Legal Commentary

2008 Weekly local football review

By Tom Kirkendall

(AP Photo/George Nikitin; previous weekly reviews are here)

Raiders 27 Texans 16

Amidst the Chronicle cheerleaders becoming enraptured again during the Texans' (7-8) first four-game winning streak, the local team reminded us today against the Raiders (4-11) why they have been among the worst-performing new franchises in the history of the National Football League.

Basically, the Texans stunk. The progress that had been exhibited by the Texans' defense over the past four games seemingly evaporated into thin air as the unit allowed the Raiders offense to do about anything it pleased. Minimal pressure on the passer combined with lax pass coverage and arm tackling is a pretty good prescription for a defeat in the NFL.

Meanwhile, the Texans' offense looked as if it had never seen a two-deep zone pass defense. QB Matt Schaub's poor passing statistics (19-36/234 yds/0 TD/1 INT would have looked even worse but for WR David Anderson turning a short crossing route into a 65 yd reception late in the second quarter. Moreover, despite the Raiders loading up to stop the pass, the Texans offense was incapable of running the ball consistently against one of the worst run defense in the NFL.

And, to make the Texans' effort completely intolerable, the special teams allowed an 80-yard punt return for a TD late in the third quarter that -- given the way the Texans' offense was moving the ball -- essentially put the game away for the Raiders.

However, the worst part about the Texans' feeble effort against the Raiders is that -- after a month-long reprieve during the the four-game winning streak -- we'll have to endure another week of Chronicle sportswriter John McClain doing his absurd impression of a crusty, old football coach disappointed with his team.

The Texans attempt to salvage a .500 season next Sunday at Reliant in the season finale against the Bears (8-6). Given the Texans' tepid improvement on defense over the past two seasons relative to the number of draft choices used over the past several drafts on that unit, my sense is that off-season changes will be made on the defensive coaching staff.

Full post as published by Houston's Clear Thinkers on December 22, 2008 (boomark / email).