The Texans are sitting at a brutal 0-3 after a 19-17 loss to the Colts on Sunday, but honestly, this squad is probably thinking they should be 2-1 right now. It was Week 3, the final minutes of the game, and for the second time in a row, they let victory slip through their fingers in the most agonizing ways.
The Missing Pieces Are Killing Them
Nico Collins’ absence the past two games is huge, right? Stroud is clearly missing his biggest weapon and security blanket, especially when they get down into the red zone. But you know what? Maybe a bigger loss is Ed Ingram. He’s been out the past two games too, and the right side of that O-line has been straight-up bad. We’re talking mediocre at best and beyond horrid at worst. Remember how they rushed for 124 yards on 32 carries with Ingram against Buffalo? Well, they’ve only scraped together 130 yards on 30 carries in the two games since he went out. That’s a massive drop-off. And those critical 4th down stuffs lately? Defensive penetration right up the middle of that line. Coincidence? I don’t think so. Ingram might not be a pass-blocking guru, he did get smoked against Buffalo on that final drive, but his presence for the run game is undeniable. Groin injuries are tricky, but they desperately need him back.
Late Game Blunders Haunting This Squad
After Marks’ short TD run put them up 17-16, you’d think they’d have it locked. Nope. Fairbairn couldn’t land his kick short of the end zone, and the Colts’ returner caught it with enough of his body in the end zone to start at the 35. That’s just free real estate. Then the defense, which had played its best game all season to that point, suddenly gives up a 20-yard gain. Boom, Colts are in field goal range with barely a minute left. And Coach Ryans? He curiously held onto all three timeouts until 29 seconds left. What was he thinking? He seemed to hope for a big defensive stop or a field goal miss, but he completely kneecapped his mercurial offense’s chances by burning all that clock. The Colts even forced a kickoff return, killing more time. They did get the ball to midfield with a timeout, but too much time was gone, and it ended on a desperate Hail Mary attempt.
This team is battling, but the late-game execution and key injuries are just soul-crushing. They need to figure out these final minutes ASAP, especially if Ingram can get back on the field next week. The season is young, but these early losses sting when they feel so incredibly avoidable.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Battle Red Blog.
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