The Houston Texans lost their sixth game in a row after they were blown out by the Miami Dolphins, 30-15, on the road in Week 12 of the 2022 NFL season. Now at 1-9-1, the Texans are far and away the worst team in the AFC South. Here we'll discuss the four Texans most to blame for their heartbreaking Week 12 loss vs. the Dolphins.
With a new starting quarterback in Kyle Allen, the Texans hoped to create a spark. That did not happen. Their offense didn't get going until the second half, trailing 30-0 at Hard Rock Stadium.
Before halftime, the Texans had only 32 net yards of offense, while the Dolphins had 287 yards. In contrast, Houston had 178 net yards of offense after halftime, while Miami had only 52 in the remaining two quarters. Jalen Pitre led the team with seven tackles and one pass defensed. Meanwhile, Maliek Collins had two sacks, two quarterback hits, three tackles for loss, and four tackles.
It was a game where the Texans were at their worst before showing a bit of daylight in the third and fourth quarters. That's not saying much, of course, and we feel Allen still isn't the QB they need. Maybe they'll find that QB in the 2023 NFL Draft, where the Texans are looking good when it comes to marching toward the top overall pick. Does that mean Bryce Young ends up as a Texan? We'll see.
For now, let us look at the four Texans most to blame for their Week 12 loss vs. the Dolphins.
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) November 27, 2022
4. WR Brandin Cooks
Texans wideout Brandin Cooks caught all five of his receptions for 59 yards. He also ran once for two yards. Objectively speaking, Cooks had a decent day while working with rookie quarterback Kyle Allen. He even recorded a team-high 39-yard reception in the second half for most of his output. He led the Texans in receptions and yardage on the day, and he now has at least four catches in six of his last seven games.
Still, we want to see more from the seasoned veteran. He averages just 52.0 receiving yards per game, and that needs to go up. It's not about getting more wins this season but rather building a foundation to be Houston's undisputed No. 1 WR for next season. By that time, we hope Houston has a much better QB.
Interestingly enough, though, Cooks had no filter following this loss to Miami. When asked about when he felt the game was as good as gone from Houston, the ninth-year pro was pretty frank with his assessment.
“From the moment we came out,” Cooks said. “I’m talking from an offensive standpoint… I’d never speak on the other side of the ball, that’s not my job. But from an offensive standpoint, from the moment we stepped out there. That’s just the truth. That’s facts.”
Ouch. That hurts. Will these comments do more harm than good for the squad in the locker room or in the coming weeks? We'll see.
3. Rushing Attack
At one point this season, the Texans owned a promising running game. Well, that is a wash now. Any semblance of a solid run game has practically evaporated.
To illustrate, Dameon Pierce, a rookie running back sensation, finished with just eight yards on five carries. This was his second game in a row with such a dismal total.
The youngster got shockingly minimal usage for the second consecutive game. This was despite the fact that the Texans were down 30-0 at the half. That undoubtedly played a factor in his being frozen out of the offense.
Pierce's talent as a runner and receiver is undeniable, but his association with a team plagued by quarterback issues just does him no favors. Just like Cooks, we hope Pierce can just keep on improving so he can lay the foundation for a breakout season next year.
2. Offensive Line
The big players up front didn't help Kyle Allen much. He was actually sacked five times and was under pressure for much of the day. Keep in mind that the Texans offensive line also allowed five sacks last week and has now allowed at least three in five consecutive games.
That wasn't really shocking as Houston came into Sunday's game with the NFL's fifth-worst Pro Football Focus pass protection grade. To top it off, the Texans have been kept under 40 yards running for two weeks in a row, averaging 1.9 yards per carry. This isn't all on the offensive line, but the position group does play a role in the offense's persistent troubles.
1. QB Kyle Allen
Houston QB Kyle Allen's first start featured a few bright spots, but he left a lot to be desired in terms of ball security. He threw a couple of perplexing interceptions. One was on an errant screen pass and another into double coverage on a long ball. The Dolphins also scored a defensive touchdown on a scoop-and-score. That helped them take an early huge lead when Atkins fumbled after a strong hit and Xavien Howard carried it to the house.
Allen completed 26-of-39 passes for a total of 215 yards, though again, he threw two interceptions against Miami. He also carried four times for 12 yards, but he also fumbled twice. Yes, he threw a touchdown pass, but it came after the Dolphins had already built a 30-0 lead at halftime.
Allen's final stats were objectively okay, but much of them came after the Texans were already down huge. Houston's last-ditch comeback hopes were dashed when the fifth-year pro's second pick came with 2:48 remaining at the Dolphins' 19-yard line.
It's crystal clear that Allen can be a serviceable game manager at the NFL level, but he's no star QB.
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