2019 Houston Texans season

Last updated

2019 Houston Texans season
OwnerJanice and D. Cal McNair
General managerChris Olsen (interim)
Bill O'Brien
Head coach Bill O'Brien
Offensive coordinator Tim Kelly
Defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel
Home field NRG Stadium
Results
Record10–6
Division place1st AFC South
Playoff finishWon Wild Card Playoffs
(vs. Bills) 22–19 (OT)
Lost Divisional Playoffs
(at Chiefs) 31–51
Pro Bowlers QB Deshaun Watson
WR DeAndre Hopkins
OT Laremy Tunsil
AP All-Pros WR DeAndre Hopkins (1st team)
Uniform
Houston Texans Uniforms 2017-2021.png

The 2019 season was the Houston Texans' 18th in the National Football League (NFL) and their sixth under head coach Bill O'Brien. It also marked the first full season without the ownership of Bob McNair, who died during the 2018 season. It was, however, the first season of full ownership of both Janice McNair and D. Cal McNair. For the first time in franchise history, the team played in London, against the Jacksonville Jaguars. On June 7, 2019, the Texans fired general manager Brian Gaine after only one season.

Contents

The Texans attempted to match their 11–5 record from 2018 despite trading defensive end Jadeveon Clowney to the Seattle Seahawks for a 3rd round pick and two players. However, they lost their third straight season opener to the New Orleans Saints. Their first win came in Week 2 against the Jaguars. With a Week 16 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Texans clinched the AFC South for the fourth time in five seasons and their sixth overall division title. With the victory, the Texans also clinched their second 10-win season under O'Brien even though they failed to match their 11–5 record from last year.

They defeated the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round 22–19 in overtime despite falling behind 16–0. However, they lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional round 51–31, despite taking an early 24–0 lead prior to trailing 28–24 at halftime. This marked the fourth time that the Texans' season had ended in the AFC Divisional Playoffs.

The Texans would not have another winning season or a playoff appearance until 2023.

Draft

2019 Houston Texans draft
RoundPickPlayerPositionCollegeNotes
1 23 Tytus Howard   OT Alabama State
254 [note 1] Lonnie Johnson Jr.   CB Kentucky from Seattle
255 Max Scharping   OT Northern Illinois
386 Kahale Warring   TE San Diego State
5161 Charles Omenihu   DE Texas
6195 Xavier Crawford   CB Central Michigan
7220 Cullen Gillaspia   FB Texas A&M
      Made roster    †    Pro Football Hall of Fame     *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career
  1. ↑ No. 54: Seattle → Houston (PD). Seattle traded a second-round selection (54th) as well as a 2018 third-round selection (80th) to Houston in exchange for Houston's 2018 fifth-round selection (141st) and offensive tackle Duane Brown. This trade originally included cornerback Jeremy Lane but was revised after Lane failed his physical.

Staff

2019 Houston Texans staff

Front office

  • Principal Owner and Senior Chair – Janice McNair
  • Chief Executive Officer – D. Cal McNair
  • President – Jamey Rootes
  • General manager – Chris Olsen (interim) / Bill O'Brien
  • Director of football operations – Clay Hampton
  • Senior vice president of football administration – Chris Olsen
  • Executive vice-president of Team Development – Jack Easterby
  • Director of college scouting – James Lipfert
  • Director of pro personnel – Rob Kisiel
  • Assistant director of pro personnel – C.J. Leak
  • Senior advisor to the head coach and general manager – Andre Johnson
  • Assistant to the head coach – Doug West

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Head strength and conditioning – Mike Eubanks
  • Assistant strength and conditioning – Brian Cushing
  • Assistant strength and conditioning – Joe Distor
  • Assistant strength and conditioning/Sports Science coordinator – Jason George
  • Assistant strength and conditioning/Performance Therapist – Billy Voltaire


Final roster

2019 Houston Texans roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

 Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

 Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams

Practice squad

Reserve

Rookies in italics
53 active, 13 reserve, 10 practice squad

Preseason

Houston on offense against Dallas Houston Texans vs. Dallas Cowboys 2019 20 (Houston on offense).jpg
Houston on offense against Dallas

The Texans' preseason schedule was announced on April 9. Exact dates and times were finalized on April 23.

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueRecap
1August 8at Green Bay Packers L 26–280–1 Lambeau Field Recap
2August 17 Detroit Lions W 30–231–1 NRG Stadium Recap
3August 24at Dallas Cowboys L 0–341–2 AT&T Stadium Recap
4August 29 Los Angeles Rams L 10–221–3NRG Stadium Recap

Game summaries

Week 1: at Green Bay Packers

Week One: Houston Texans at Green Bay Packers – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Texans01001626
Packers7714028

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Game information

In the first preseason game of the 2019 season, the Texans had trouble holding on to the ball and committed four turnovers. Keke Coutee fumbled the ball on a muffed punt that was recovered in the end zone by Equanimeous St. Brown for a Packers' touchdown. Taiwan Jones also fumbled and lost the ball while Joe Webb threw two interceptions. Despite the turnovers, Houston out-gained Green Bay in total yards 412 vs. 237. After being down 18 points, the Texans rallied in the 4th quarter but the comeback fell short, losing to the Packers by 2.

Week 2: vs. Detroit Lions

Week Two: Detroit Lions at Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Lions0106723
Texans10731030

at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

Game information

The Texans received the opening kickoff, with their first team offense marching down the field with the drive ending with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Deshaun Watson to DeAndre Hopkins. Watson finished the game 5/7 for 60 yards and a touchdown. Jordan Ta'amu also saw some play at quarterback, finishing 1/1 for 3 yards. Joe Webb was in as Houston's quarterback for most of the game, looking improved from the previous pre-season game. The Texans' offense committed less turnovers, with the only turnovers being a Webb interception and a fumble by wide receiver Steven Mitchell.

Week 3: at Dallas Cowboys

Week Three: Houston Texans at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Texans00000
Cowboys17107034

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Game information

Running back Lamar Miller was injured on the second play of the game, tearing both his ACL and MCL. [1] The Texans' offensive line struggled all game, giving up 8 sacks for a loss of 38 yards. Deshaun Watson only saw brief playing time, fumbling the ball after being sacked by Taco Charlton; Watson would not re-enter the game after the fumble and did not attempt any passes. Joe Webb saw most of the quarterback play for Houston, throwing two interceptions and being sacked 4 times for a loss of 18 yards. Rookie free agent quarterback Jordan Ta'amu also saw play, completing 2 passes out of 5 attempts for 26 yards with no turnovers. Ta'amu was also sacked 3 times for a loss of 14 yards. The Texans only had 135 total yards with 4 turnovers while the Cowboys had 362 yards with no turnovers.

Week 4: vs. Los Angeles Rams

Week Four: Los Angeles Rams at Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Rams708722
Texans730010

at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

  • Date: August 29
  • Game time: 7:00 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 71,162
  • Referee: Walt Anderson (66)
  • TV: KTRK
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Two days after the game it was announced that the Texans had traded star defensive player Jadeveon Clowney to the Seattle Seahawks. The Texans received defensive ends Barkevious Mingo and Jacob Martin along with a 2020 third-round draft pick. Clowney was franchise tagged in March as a linebacker, but refused to sign the tag as he thought he should tagged a defensive end. Houston tried trading Clowney to the Miami Dolphins earlier in the week, but since Clowney had not signed his tag he had final say on where he would be traded to. [2]

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueRecap
1 September 9at New Orleans Saints L 28–300–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
2 September 15 Jacksonville Jaguars W 13–121–1NRG Stadium Recap
3 September 22at Los Angeles Chargers W 27–202–1 Dignity Health Sports Park Recap
4 September 29 Carolina Panthers L 10–162–2NRG Stadium Recap
5 October 6 Atlanta Falcons W 53–323–2NRG Stadium Recap
6 October 13at Kansas City Chiefs W 31–244–2 Arrowhead Stadium Recap
7 October 20at Indianapolis Colts L 23–304–3 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap
8 October 27 Oakland Raiders W 27–245–3NRG Stadium Recap
9 November 3 at Jacksonville Jaguars W 26–36–3 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Wembley Stadium (London) Recap
10 Bye
11 November 17at Baltimore Ravens L 7–416–4 M&T Bank Stadium Recap
12 November 21 Indianapolis Colts W 20–177–4NRG Stadium Recap
13 December 1 New England Patriots W 28–228–4NRG Stadium Recap
14 December 8 Denver Broncos L 24–388–5NRG Stadium Recap
15 December 15at Tennessee Titans W 24–219–5 Nissan Stadium Recap
16 December 21at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 23–2010–5 Raymond James Stadium Recap
17 December 29 Tennessee Titans L 14–3510–6NRG Stadium Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: at New Orleans Saints

Week One: Houston Texans at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Texans0147728
Saints03141330

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Game information

The Texans' offense started off slow, only gaining 15 total yards on their first two drives. On the Saints' second drive, Drew Brees was intercepted in the red zone by Whitney Mercilus at the Houston 4-yard line, returning it for 2 yards. On the first play following the turnover, Deshaun Watson threw a 54-yard pass to Will Fuller; the drive ended with a 21-yard touchdown run from Watson. The Texans took a one-point lead with 37 seconds left in the game, only for the Saints to drive downfield and kick a 58-yard field goal to win the game.

The Texans started 0–1, losing their third straight season opener. It was also the second straight road game that they had lost on a last-second field goal, after their Week 16 game against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018.

Week 2: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Week Two: Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Jaguars030912
Texans330713

at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

Game information

The Texans were leading 13–6 in the second half before the Jags scored a touchdown. However, the Jags failed on their two-point conversion attempt, which led the Texans to their first win of the season.

Week 3: at Los Angeles Chargers

Week Three: Houston Texans at Los Angeles Chargers – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Texans0714627
Chargers7100320

at Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, California

Game information

During the third quarter, quarterback Deshaun Watson made the 50th touchdown pass of his career on a 15-yarder to tight end Jordan Akins.

Week 4: vs. Carolina Panthers

Week Four: Carolina Panthers at Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Panthers370616
Texans037010

at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

Game information

Week 5: vs. Atlanta Falcons

Week Five: Atlanta Falcons at Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Falcons71001532
Texans79172053

at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

  • Date: October 6
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 71,787
  • Referee: Shawn Smith
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Ronde Barber and Sara Walsh
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Atlanta's defense struggled to contain Houston's offense, giving up 592 yards. Deshaun Watson passed for 426 yards with five touchdowns, only five incompletions, and no interceptions for a perfect passer rating. [3]

Week 6: at Kansas City Chiefs

Week Six: Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Texans3200831
Chiefs1707024

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Game information

This was assistant head coach Romeo Crennel's first visit to Kansas City in 7 years, where he served as their interim head coach for the final 3 Weeks of the 2011 season, most notably ending the Green Bay Packers' hopes of a perfect season that year, and was the Chiefs' head coach during the 2012 season.

Week 7: at Indianapolis Colts

Week Seven: Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Texans097723
Colts7714230

at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

Game information

Week 8: vs. Oakland Raiders

Week Eight: Oakland Raiders at Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Raiders777324
Texans7331427

at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

Game information

Week 9: at Jacksonville Jaguars

NFL London Games

Week Nine: Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Texans3610726
Jaguars03003

at Wembley Stadium, London, England

Game information

Week 11: at Baltimore Ravens

Week Eleven: Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Texans00077
Ravens014131441

at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

  • Date: November 17
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 44 °F (7 °C)
  • Game attendance: 70,731
  • Referee: Alex Kemp
  • TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts and Evan Washburn
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Week 12: vs. Indianapolis Colts

Week Twelve: Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Colts0107017
Texans0103720

at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

Game information

Week 13: vs. New England Patriots

Week Thirteen: New England Patriots at Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Patriots3061322
Texans777728

at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

Game information

This was the Texans' first win over New England in a decade.

Week 14: vs. Denver Broncos

Battle Red Day

Week Fourteen: Denver Broncos at Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Broncos14177038
Texans0371424

at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

  • Date: December 8
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 71,769
  • Referee: Adrian Hill
  • TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon and AJ Ross
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Week 15: at Tennessee Titans

Week Fifteen: Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Texans01401024
Titans0071421

at Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee

Game information

Week 16: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week Sixteen: Houston Texans at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Texans1073323
Buccaneers3143020

at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

  • Date: December 21
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 73 °F (23 °C)
  • Game attendance: 49,036
  • Referee: Scott Novak
  • TV announcers (NFLN/KRIV): Rich Eisen, Nate Burleson, Joe Thomas and Melissa Stark
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Week 17: vs. Tennessee Titans

Week Seventeen: Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Titans7771435
Texans707014

at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

  • Date: December 29
  • Game time: 3:25 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 71,794
  • Referee: Clete Blakeman
  • TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

With the Kansas City Chiefs defeating the Los Angeles Chargers earlier in the afternoon, the Texans were locked in at the 4th seed for the playoffs. Houston rested several offensive and defensive starters with A. J. McCarron starting at quarterback, his first start since 2015 when he played for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Standings

Division

AFC South
WLTPCTDIVCONFPFPASTK
(4) Houston Texans 1060.6254–28–4378385L1
(6) Tennessee Titans 970.5633–37–5402331W1
Indianapolis Colts 790.4383–35–7361373L1
Jacksonville Jaguars 6100.3752–46–6300397W1

Conference

AFC
#TeamDivisionWLTPCTDIVCONFSOSSOVSTK
Division leaders
1 Baltimore Ravens North1420.8755–110–2.494.484W12
2 [a] Kansas City Chiefs West1240.7506–09–3.510.477W6
3 [a] New England Patriots East1240.7505–18–4.469.411L1
4 Houston Texans South1060.6254–28–4.520.488L1
Wild Cards
5 Buffalo Bills East1060.6253–37–5.461.363L2
6 Tennessee Titans South970.5633–37–5.488.465W1
Did not qualify for the postseason
7 Pittsburgh Steelers North880.5003–36–6.502.324L3
8 [b] [c] Denver Broncos West790.4383–36–6.510.406W2
9 [c] [d] [e] Oakland Raiders West790.4383–35–7.482.335L1
10 [b] [d] [e] Indianapolis Colts South790.4383–35–7.492.500L1
11 [b] [d] New York Jets East790.4382–44–8.473.402W2
12 [f] Jacksonville Jaguars South6100.3752–46–6.484.406W1
13 [f] Cleveland Browns North6100.3753–36–6.533.479L3
14 [g] Los Angeles Chargers West5110.3130–63–9.514.488L3
15 [g] Miami Dolphins East5110.3132–44–8.484.463W2
16 Cincinnati Bengals North2140.1251–52–10.553.406W1
Tiebreakers [h]
  1. 1 2 Kansas City finished ahead of New England based on head-to-head victory.
  2. 1 2 3 Denver finished ahead of Indianapolis and NY Jets based on conference record. Division tiebreak was initially used to eliminate Oakland (see below).
  3. 1 2 Denver finished ahead of Oakland based on conference record.
  4. 1 2 3 Oakland and Indianapolis finished ahead of NY Jets based on conference record.
  5. 1 2 Oakland finished ahead of Indianapolis based on head-to-head victory.
  6. 1 2 Jacksonville finished ahead of Cleveland based on record against common opponents. Jacksonville's cumulative record against Cincinnati, Denver, NY Jets, and Tennessee was 4–1, compared to Cleveland's 2–3 cumulative record against the same four teams.
  7. 1 2 LA Chargers finished ahead of Miami based on head-to-head victory.
  8. ↑ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.

Postseason

Schedule

RoundDateOpponent (seed)ResultRecordVenueRecap
Wild Card January 4, 2020 Buffalo Bills (5)W 22–19 (OT)1–0 NRG Stadium Recap
Divisional January 12, 2020at Kansas City Chiefs (2)L 31–511–1 Arrowhead Stadium Recap

Game summaries

AFC Wild Card Playoffs: vs. (5) Buffalo Bills

AFC Wild Card Playoffs: (5) Buffalo Bills at (4) Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter1234OTTotal
Bills7633019
Texans00811322

at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

Game information

Houston rallied back from a 16–0 3rd quarter deficit – having been held to 62 total yards in the first half [4] – to win with 3:20 remaining in overtime on Ka'imi Fairbairn's 28-yard field goal, for Buffalo's 6th consecutive playoff loss since their last win in December 1995. [5]

On the opening drive of the game, Bills quarterback Josh Allen rushed for 42 yards – the Bills' longest rush of the season [6] – and then caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from receiver John Brown on a trick play to put Buffalo up 7–0. In the second quarter, Devin Singletary rushed for an 18-yard gain and Allen completed a 28-yard pass to Brown as the team drove 69 yards in 11 plays to go up 10–0 on Stephen Hauschka's 40-yard field goal. Then after a punt, Buffalo drove 74 yards in 15 plays to score on a second 40-yard field goal from Hauschka, giving them a 13–0 lead at half-time.

Five minutes into the third quarter, Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins fumbled the ball while being tackled by Tre'Davious White, and Tremaine Edmunds recovered it on the Texans' 38-yard line. Buffalo then drove to the 12-yard line, but ended up settling for Hauschka's third field goal after Allen was sacked on third down by J. J. Watt, giving them a 16–0 lead. This time, Houston managed to respond, moving the ball 75 yards in 9 plays and scoring on a 20-yard touchdown run from quarterback Deshaun Watson; Watson also scored the ensuing 2-point conversion to make the score 16–8. On the Bills' ensuing drive, linebacker Whitney Mercilus forced a fumble while sacking Allen, [6] which Jacob Martin recovered for the Texans at midfield with 14:18 remaining. Watson then completed a 20-yard pass to Kenny Stills that set up Fairbairn's 41-yard field goal, cutting the score to 16–11. [7]

After Buffalo punted on their next drive, Watson completed a 41-yard pass – on the drive's second play – to Hopkins on the Buffalo 28-yard line, [6] and later connected with tight end Darren Fells for 14 yards to bring up first and goal from the 1-yard line. Running back Carlos Hyde fumbled a pitch from Watson and was forced out of bounds for a 4-yard loss, before catching a 5-yard touchdown pass from Watson on the next play. [6] Hopkins caught Watson's pass for a 2-point conversion, giving Houston their first lead at 19–16 with 4:42 remaining. Buffalo started out their next drive with a 38-yard completion from Allen to Singletary, and soon found themselves with a first down on the Texans' 25-yard line. After an incompletion, Frank Gore was dropped by Mike Adams for a 3-yard loss and then Allen was flagged for intentional grounding, pushing the team all the way back to the 42-yard line. Allen was sacked for a 19-yard loss [6] by Martin on 4th-and-27, with a turnover on downs putting the Texans at Buffalo's 39-yard line with less than two minutes remaining. The Bills' defense managed to pin the Texans down, with Watson being stopped short by Star Lotulelei on 4th-and-1. Gaining the ball with 1:16 left, Allen led Buffalo 41 yards in 11 plays, including a 20-yard run by Allen, to score on Hauschka's 47-yard field goal, [5] sending the game to overtime at 19–19.

After both teams punted on their first drive of overtime – Buffalo having punted after a penalty pushed the team out of field goal range [8] – Houston drove 73 yards in 9 plays for the game-winning score; the key play of the drive was an 18-yard completion from Watson to running back Duke Johnson on 3rd-and-18 from the Texans' 19-yard line. Then Watson rushed for 5 yards, Stills caught a pass for 10 yards, and Hyde rushed 4 yards to the Bills' 44-yard line. On the next play, Watson evaded a sack attempt by two Buffalo defenders and fired a short pass to reserve running back Taiwan Jones, [5] who took off for a 34-yard gain to Buffalo's 10-yard line. Fairbairn then kicked a 28-yard field goal to give Houston the victory. [7]

The Texans were the only home team to win during the Wild Card round.

AFC Divisional Playoffs: at (2) Kansas City Chiefs

AFC Divisional Playoffs: (4) Houston Texans at (2) Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Texans2137031
Chiefs028131051

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Game information

After falling behind 24–0, Kansas City suddenly buried the Texans with an NFL playoff record 7 consecutive touchdowns and a field goal over their next eight drives, starting with a shocking 28-point second quarter.

On the opening possession, Houston mounted a six-play, 75-yard drive that culminated in Deshaun Watson’s 54-yard touchdown pass to Kenny Stills on 3rd-and-1, giving the Texans an early 7–0 lead. The Chiefs then went three-and-out on their first drive, with tight end Travis Kelce dropping a potential first down pass on third down. Dustin Colquitt’s ensuing punt was blocked by Barkevious Mingo and recovered by Lonnie Johnson Jr., who returned it 10 yards for a touchdown that put the Texans up 14–0 less than five minutes into the game.

After both teams punted on their next drives, Chiefs returner Tyreek Hill muffed the ball inside his own 10-yard line which was recovered by Keion Crossen for Houston. Two plays later, Watson found tight end Darren Fells in the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown and a 21–0 lead late in the first quarter.

The next time Houston got the ball, they drove 48 yards in 9 plays to a 4th and inches on the Chiefs 13-yard line. Rather than risk a conversion, the Texans settled for Ka'imi Fairbairn's 31-yard field goal to go up by 24 four minutes into the second quarter. However, this would be the extent of their success, as they went on to be outscored 51-7 for the rest of the game. First, Mecole Hardman returned the ensuing kickoff 58 yards to Houston's 42-yard line. Patrick Mahomes then threw a 25-yard pass to Kelce to get in the red zone before hitting running back Damien Williams for a 17-yard touchdown. After Houston went three-and-out on their next drive, they attempted a fake punt on 4th and 4 with a direct snap to Justin Reid who was tackled by Daniel Sorensen two yards short, giving Kansas City the ball at the Texans 33. Johnson was then called for pass interference to put the ball at the five before Mahomes hit Kelce in the end zone to cut the deficit to 10. On the ensuing kickoff, DeAndre Carter fumbled the ball due to a hit by Sorenson, and it went right into the arms of Kansas City's Darwin Thompson, who returned it to the Houston 6. Mahomes then threw his third touchdown pass in less than four minutes, and his second to Kelce, to make the score 24–21.

Taking possession at their own 10 with 2:47 left in the quarter, the Chiefs went on a 90-yard drive that included another pass interference on Johnson, while Mahomes rushed twice for 35 yards and completed a pair of 20-yard passes to Hill and Kelce. Finally, with 44 seconds left in the half, Mahomes threw another five-yard touchdown to Kelce to give the Chiefs their first lead of the game, 28–24. Mahomes’ four touchdown passes in the second quarter tied an NFL postseason record set by Doug Williams in Super Bowl XXII. Fairbairn missed a 51-yard field goal as time expired in the half as the Chiefs became the first team in NFL history to fall behind by as many as 20 points in the first half but still lead at halftime.

The Chiefs would extend their lead on the opening possession of the third quarter, going 85 yards in 7 plays, the longest a 48-yard catch by Sammy Watkins. Williams ran the ball in from the goal-line, increasing their lead to 34-24 after Harrison Butker missed the extra point. After forcing another Texans punt, the Chiefs took advantage of another pass interference penalty against Houston and a 28-yard completion from Mahomes to Kelce, scoring on their sixth straight possession with another Williams touchdown run to give them a 41–24 lead with 4:39 left in the quarter. Houston finally snapped Kansas City's 41-point run when Watson completed 4 passes for 80 yards and finished the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run, making the score 41–31 with 24 seconds left in the third quarter.

Kansas City would make it seven touchdowns in a row, setting a new postseason record, on a drive that included a 23-yard pass to Kelce and a 28-yard completion to Watkins, putting the ball at the Houston 8. Mahomes then found Blake Bell in the end zone, making the score 48–31. On Houston's next drive, they turned the ball over on downs at the Chiefs 42. A pair runs by Williams for gains of 11 and 26 yard to set up Butker's 24-yard field goal with 8:06 left to put Kansas City up by 20. Houston then turned the ball over on downs on their final two possessions, the last coming when Frank Clark sacked Watson for a 17-yard loss on 4th-and-8 from the Kansas City 8-yard line.

Mahomes finished the game 23/35 for 321 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions. He was also the leading rusher with 53 yards on seven carries. Kelce had 10 catches for 134 yards and three touchdowns, tying a Super Bowl-era postseason record. Hardman had 6 kickoff returns for 142 yards. Williams rushed for 47 yards, caught 2 passes for 21 yards, and scored 3 touchdowns. Watson threw for 388 yards and two touchdowns, while DeAndre Hopkins had 118 yards on nine catches. Kansas City's 24-point comeback was the fourth largest in postseason history, and they would go on to win Super Bowl LIV. [9] The Texans became the first team in NFL postseason history to lose by 20 or more points after leading by 20 or more points. [9]

Statistics

Team

CategoryTotal yardsYards per gameNFL rank
(out of 32)
Passing offense3,783236.415th
Rushing offense2,009125.69th
Total offense [10] 5,792362.013th
Passing defense4,276267.329th
Rushing defense1,937121.125th
Total defense [11] 6,213388.327th

Individual

CategoryPlayerTotal
Offense
Passing yards Deshaun Watson 3,852
Passing touchdownsDeshaun Watson26
Rushing yards Carlos Hyde 1,070
Rushing touchdownsDeshaun Watson7
Receiving yards DeAndre Hopkins 1,165
Receiving touchdownsDeAndre Hopkins7
Defense
Tackles (Solo) Zach Cunningham 99
Sacks Whitney Mercilus 7.5
Interceptions Tashaun Gipson 3

Source: [12]

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The 2003 Houston Texans season was the franchise's second season in the National Football League and the second under head coach Dom Capers. It saw the Texans make a one-game improvement on its initial season's record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Houston Texans season</span> 12th season in franchise history

The 2013 Houston Texans season was the franchise's 12th season in the National Football League (NFL). The Texans failed to improve upon their 12–4 record from 2012, suffering through a season-ending 14-game losing streak following a 2–0 start and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2010. Head coach Gary Kubiak was fired after eight seasons following their eleventh loss. Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips was named the interim head coach for the final three games of the season. Out of the 14 games lost by the Texans this year, 9 of them were by one score, marking a record amount of one score losses for the franchise. Their 14-game losing streak is the worst in team history. Coming off a franchise-best 12–4 record just the year before, the Texans tie a league record with the Houston Oilers for the biggest season-to-season decline in win total. On January 3, 2014, claiming that "I'm ready to kick 2013 the hell out the door", Texans owner Robert McNair announced that former Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien would be the Texans' third head coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Houston Texans season</span> American football team season record

The 2014 Houston Texans season was the franchise's 13th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the first under head coach Bill O'Brien. Despite missing the playoffs for the second season in a row, the Texans greatly improved upon their 2–14 record from 2013, finishing 9–7. This represented the greatest single-season turnaround for the Texans, until the 2023 team improved from the 2022 team, going from 3-13-1 to 10-7, and winning the AFC South.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Kansas City Chiefs season</span> NFL team season

The 2015 season was the Kansas City Chiefs' 46th in the National Football League (NFL), their 56th overall and their third under the head coach/general manager tandem of Andy Reid and John Dorsey. The Chiefs went through a poor start in their first six games as they were 1–5, and lost their star running back, Jamaal Charles, to a torn ACL in his right knee during an 18–17 Week 5 loss at home against the Chicago Bears. In week 16, after their ninth consecutive victory and the Baltimore Ravens defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Chiefs clinched a playoff berth, their second in three years. They are the first team since the 1970 Cincinnati Bengals to start the season 1–5 and qualify for the playoffs. They also set the franchise record for the most consecutive victories, winning 10 in a row. In their Wild Card matchup, the Chiefs were set up to play against the Houston Texans. The Chiefs shutout the Texans 30–0 to earn their first playoff win in 22 years, ending what was at the time, until the Bengals broke the record the night the Chiefs won, an NFL record for consecutive playoff losses. The shutout was the Chiefs first ever playoff shutout and remains, as of the 2023–24 playoffs, the most recent playoff shutout in the NFL. The following week, they were defeated by the New England Patriots in the divisional round 27–20.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Houston Texans season</span> 14th season in franchise history

The 2015 Houston Texans season was the franchise's 14th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the second under head coach Bill O'Brien.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 New Orleans Saints season</span> NFL team season

The 2015 season was the New Orleans Saints' 49th in the National Football League (NFL), their 40th playing home games at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and their ninth under head coach Sean Payton. On November 16, 2015, the Saints hired Dennis Allen to replace fired defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. However, the Saints still missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season. The Saints set a new league record for the most passing touchdowns allowed with 45.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Houston Texans season</span> 15th season in franchise history

The 2016 Houston Texans season was the franchise's 15th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the third under head coach Bill O'Brien. The Texans' attempt to make history as the first team to play the Super Bowl on their home field, NRG Stadium, was thwarted in the second round of the 2016–17 NFL playoffs by the eventual Super Bowl LI champion New England Patriots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Indianapolis Colts season</span> 64th season in franchise history

The 2016 Indianapolis Colts season was the franchise's 64th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the 33rd in Indianapolis. The Colts matched their 8–8 record from 2015, but would miss the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1997–1998. This season would also see the Colts get swept by the Houston Texans for the first time in franchise history. As a result, the Colts fired general manager Ryan Grigson after five seasons with the team. However, head coach Chuck Pagano would return the next year.

The 2016 season was the Tennessee Titans franchise's 47th in the National Football League (NFL) and their 57th overall. It also marked the franchise's 20th season in the state of Tennessee as well as the first full season under head coach Mike Mularkey, who served as the team's interim head coach for the last nine games of the 2015 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 58th season in franchise history

The 2017 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 58th in the National Football League (NFL), their 29th under the ownership of Jerry Jones, their 9th playing their home games at AT&T Stadium, and their 7th full season under head coach Jason Garrett.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Houston Texans season</span> 16th season in franchise history; last full one under ownership of Bob McNair

The 2017 Houston Texans season was the franchise's 16th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the fourth under head coach Bill O'Brien. With the Texans' loss at the Titans in Week 13, Houston exceeded their loss total (7) from 2014, 2015 and 2016. The Texans clinched their first losing season since 2013, and finished in last place in the AFC South for the first time since 2013. The Texans also missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 59th season in franchise history

The 2018 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 59th in the National Football League (NFL), their 30th under the ownership of Jerry Jones, their 10th playing their home games at AT&T Stadium, and their eighth full season under head coach Jason Garrett. AT&T Stadium also became the first stadium venue to host the annual draft. For the first time since 2009, wide receiver Dez Bryant was not on the opening day roster, as he was released on April 13, 2018 and later signed with the New Orleans Saints on November 7, 2018. For the first time since 2002, tight end Jason Witten was not on the opening day roster, having announced his retirement on May 3, 2018. For the first time since 2010, kicker Dan Bailey was not on the opening day roster, as he was released on September 1, 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Houston Texans season</span> 17th season in franchise history

The 2018 season was the Houston Texans' 17th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their fifth under head coach Bill O'Brien. This marked the first season since 2005 that Rick Smith would not be the general manager as he took a leave of absence for family reasons. Despite an 0–3 start, their first in a decade, the Texans surpassed their win total from the previous season with a Week 8 win over the Miami Dolphins. They had a franchise record 9 consecutive wins that also broke the NFL record for most consecutive wins after starting 0–3. The streak ended with a Week 14 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. With a Week 15 win over the New York Jets, the Texans clinched their first 10-win season under head coach Bill O’Brien, their first 10-win season since 2012 and their third 10-win season in franchise history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Houston Texans season</span> 19th season in franchise history; final one under Bill OBrien

The 2020 season was the Houston Texans' 19th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their seventh and final season under head coach Bill O'Brien. Following their week 10 loss to the Cleveland Browns, they failed to match/improve their 10–6 record from last year and failed to win 10 or more games for the first time since the 2017 season. They were eliminated from playoff contention after a Week 14 loss to the Chicago Bears and suffered their first losing season since 2017. This was also the first season since 2012 that DeAndre Hopkins was not on the roster, as he was traded to the Arizona Cardinals in the offseason. This was the Texans' final season with Deshaun Watson as the starting quarterback, as he would sit out the next season amidst sexual misconduct allegations as well as demanding to be traded. Watson's final game as a Texan was on January 2, 2021, a 38–41 loss to the Tennessee Titans, and would be traded to the Cleveland Browns a year later, on March 18, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Tennessee Titans season</span> 61st season in franchise history

The 2020 season was the Tennessee Titans' 51st in the National Football League (NFL), their 61st overall, their 24th in the state of Tennessee, and their third under head coach Mike Vrabel. After starting the season 5–0, their first since the 2008 season, the Titans improved upon their 9–7 season from the previous 4 years and earned their first double-digit winning season and division title since 2008. The Titans finished tied with the Indianapolis Colts for the AFC South division title, but won the tiebreaker based on record vs. division opponents. In the Wild Card Round, the Titans blew a 10–0 lead and were upset by Lamar Jackson's Baltimore Ravens, 20–13. As of 2024, they are the most recent AFC division champion to lose in the Wild Card round.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Houston Texans season</span> NFL team season

The 2021 season was the Houston Texans' 20th season in the National Football League (NFL), and their only under head coach David Culley. For the first time since 2011, defensive end J. J. Watt was not on the roster, as he had signed with the Arizona Cardinals on March 5, 2021, reuniting him with former Texans teammate DeAndre Hopkins, who was traded to the Cardinals the season prior. It also was the first time since 2014 without former head coach Bill O'Brien, as he was fired just four games into the 2020 season when the Texans began 0–4.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Houston Texans season</span> 21st season in franchise history

The 2022 season was the Houston Texans' 21st in the National Football League (NFL) and their only season under Lovie Smith, following the firing of David Culley at the end of the 2021 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Tennessee Titans season</span> 63rd season in franchise history

The 2022 season was the Tennessee Titans' 53rd in the National Football League (NFL), their 63rd overall, their 26th in the state of Tennessee and their fifth under head coach Mike Vrabel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 63rd season in franchise history

The 2022 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 63rd in the National Football League (NFL) and their third under head coach Mike McCarthy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Houston Texans season</span> 22nd season in franchise history

The 2023 season was the Houston Texans' 22nd season in the National Football League (NFL) and the first under head coach DeMeco Ryans. While the team went into the season with low expectations as a rebuilding period and started 0–2, they not only improved on their 3–13–1 record from last year with a Week 9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the Texans qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2019 with a win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 18, ending with a 10–7 record. After the Jacksonville Jaguars lost to the Tennessee Titans the day after, the Texans also clinched the AFC South for the first time since 2019. The Texans became the fifth team in NFL history to make the playoffs with both a rookie quarterback and a rookie head coach, as well as making history as the first team in NFL history to win a division entirely with a rookie head coach and rookie quarterback.

References

  1. ↑ Wilson, Aaron (August 25, 2019). "Texans' Lamar Miller out for season with torn ACL and MCL". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  2. ↑ Breech, John (August 31, 2019). "Seahawks acquire star pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney in multi-player trade with the Texans". CBS Sports . Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  3. ↑ Thompson, Chris (October 6, 2019). "Texans' Deshaun Watson Gives Detailed Breakdown Of Falcons' Defense After Historic Performance". Deadspin . Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Texans edge Bills in NFL playoff OT thriller". France 24 . France Médias Monde. Agence France-Presse. January 5, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 Maske, Mark (January 5, 2020). "Texans beat Bills, 22–19, as Deshaun Watson, J.J. Watt lead comeback in playoff victory". The Washington Post . Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Houston Texans rally from 16 down to roar past Bills in wildcard playoff". The Guardian . Associated Press. January 5, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  7. 1 2 "Texans roar past Bills for 22–19 win in OT". ESPN.com . ESPN Inc. Associated Press. January 5, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  8. ↑ Williams, Charean. "Mike Pereira, Terry McAulay disagree with blindside block penalty on Bills". MSN . Microsoft . Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  9. 1 2 Teicher, Adam (January 12, 2020). "Patrick Mahomes-inspired Chiefs shatter records in rally". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  10. ↑ "2019 NFL Team Total Offense Stats". ESPN. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  11. ↑ "2019 NFL Team Total Defense Stats". ESPN. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  12. ↑ "2019 Texans Statistics". Houston Texans. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
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