The Land Lock Week Eight Grades for the Texans Win Over the Colts
The Texans earn high marks as they finish the season sweep of the Colts
Landry Locker will post his grades for the Texans the day after the game each week. Here are the grades for week five. Follow Landry on YouTube.
The Texans needed this game big time and found a way to get the win and establish firm control of the division.
Was it flawless? No. Did they solve their biggest problem? No. However, this was a massive win and some elite parts of this football team made it possible.
The quick turnaround against the Jets will be tough, especially without Stefon Diggs and others, but that dialogue can wait. Here are this week’s Land Lock grades.
Quarterback: A
CJ Stroud was already without his top wide receiver Nico Collins heading into this game and he lost his number two wide receiver Diggs during the game.
Stroud also has an offensive line that has struggled to protect him. When Kenyon Green, who appears to be one of the main reasons why the offensive line can’t protect, was benched he was re-inserted on the next offensive series when his replacement, Jarrett Patterson, got hurt.
Stroud appears to be impacted by the inevitable pressure but finds ways to win. His long completion to John Metchie which put the Texans in field goal range and made it a two-possession game was a game-winning play and the difference in the game.
Running Backs: A
Joe Mixon had another 100-yard game and one of the best runs of the season, not just for the Texans, but for the entire NFL.
He has surpassed over 100 yards rushing in every full game he has played. He also added a few catches and could be a bigger part of the passing game with the injuries at wide receiver.
Dameon Pierce had another 40+ yard kick return and it’s safe to say he will be the main guy there moving forward.
Wide Receivers: B
The absence of Nico Collins makes wide receiver production difficult. Protection issues make wide receiver production extremely difficult.
The receivers did what they needed to do.
Diggs was on his way to having a big game before getting injured.
Tank Dell had a touchdown at the end of the first half after a Jalen Pitre interception.
The role players also made contributions. Metchie’s long reception was massive. Xavier Hutchinson had a 19-yard chain-moving reception. They’ll be called upon to do more without Diggs.
Tight Ends: B
Tight ends aren’t asked to do much in this offense, which could change without Diggs, but Sunday was their most productive day in the passing game.
Dalton Schultz had four receptions for 52 yards, his most productive output of the season.
Cade Stover had two catches for 19 yards, including a 14-yard reception after breaking a tackle and cutting upfield to move the chains.
The blocking had highs and lows but wasn’t bad at all.
Offensive Line: C-
After a week of talk about the poor play of the offensive line, a change wasn’t made in the starting lineup until it became apparent that left guard Kenyon Green needed to be taken off the field.
Jarrett Patterson replaced Green at left guard and the offense responded with a Mixon touchdown, but Patterson was hurt on the play and left the game with a concussion.
Green struggled shortly after being re-inserted into the lineup but wasn’t as bad for the remainder of the game.
When Patterson can play he should be the starting left guard and it’s fair to wonder if this offensive line starts to look a lot better when/if that happens. What happens with Green in the meantime will be interesting to observe.
The rest of the offensive line wasn’t awful, but Green was so bad that he brought down the grade of the entire unit. Green was by his locker facing all of the tough questions after the game and has always been accountable, but he just hasn’t been playing well.
Defensive Line: B+
The Texans don’t win this game without the defensive line.
Yes, Jonathan Taylor had over 100 yards, but for the most part, he was kept in check.
Will Anderson had a sack, his third straight game with a quarterback takedown. Danielle Hunter had two sacks and Tim Settle, who has been really good this season, added one of his own. They made Anthony Richardson aka “LaFar Jackson” uncomfortable.
The only mistake, which was a big one, was Foley Fatukasi’s offsides penalty on a punt that allowed the Colts to get back into the game. Without that big mistake, they would have gotten an A+.
Linebackers: A
Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’o’To’o were both inactive, but the replacements did a beyond-serviceable job. DeMeco Ryans knows how to coach these guys up.
Devin White played a lot for a guy who was just signed this week and was even close to getting a sack, which was credited to Settle. He is a very talented player and an example of a free agent with options choosing to play here for Ryans and the Texans.
Neville Hewitt was solid, Jake Hansen added a sack.
After being a concern heading into the season, linebacker depth will be a strength of this team when everyone gets healthy.
Defensive Backs: B+
The Texans have a potentially elite defensive line and a really good starting corner duo. Kamari Lassiter made his return to the lineup and more than held his own with three pass deflections and some physical tackling.
The safeties had a good game as well.
Jalen Pitre had his first interception since January 1, 2022, a play that may have won the game and set up Dell’s touchdown at the end of the first half. Eric Murray may have played his best game as a Texan with three passes deflected and a lot of extra showmanship.
A Josh Downs 69-yard touchdown was a bad coverage bust, but that was the only low point.
Special Teams: B
The return game was solid, Kai’imi Fairbairn was perfect, but there was a long return by the Colts right after Pierce’s long return and an up-and-down day for punter Tommy Townsend.
It was a solid day for the most part and Frank Ross’s special teams appear to have found their groove after a somewhat shaky start to the season.
Coaching: A-
I don’t understand why Green wasn’t benched before the game, but the move was made in-game. That’s the only coaching critique I have.
The Ryans defense was coached up and dialed in. Bobby Slowik’s offense was handcuffed in multiple areas and able to get the job done. Special teams were solid. There weren’t any questionable in-game decisions. It was a good day all around.
Don’t miss Landry and Cody weekdays on YouTube with S&L Texans Talk.
LaFar Jackson? That's new to me. How did AR get that nickname?