(SportsRadio 610) - The Texans are the worst team in the NFL, and it’s easy to see why they’ve earned that ignominious distinction.
One reason the Texans enter Sunday’s game against the Giants as decisive underdogs is their awful run defense that’s the worst in the league.
Another reason is their embarrassing capacity for collapsing in the fourth quarter.
Let’s examine each of these reasons separately.
Coach Lovie Smith’s defense surrenders 180.6 yards a game rushing, including 5.5 a carry. They’ve allowed 12 touchdowns on the ground. Only two teams have given up more.
At MetLife Stadium, the Texans are going against the NFL’s fifth-best rushing team. The Giants average 161.5 yards rushing. Saquon Barkley is third in the league with 779 yards rushing. He averages 4.8 yards a carry and has five touchdowns.
Barkley vs. the Texans’ run defense is a recipe for disaster.
“We can do a whole lot better job of coaching our players so we play better run defense,” Smith said.
This is the third consecutive season in which the Texans have been last or next to last in run defense. It was terrible under Romeo Crennel and it’s horrible under Smith. The more the Texans seem to work on their run defense, the worse it gets.
The primary problem is a lack of talent. That comes under general manager Nick Caserio’s jurisdiction. And then there’s the constant issue of players missing tackles, taking bad angles and getting caught out of position.
“If there’s an issue -- and there’s been an issue -- we constantly practice it,” Smith said. “We changed personnel. Believe it or not, we changed up ways to practice and try to get better.
“I understand about our run defense, and, eventually, it’s going to get better. Sometimes it just takes more time. Things don’t happen overnight. We’re practicing trying to get better. There’s not a whole lot I can do or say except for, coaching-wise, we have to coach a whole lot better, (and) player-wise, we have to play better.”
The Giants are 6-2 in Brian Daboll first season as their coach. They didn’t pick up quarterback Daniel Jones’ fifth-year option, and he’s playing about as well as possible. He has only six touchdown passes, but he’s thrown two interceptions. He also has run for 363 yards and three touchdowns, so the Texans have to beware of him taking off when he can’t find a receiver.
The Giants’ offense is built around Barkley, who’s also their leading receiver with 28 catches. He’s trying to capitalize on the last year of his contract to secure a big pay day from the Giants or another team.
“They have a great running game, and we all know what the challenge is ahead of us,” defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire said this week. “We just have to play gaps on defense and do the things we know we can do.
“Everybody -- players and coaches alike -- have to step it up a little more. That’s it. Really, just focus on doing our job, prepping a little more, practicing a little harder and get ready to get down and dirty and play good, physical run defense.”
It should help if tackle Maliek Collins can return after missing two games because of a chest injury.
Smith, Cesaire and the other coaches know they have no prayer of pulling an upset unless they can contain Barkley. The Texans have allowed Jonathan Taylor (Colts), Khalil Herbert (Bears), Josh Jacobs (Raiders) and Derrick Henry (Titans) to obliterate the 100-yard barrier. Together, they’ve averaged 26 carries, 170 yards, 6.6 a carry and two touchdowns against the Texans.
Unless the Texans play their best defensive game of the season, Barkley is assured of becoming the fifth back to rush for at least 100 yards against them.
“It always starts at quarterback, but Saquon Barkley, the conversation goes to him quickly,” Smith said. “Loved him in college (Penn State) and what he’s done in the league. He’s an outstanding player. A big guy that can run between the tackles (and) he can make you miss in the open field. He also has excellent speed.
“They have a commitment to the run, and when you talk about a great tailback like that (Barkley), you see why there’ll be that commitment to the run.”
The Texans also have a commitment to the run. If they’re going to threaten the Giants in the fourth quarter as they have every opponent other than the Titans, Dameon Pierce will have to produce another impressive performance.
In the Texans’ last game, the 29-17 loss to the undefeated Eagles, Pierce carried 27 times for 139 yards, a 5.1 average. They had their most productive running game of the season with 168 yards and a 5.3 average.
Pierce is sixth in rushing with 678 yards. The Giants are 25th against the run, allowing 137.5 yards.
In his weekly sessions with the media, offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton refers to the Texans’ commitment to the run. As Smith also points out, they’re a run-oriented team.
“Whatever you are as a team -- what you believe, your personality -- you don’t get away from that,” Smith said. “We need to run the football. We’ve said that every game. That’s not going to change -- doesn’t matter who we go against.”
Two things are helping the Texans stay in games into the fourth quarter. The offense isn’t giving away the ball, and the defense isn’t allowing big plays. When teams focus on the running game and have success, the score is usually going to be close.
The Giants have played seven one-score games, and they’ve won six of them. The only game that wasn’t settled by eight or fewer points was their last one, a 27-13 loss at Seattle. They’ve scored more than 23 points two times.
The Texans have played five one-score games, winning one and tying another. They’ve scored more than 20 points one time.
The Texans have been in all but one game in the fourth quarter. They trailed the Titans by 11 in the fourth quarter before losing 17-10 in a game that was more lopsided than the score showed.
The Texans have led four games they lost or tied in the fourth quarter. They were within four points in the fourth quarter in three defeats.
The Texans’ inability “to finish,” as Smith puts it, has put them in their current predicament of having the worst record in the league.
And more bad news is coming. The Texans are being outscored 69-24 in the fourth quarter. Guess which quarter has been the Giants’ most effective? Yep, the fourth. They have a 61-36 advantage.
Sunday would be the ideal day for the Texans to not save their worst for last.
John McClain can be heard Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday on Sports Radio 610 and Monday and Thursday on Texans Radio. He does three weekly Houtopia Podcasts for SportsRadio610.com. He also can be read four times a week on GallerySports.com.