Texans Fall to Chiefs 23-14, 0-6 in Divisional Round
The Texans fall in the Divisional Round of the playoffs again, now making them 0-6 all time in franchise history. They haven’t been able to get over that hump. This time was going to be the most difficult than ever before, against the back to back world champion Kansas City Chiefs. This was a game full of controversy, and the zebras have been a huge topic of discussion ever since the clock hit zeroes on Saturday afternoon in Kansas City. The Texans outgained the Chiefs in yardage 336-212. The Texans defense held Patrick Mahomes to under 200 yards passing, 177 yards to be exact. The formula to beat the Chiefs was being played out right in front of our eyes. The defense was forcing 3’s instead of 7’s. The offense just had to do their part. Ultimately, the offense failed to take advantage early. The calls we all knew the Chiefs would get, turned the momentum of the game. The offensive line failed to protect CJ Stroud, to a tune of 8 sacks allowed. Kai’mi Fairbairn was shanking kicks left and right. And the one guy you ABSOLUTELY could not let run free, future Hall Of Famer Travis Kelce, accounted for 117 of Patrick Mahomes 177 passing yards. I would love nothing more than to blame the referees for this game, and they were a factor, but ultimately the Texans failed to excel at the little things that a team has to be able to do in order to beat the Kansas City Chiefs. This game, in a way, was a microcosm of what’s been holding the Texans back this entire season. The bad version of the offensive line and pass protection showed up. The offense, while showing some positives, failed to get the ball into the endzone enough times to win this game. But there were positives. CJ Stroud got his confidence back. A new weapon was revealed. His ability to use his legs to get first downs. The injuries to Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs really make you wonder, would the Texans be in the AFC Championship Game if these two were healthy? We’ll never know.
An Honest Evaluation of the Texans 2024 Season
Let’s rewind the clock back to about a year ago. Rookie quarterback CJ Stroud had just dismantled the Cleveland Browns in the Wild Card Round of the Playoffs, giving him his first ever playoff win. A tough loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Round was to follow, but the excitement for what was to come was at an all time high and the entirety of Texans Nation was hyped for the future. Nick Caserio got to work in free agency. Stefon Diggs became a Houston Texan. Caserio signed major impact players on defense in Danielle Hunter and Azeez-Al Shaiir. Joe Mixon was now a Houston Texan. The foundation was being laid for a possible Super Bowl contender in the 2024 season. The hype had us all believing it was going to be a very special season in Houston. But we weren’t a perfect team. It’s not easy to get to the mountaintop. The 2024 version of the Houston Texans still had some holes and had a lot of work to do. We saw this early on into the season. The offensive line was in a state of flux. 2024 CJ Stroud did not look the same as he had his rookie year. The offensive coordinator and his playcalling was a question mark among the fanbase. All these things had an impact on the inconsistencies of the Houston Texans. It was supposed to be a magical season, but reality had set in. Maybe this team still had a ways to go before becoming a true contender. After watching this team every Sunday, and sometimes on Thursday and Monday, I can say that this team is close to becoming a true contender. The little things they hadn’t done well all season long came back to bite them when it mattered most. Those little things add up, and are the difference between winning and losing. The end result may not have been what we all wanted and prayed for, but I believe we learned a lot about this team, and I believe they’ve learned a lot about themselves that they can use and build on going into next season.
What’s Next For the Texans? A Look Ahead
Year 2 of the Demeco and CJ Era is over. There has been chatter about whether or not offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik is on the hot seat. We don’t know if Tank Dell will ever be the same player he was after 2 straight injuries taking him out in respective seasons. Stefon Diggs is a free agent. There are a lot of questions that Nick Caserio will have to answer with this roster for 2025. The offensive line has been a huge glaring issue that has stared them in the face dating back to last season. Will Tytus Howard be back at guard or tackle, if at all? What do the Texans plan to do at the WR position, which is now a glaring need? Dalton Schultz has been a liability as a pass blocker, and has been non existent as a receiver for much of the season. Do the Texans address the TE room? What is up with Christian Harris? Is Garrett Wilson in play? Draft Season is almost here. Calen Bullock and Kamari Lassiter had excellent rookie seasons in 2024. Who will the studs of the 2025 rookie class be? It will be another interesting offseason to say the least. The Texans roster will look very different next season, and I am so excited to see what this change looks like. I can’t wait to see what the Houston Texans, the 2025 version looks like. More importantly, I am very much looking forward to seeing how this team, these players, and these coaches have improved from 2024 to 2025.
