winning streak.
Obviously, the numbers game is a complex one for those of us that play it. On the one hand, these kinds of performances help the bottom line. After all, they have combined for 84 points in just two games this season (Ravens and Cardinals). That has a way of affecting the aggregate. We will get to more of that in a minure. For now, let’s run down the numbers.
The Numbers
- Total Yards: Texans 63/399, Cardinals 63/307
- Rushing Yards: Texans 33/143, Cardinals 21/72
- Passing Yards: Texans 30/256, Cardinals 42/231
- Punts: Texans 1, Cardinals 3
- Third Down: Texans 7/13, Cardinals 5/12
- Fourth Down: Texans 0/0, Cardinals 1/3
- Turnovers: Texans 0, Cardinals 2
- Sacks: Texans 2, Cardinals 1
- Penalties: Texans 5/40, Cardinals 2/34
- Time of Possession: Texans 32:18, Cardinals 27:42
This is yet another game where the Texans won the turnover battle. One of the underrated stories of the season offensively has been their ability to limit turnovers. Any full telling of the Nick Caley story will have to include improvement in total turnovers and sacks allowed. It is one of the many reasons why evaluating coaches 99 percent of the time is difficult. There will always be positives and negatives. It is similar on the defensive end. The Texans are one of the league leaders in penalties. Again, there are positives and negatives to their style of play. Evaluating coaches is all about playing a balancing act of both the positives and the negatives.
The Great
This game was won by the offense. Let me repeat that again. This game was won by the offense. I cannot overstate how much of a shock it is to say that. I included the punts above because it seems unfathomable for a Nick Caley coached outfit to punt only one time in a football. This team moved the ball at will and did so on the ground and in the air. This one was not Stroud’s best game this season, but it was in the top three. He completed a high percentage of balls and did so within the flow of the offense.
In particular, Jawhar Jordan was elevated just before the game from the practice squad and went on to have 15 carries and 107 yards. Jordan was a draft pick two years ago, but has failed to make the team for two consecutive years despite strong camps and strong preseason performances. Instead, the team chose to keep Dameon Pierce until recently. Maybe just maybe that was a mistake. Of course, far be it for me to suggest it even though I suggested in camp in 2024 and in 2025.
Jordan spelled Woody Marks who aggravated an ankle injury that is not expected to be serious. Ultimately, DeMeco Ryans said Marks could have gone back in, but he didn’t need to. The team plays the Las Vegas Raiders next, so maybe they could play a similar game and rest some of their more important players until the daunting two game stretch to finish the season.
The Good
When the story of the 2025 season is told it will be the defense that gets most of the publicity. I am positive there will be very little footage from this particular game. The Cardinals did not run it well, but they ran it better than most teams against the Texans. Jacoby Brisset wasn’t brilliant, but he was better than most quarterbacks against the Texans. 20 points is usually not enough to win, but it is better than most teams against the Texans. I think you get the idea.
In the grand scheme of things, they didn’t need to be at their best. I’m sure some of that was strategy to avoid the big play once they got up 17-0. Some of that might be human nature after playing so many close and hard fought games against good teams. Some of it is probably what the Cardinals are able to do well. It was a good defensive performance for a team where good is deemed below expectations.
Kamari Lassiter probably cemented his spot in the Pro Bowl with yet another interception. It was his fourth on the season after getting three during his rookie season. Most grading systems have him playing better football this year than last year. We often what if when looking at players moving from year one to year two. It is refreshing to see one of those what ifs panning out.
The Bad
This one takes a little imagination. In a game where nothing was in doubt, it is hard to pinpoint something specific. This was a game where they scored on eight different possessions. One of the touchdowns came from outside the red zone, so they were 3 for 7 in the red zone. I’m reasonably certain you will not get seven trips to the red zone in the playoffs. I am also certain you probably won’t score too often outside the red zone.
We will look at this in greater detail later in the week, but the problem with these games is that they skew the aggregate. It’s the lime wedge following a tequila shot of a four week stretch (the Jacksonville game was different) where the defense dominated and the offense did just enough to win. The narrative on Nick Caley seemingly changes from week to week, but it really shouldn’t. Overall, this is an average offense. Situationally, they struggle in the red zone and have all season.
In fact, the Jacksonville game and Baltimore game are the only two games where they haven’t struggled in the red zone. Coming into the game, the team was 30th in red zone touchdown percentage. The three for seven output doesn’t help. Ultimately, the decision to keep or not keep Caley will be predicated on how important this single stat is. They are average in just about everything else. So, how important is this one category? Again, we will look at this later on the week, because the legacy/evaluation of Nick Caley’s offense will need to be nuanced and comprehensive.
