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It's that time again. Time to start wondering about the Houston Texans.
Just when we think it's time to elevate them to a top-level team, even in a division that is woefully down, almost assuring they will be in the playoffs with Peyton Manning watching with a bad neck, the Texans morph into, well, the Texans.
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In the first two weeks of the season, the Texans went 2-0 and turned a laughable defense into the top-ranked unit in the league to go with an offense that continued to be a big-play unit.
So what happens Sunday? They settle for field goals in what was a dominant first half against New Orleans, have the defense get shredded in the second half, blow a third-quarter lead and then watch Drew Brees put up 40 on that supposedly new-look defense as the Saints beat the Texans 40-33.
Welcome back to reality, Texans.
That isn't to say we expected them to go in and easily handle a good Saints team, or stop Brees, but this was a game that was there for the taking. That's why blowing a good chance to get to 3-0, and truly make a statement as an elite team, is so telling for the Texans.
They have to find a way to win games like this.
The Texans should win the AFC South, even with this stinging loss. So they will probably get that first playoff berth in franchise history anyway, but isn't it about time they showed us that we can truly believe in them?
The doubts are still there.
Can you blame us? The Texans had to settle for field goals three times when inside the Saints' 10 and once more when inside the 20. That's a Choke-minus to top our CBSSports.com grades.
What has to be even more disturbing for the Texans is what happened to the defense. The top-ranked passing defense coming into the game saw Brees throw for 246 yards and three touchdowns in the second half. He completed 23 of his 31 passes after throwing for 124 yards and an interception in the first half.
The Steelers come to Houston this week for another big game, another chance to show the football world it's time to believe in the Texans.
As it is now, the doubts remain.
| Sunday, Sep. 25, 2011 | |||
| Team | Grade | GPA | Buffalo Bills 34, New England Patriots 31 |
 | A+ | 3.53 | Bills: After losing their last 15 games to the Patriots, the Bills finally exorcised their demons by defeating New England, 34-31. New England jumped out to a 21-0 lead, but the Bills staged a furious comeback. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick was sensational in the clutch, but it was Buffalo's secondary which turned the tide with four INTs from Tom Brady. -- Mark Ludwiczak, RapidReports Correspondent |
 | F | 2.10 | Patriots: You should never lose a game where you lead 21-0, and the Patriots did just that. The Patriots got terrific games from Wes Welker and TE Rob Gronkowski, but Tom Brady threw four INTs to allow the Bills back into the game. The defense again couldn't stop the opponent when needed. -- Greg Bedard, RapidReports Correspondent |
| Team | Grade | GPA | Carolina Panthers 16, Jacksonville Jaguars 10 |
 | C+ | 2.77 | Panthers: It was far from pretty and the monsoon-like conditions limited what the Panthers could do in the passing game, but they finally pulled out a game in the fourth quarter on a Greg Olsen touchdown. Cam Newton was limited to 158 yards passing, but his late scoring pass gave the Panthers a big lift heading into Chicago. Steve Reed, RapidReports Correspondent |
 | C- | 2.13 | Jaguars: The Jaguars' defense played well the first three quarters and into the fourth, holding QB Cam Newton in check much of the game. Maurice Jones-Drew also had his biggest game of the season, rushing for 122 yards on 24 carries and was a step away from breakway touchdowns on several occasions. The downfall for the Jaguars came in the second half, when fumbled snaps and offensive ineffeciency hurt several drives. -- John Oesher, RapidReports Correspondent |
| Team | Grade | GPA | San Francisco 49ers 13, Cincinnati Bengals 8 |
 | C+ | 2.33 | 49ers: To classify this win as anything less than ugly would be a mistake, but those are the types of games the 49ers need to win this year. Their defense kept the game close and put it away with two late interceptions, but the 49ers badly need to find consistency on the attack. -- Paul Dehner, RapidReports Correspondent |
 | D | 2.10 | Bengals: Cincinnati's offense took a dramatic step back against San Francisco. The 49ers presented the toughest task of the season for rookie QB Andy Dalton, but they were sloppy. After going 1 of 11 against Denver on third downs, they were 1 of 10 Sunday. -- Paul Dehner, RapidReports Correspondent |
| Team | Grade | GPA | Cleveland Browns 17, Miami Dolphins 16 |
 | C | 2.23 | Browns: The passing game would have gotten a "G" until the go-ahead drive. An "F" would have been too good for them. The strength of QB Colt McCoy is supposed to be his accuracy, but he was off-target most of the way. Every receiver aside from Josh Cribbs and TE Ben Watson was non-existent, but Mohamed Massaquoi and Greg Little rose to the occasion. The defensive front continues to excel. -- Marty Gitlin, RapidReports Correspondent |
 | C- | 1.37 | Dolphins: The Dolphins played well defensively until it mattered most. QB Chad Henne was spot-on accurate until a terrible last possession and nearly all the receivers contributed. But the team committed too many penalties and the play calling indicated they didn't play to win down the stretch. This was simply a game they should have won. -- Marty Gitlin, RapidReports Correspondent |
| Team | Grade | GPA | Detroit Lions 26, Minnesota Vikings 23 |
 | B+ | 3.53 | Lions: The Lions have been a stronger second-half team in 2011, and after spotting the Vikings a 163-yard differential and a 20-0 halftime lead, they came roaring back on the arm of QB Mathew Stafford with 26 points to beat the Vikings on the road for the time since 1997. -- Joe Oberle, RapidReports Correspondent |
 | F | 0.90 | Vikings: Lack of red zone execution in the first half that resulted in two field goals, second-half defensive failures and an offense that can't execute late in the game should be all-too-familiar to Vikings fans. Following a script that played to form for three straight weeks, the Vikings blew a 20-point halftime lead and lost to Detroit 26-23 in OT. -- Joe Oberle, RapidReports Correspondent |
| Team | Grade | GPA | New Orleans Saints 40, Houston Texans 33 |
 | B | 3.00 | Saints: The Saints' defense couldn't stop the Texans' offense until it went inside the 20. That's what saved the Saints on Sunday despite the gaudy yardage numbers. That, and having Drew Brees orchestrate two picture perfect fourth-quarter scoring drives topped off with two two-point conversions. New Orleans took the game away from Houston. -- Larry Holder, RapidReports Correspondent |
 | C+ | 3.00 | Texans: Houston was well on its way to going 3-0 for the first time in franchise history. Then the Texans realized who they were as the wheels fell off in the fourth quarter even with a miraculous catch by Kevin Walter. Houston should have taken care of the Saints earlier, but the Texans only went 2-for-6 in the red zone scoring TDs and kept a battered Saints team in the game. -- Larry Holder, RapidReports Correspondent |
| Team | Grade | GPA | NY Giants 29, Philadelphia Eagles 16 |
 | A- | 2.47 | Giants: The Giants weren't perfect, but they found a way to stop the Eagles offense when it mattered most. Even though Philadelphia out-gained and out-possessed New York's offense, key plays by CB Aaron Ross and WR Victor Cruz ultimately proved to be the difference. Philadelphia had all the momentum going into the second half, but managed only three points in the final 30 minutes. -- Alex Raskin, RapidReports Correspondent |
 | D | 2.00 | Eagles: The Eagles had to settle for field goals instead of TDs and that cost them. RB LeSean McCoy had a big game, but WR DeSean Jackson was silent and QB Michael Vick had another costly turnover before leaving with a broken hand. The defense got after QB Eli Manning and did a decent job vs. the Giants' powerful run game. But missed tackles and mistakes in pass coverage did them in. -- Kevin Noonan, RapidReports Correspondent |
| Team | Grade | GPA | Tennessee Titans 17, Denver Broncos 14 |
 | B- | 3.00 | Titans: Without AFC leading receiver Kenny Britt for the entire second half, Matt Hasselbeck still managed to lead Tennessee on a 95-yard game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter. The Titans overcame a sloppy performance marred by 11 penalties and two fumbles. -- Matt Rybaltowski, RapidReports Correspondent |
 | C+ | 2.20 | Broncos: Despite the absence of Pro Bowl defenders Elvis Dumervil and Champ Bailey, Denver nearly pulled off a second consecutive close victory. At one point, Kyle Orton completed nine of 10 passes, but probably regrets an INT on a potential game-winning drive. -- Matt Rybaltowski, RapidReports Correspondent |
| Team | Grade | GPA | Oakland Raiders 34, NY Jets 24 |
 | A | 3.23 | Raiders: After falling behind 17-7 in the first half, the Raiders could have wilted. Instead, they hit back and rallied for a huge win in new coach Hue Jackson�s first home game. Darren McFadden rushed for a career-high 171 yards, and a depleted secondary stepped up to make big plays. -- Eric Gilmore, RapidReports Correspondent |
 | B- | 2.67 | Jets: Two years after crushing an overmatched Raiders team 38-0, the Jets found themselves in a battle against a much better team in Oakland. They blew a 17-7 first-half lead and had trouble protecting quarterback Mark Sanchez, who failed to exploit a Raiders secondary that lost two starters to first-half injuries. -- Eric Gilmore, RapidReports Correspondent |
| Team | Grade | GPA | San Diego Chargers 20, Kansas City Chiefs 17 |
 | C | 1.77 | Chargers: The defense did their job in the first half. holding Kansas City to only 39 total yards (21 rushing, 18 passing) of offense and did not allow the Chiefs to convert a first down. QB Philip Rivers, however, threw two first-half INTs and San Diego only led 10-0 at the break. Three times in the second half the Chiefs got within a score of tying or taking the lead including having the ball in San Diego territory with less than a minute to go in the game. -- Dan McLellan, RapidReports Correspondent |
 | C- | 0.80 | Chiefs: While the Chiefs fell to 0-3 on the season they did not turn the ball over against San Diego until less than a minute to go in the game when FS Eric Weddle intercepted QB Matt Cassel. The offense, however, still has to do a much better job moving the ball. QB Matt Cassel was held to just 18 first-half passing yards and the Chiefs didn't convert a first down before the break. Cassel, however, did lead the Chiefs to 17 second-half points. -- Dan McLellan, RapidReports Correspondent |
| Team | Grade | GPA | Baltimore Ravens 37, St. Louis Rams 7 |
 | A- | 3.13 | Ravens: The offense was balanced with nearly 400 passing yards and over 160 rushing yards. The defense shut down the Rams offense, especially in the first half, and recorded five sacks while creating constant pressure. Rookie WR Torrey Smith scored long TDs on each of his first three NFL receptions. -- Ron Clements, RapidReports Correspondent |
 | F | 1.10 | Rams: The Rams offense was anemic with QB Sam Bradford under constant pressure. The Rams were outgained 553-244 and had just 81 total yards at halftime while trailing 27-0. Several penalties squelched would-be promising drives and there were again a few drops by the receivers. -- Ron Clements, RapidReports Correspondent |
| Team | Grade | GPA | Green Bay Packers 27, Chicago Bears 17 |
 | B+ | 3.10 | Packers: On the road, in the division, against last year's NFC Championship runner-up, the Packers played well. Not their best, as coach Mike McCarthy and QB Aaron Rodgers both emphasized after the 27-17 win at Chicago. The seven penalties were too many. But they ran the ball effectively, Rodgers was Rodgers (though he threw an uncharacteristic interception), and they forced Bears turnovers. We haven't seen 'A'-level football from the defending champs yet. -- James Carlton, RapidReports Correspondent |
 | D- | 2.00 | Bears: It wasn't so much Mike Martz's play calling this time, but the execution -- or lack thereof -- in the running attack that proved an issue. Perhaps Martz shouldn't call running plays if they're going to gain the second lowest rushing total in franchise history (13 yards). The defense seems to come out to play a few series late against Green Bay, and then adjusts. They have to be ready from the start. -- Gene Chamberlain, RapidReports Correspondent |
| Team | Grade | GPA | Seattle Seahawks 13, Arizona Cardinals 10 |
 | B | 1.77 | Seahawks: It wasn't always pretty, but Seattle did enough to earn its first win of the season. The defense stepped up in the second half to protect a three-point lead, and after failing to force a turnover in the first two games, had two takeaways Sunday. Seattle's offense is still a work in progress, but an improved rushing game (122 rushing yards) is a good sign. -- John Boyle, RapidReports Correspondent |
 | D | 1.77 | Cardinals: The offense started well, then ground to a halt in the second half. RB Beanie Wells' absence hurt but that didn't excuse an anemic passing game or QB Kevin Kolb's game-clinching INT. The defense didn't allow many points for the third straight game, but the run defense is still a concern. Seattle more than doubled its rushing average. All in all, an inexcusable loss for a team that insists it has improved. -- John Boyle, RapidReports Correspondent |
| Team | Grade | GPA | Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16, Atlanta Falcons 13 |
 | B | 2.33 | Buccaneers: The defense played better than it has this year and perhaps all of last year, holding an explosive Atlanta offense to 13 points. Tampa's young defensive line applied pressure on Matt Ryan, while holding tough against the run (15 carries, 30 yards) -- a big victory after giving up an average of 156 rushing yards in the first two games. Except for an INT thrown in the end zone, Tampa's offense was efficient. -- Scott Purks, RapidReports Correspondent |
 | C | 1.57 | Falcons: QB Matt Ryan, who missed practice all week with a knee injury, often looked rusty, completing 26 of 47 passes for 330 yards, a TD, an INT and losing a fumble. The Falcons running game was a complete bust, gaining just 30 yards. Defensively, Atlanta played tough, but made mistakes at crucial moments, including jumping offsides with less than 2 minutes remaining to give Tampa a first down that sealed victory. -- Scott Purks, RapidReports Correspondent |
| Team | Grade | GPA | Pittsburgh Steelers 23, Indianapolis Colts 20 |
 | B+ | 2.77 | Steelers: Pittsburgh did what they usually do, which was to find a way to win. The Steelers, namely QB Ben Roethlisberger, coughed up the football twice. But Big Ben was also outstanding in guiding Pittsburgh on the game-winning drive. The Steelers forced their first turnover of the season and it came at an opportune time in the game. -- Tom James, RapidReports Correspondent |
 | B- | 1.57 | Colts: Indianapolis came as close as they have all season in coming up with a victory. The offense sputtered at times, but also came up with some big plays in the second half to tie the game. The Colts defense played well against the run but had lapses in pass coverage. Kick coverage issues remain. -- Tom James, RapidReports Correspondent |
| Monday, Sep. 26, 2011 | |||
| Team | Grade | GPA | Dallas Cowboys 18, Washington Redskins 16 |
 | A- | 3.37 | Cowboys: While a game without a touchdown isn't always pretty, finding a way to win this game with all of the adversity is quite a feat. Rookie PK Dan Bailey has now kicked two game-winners, but Tony Romo again showed his toughness and ability to be clutch. -- Nick Eatman, RapidReports Correspondent |
 | B- | 3.23 | Redskins: The Redskins aren't into moral victories but they certainly played well enough to win. A few untimely mistakes doomed them late, but their effort Monday should be a sign of the team they'll have all year. Defensively, it has to be demoralizing to keep the Cowboys out of the end zone and lose. -- Nick Eatman, RapidReports Correspondent |
| GPA Key (updated through season) | ||
| A = 4.0 | A- = 3.7 | B+ = 3.3 |
| B = 3.0 | B- = 2.7 | C+ = 2.3 |
| C = 2.0 | C- = 1.7 | D+ = 1.3 |
| D = 1.0 | D- = 0.7 | |
