[Editor’s note:  Each week, former Broncos G.M. Ted Sundquist provides us with a scouting report for three games, and then after the games he breaks down what happened.  His first review for Week Three involves the Texans-Titans AFC South showdown.] 

 

It’s apparent that Hurricane Ike not only rained down on the citizens of the Gulf Coast of Texas, but also on its local sports teams.  The Houston Astros were on a run towards the NL Wildcard when games cancelled over a four- or five-day span slowed down their late-season momentum and all but eliminated them from contention.  The University of Houston Cougars played a scheduled home game in Dallas (the weekend of the storm) and lost to Air Force, then returned home this week and lost again to Colorado State.  Now the Texans were coming off an unscheduled bye week, following an opening day loss to Pittsburgh, and they were trying to regain some of the preseason swagger they had built in hopes of gaining their first trip to the postseason in franchise history. 

They didn’t do it.

Division rival Tennessee put Houston in a 0-2 hole and the Texans must travel to Jacksonville to take on another AFC South foe in Week 4.  In my pregame analysis, I asked the question of “Who are these Texans?”  Unfortunately, “you are who you are” and after losses of 38-17 and 31-12, this team must quickly redefine itself if it hopes to get back into the thick of the AFC playoff hunt.

In Week 1 I felt the Texans were lacking a sense of rhythm more characteristic of a Gary Kubiak-coached offense.  KEY #1 was to game plan a scheme that brought back some confidence to a unit that was a bit overwhelmed by the Steelers pressure.  I felt Houston would need to establish a run game that would in turn free up the ability to take some shots downfield with the pass.  Rookie RB Steve Slaton did just that.  Behind the zone blocking schemes of Alex Gibbs, Slaton rushed for 116 yards and 1 TD.  He averaged over 6 yards per carry and broke a play for 50 yards in the first quarter to set up a field goal.  But Tennessee appeared content to play through the run on its way to QB Matt Schaub.  The Titans tallied 3 sacks and 10 hurries.  They held the explosive WR Andre Johnson to just two receptions for 29 yards, and Schaub’s deep pass to Andre’ Davis (49 yds) was really the lone big-play strike.  Houston was 3 of 15 on third downs.  But the telling story was Kubiak and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s willingness to put the ball in the hands of their playmakers on fourth down.  The Texans coaches gave this team every opportunity to prove their mettle (albeit mostly late in the game), but came away a bit empty handed (2 of 6).  They just weren’t able to create enough ‘big plays” when they needed them most.

KEY #2 for the Texans was to be the play of LB DeMeco Ryans.  Ryans reminds me some of Denver’s former LB Al Wilson in his demeanor and toughness.  I felt to slow down the Titan running game of LenDale White and rookie Chris Johnson, Ryans would have to step up on the inside.  Pittsburgh had struck for big plays five times on the ground in Week 1 and kept the chains moving on the legs of Willie Parker.  Ryans did his part in recording 13 total tackles (10 solo), one tackle for a loss, a QB hurry and a fumble recovery.   The problem was he got little support from his front four in shutting down the Titans running attack.  The Texans were effective in holding down the number of plays over 10+ yards, but they allowed the Tennessee RB’s to chip away to the tune of 123 yards and 2 TD’s.  Ultimately, too much of the run defense was handled at the second level by the Texan LB’s and secondary.  Tennessee sustained first half TD drives of 11, 10 and 7 plays. 

The Vince Young story took up much of the news out of Nashville for most of the week, but it was the play of QB Kerry Collins that was the real newsmaker on Sunday.  Collins became only the fifteenth QB in League history to pass for over 35,000 yards.  (And to think that NFL scouts were ripping him apart for the hitch in his throwing motion fourteen years ago!)  Collins made plays in the air and on the ground, breaking off runs of 12 and 17 yards to keep the chains moving.  I thought offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger would be more apt to open things up with Collins under center.  The play of his WR’s, specifically Justin Gage and Justin McCareins, was KEY #3 for me.  Gage sat out practice all week and was a game-time deactivation, but McCareins stepped up with 4 receptions and 90 yards to lead all Titans receivers.  His 37-yard catch set up the Titans third TD of the first half.  I also knew that “Dinger” liked to spread the ball around to his TE’s and felt Bo Scaife was due for another big game as well.  He finished with 3 catches for 26 yards (respectable) and a TD.  Scaife, along with teammate TE Alge Crumpler, had 5 of the 14 receptions for the Titans.  Texan DC Jacques Reeves rebounded from Week 1 with an admirable performance in coverage.  He posted 4 tackles, 2 pass defenses and an interception on Tennessee’s first play from scrimmage (set up a HOU FG).  

KEY #4 to me would be the play of Tennessee’s Albert Haynesworth.  Arguably one of the best DT’s in the NFL, Haynesworth is major a force in the Titans ability to defend both the run and pass.  I felt it would be paramount for the Texans to somehow neutralize Haynesworth upfront, starting with wearing him out in the lateral flow of their run game.  Haynesworth didn’t disappoint the Titans fans and was the most productive player on defense for the day.  He finished with 5 tackles, 3 for losses, one QB sack and 3 hurries.  He also defended a pass.  His presence was a disruption in both phases of the Houston attack, and his interior play unleashed DE’s Kyle Vanden Bosch and Jevon Kearse to bring the heat off the edges.  Vanden Bosch recorded a TFL, 3 hurries and a forced fumble.  Kearse responded with a sack, a TFL and 3 QB hurries as well.  The Titans’ front four was more than instrumental in throwing off Houston’s rhythm and forcing QB Matt Schaub into multiple mistakes.

Finally, with the Tennessee struggles on special teams (specifically kickoff coverage), I felt the Texans might be able to create some hidden yards in the return ability of Andre’ Davis (KEY #5).  The Titans tightened up in coverage and held the explosive Davis to 3 returns for a 24.0 yard average.  Tennessee kicker Rob Bironas did an excellent job with his distance; two touchbacks and one 5 yards deep that was returned by Davis to the 27 yard line (his long for the day).  Houston was unable to take advantage of this weapon, starting on average after kickoffs from their own 25.