(SportsRadio 610) - The Texans lost their eighth straight game Sunday. They're now 1-8 heading into the bye week.
Here are some immediate takeaways from the game.
1. The Texans and Dolphins was the only matchup on the NFL Sunday slate that featured two teams with losing records. Despite that fact, I found myself very intrigued by this matchup. Maybe I'm too close to the situation. Maybe, definitely.
2. Tyrod Taylor was as bad in Miami as Davis Mills was at any point during his time as starter. Taylor played the best six quarters of his life to start the season and that wasn't going to last.
Any notion that things would've been different if Taylor hadn't gotten hurt was squashed in the 305.
3. Before Taylor's interception in the end zone on the Texans' opening drive, the offense looked great. On the third down interception in the end zone, it was clear something wasn't right before the snap when Taylor was clapping as the clock winded down.
Not getting any points there after forcing a three-and-out and moving the ball the way the offense did felt extremely costly despite happening early in the game.
4. Taylor was running for his life and lucky not to have been killed on the field as well. It's hard to imagine many quarterbacks playing great with that blocking.
5. Eric Murray was one of the many bad contracts handed out by Jack and Bill, but he's a better ball player than Lonnie Johnson.
6. I have no idea how Taylor held onto the football on that sack after the Murray interception. Hell, I have no idea how Taylor got up after that hit.
7. Kamu Grugier-Hill continues to be one of the bright spots for this Texans team. He went Canelo on the football to force a fumble that led to a Fairbairn field goal.
8. A delay of game on a field goal attempt isn't something you see very often, but add it to the list of rare things that have happened nine weeks into the 2021 Texans season.
9. Maliek Collins is another new addition who has looked good on the defensive side of the ball. He had a sack at the end of the second quarter to take Miami out of field goal range that probably should've been called a face mask, but cancels out the sack he got taken away a few weeks back on one of the worst roughing the passer penalties in league history.
10. The Texans "forced" three turnovers in the first half and were down 11. There's no way that happens often.
11. In fact, there were five combined turnovers at halftime, FIVE.
12. The Taylor interception at the end of the first half was silly and uncharacteristic. The one at the beginning of the second was half was as bad as any INT Davis Mills threw in Taylor's absence.
13. Taylor missing Amendola for what would've been an easy 48-yard touchdown was as bad as any throw he missed in Miami. After the interception by Collins, that was the chance to take back the momentum and Taylor just missed it.
14. The previously mentioned three possession stretch by Taylor is as bad as it gets.
15. With 11:35 remaining and the Texans trailing 17-6 Culley elected to kick a field goal from the two-yard-line, rather than go for it. Many will criticize that decision, but I was OK with it.
All situations are different, but in that instance making it a one possession game made sense to me, especially with the way the Texans were blocking and it being a short-yardage situation.
16. The Rock Boyz bit was always awkward to me. Jacob Martin, Whitney Mercilus, Brennan Scarlett and Barkevious Mingo, the original members, tried really hard to make it a thing, but it just never clicked. Jacob Martin, the only remaining original member, is still pushing it and it's awkwardly cringeworthy.
17. Despite that, the solo Rock Boy had a massive strip sack that gave the Texans life when Miami was driving to make it a two-possession game and likely put the game away.
18. Rex Burkhead tripping Taylor for an 11-yard loss when the Texans were driving to try to tie the game wasn't a mistake you'd expect from two veterans, but seemed appropriate nonetheless.
19. Fox's Chris Myers kept mistaking every other Miami tight end with Mike Gesicki, which is cruel for Gesicki fantasy owners.
20. The Texans defense played more than well enough to win and deserved a better fate. Lovie Smith continues to maximize what he has to work with. This loss was on the offense.
21. Nine turnovers in this game. NINE!
22. I think it's time to consider putting Davis Mills back in at QB.
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